Crime & Safety

Police on Snow Removal Duty Make Drug Bust

Salem police officers working to move cars off of Gardner Street Thursday afternoon allegedly walked in on a group of alleged drug dealers and ended up making six arrests.

Prior to approaching 26 Gardner St., Salem police officers had used their sirens and a PA system to announce to neighborhood residents that all vehicles parked along the roadway needed to be moved for snow removal.

When officers came back a half-hour later, they reportedly found six vehicles parked along the street and ended up knocking on the front door at about 1 p.m., Lt. Mary Butler said Thursday night.

When officers were told to "come inside, it's open", they reportedly entered the building and discovered a group of people sitting around a coffee table conducting a marijuana transcation, Butler said.

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"They found a bunch of people just sitting around a table there with (marijuana) right in the common hallway," Butler said.

After a brief investigation, police confiscated an undisclosed amount of marijuana, a digital scale and made the following arrests:

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  • Chad L. Goodwin, 22, of 26 Gardner St., Salem, was arrested on a charge of possessing a class D substance (marijuana) with intent to distribute.
  • Christopher Mastropietro, 21, of 44 Gage Ave., Revere, was arrested on a charge of conspiracy to violate a drug law.
  • Sarra E. Bergeron, 22, of 26 Gardner St., Salem, was arrested on a charge of conspiracy to violate a drug law.
  • Kasey J. Higgins, 19, of 32 Stewart St., Billerica, was arrested on a charge of conspiracy to violate a drug law.
  • Andrew J. Cetola, 22, of 26 Gardner St., Salem, was arrested on a charge of possessing a class D substance (marijuana) with intent to distribute.
  • Stephen E. Taylor, 20, of 91 Bellfloer Road, Billerica, was arrested on a charge of possessing a class D substance (marijuana) with intent to distribute.

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