Crime & Safety

Police Arrest Alleged Drug Dealer in Stoneham

Woburn Police and the Southern Middlesex Regional Drug Task Force investigation leads to 17-year-old's arrest.

 

After a two-month investigation, a Stoneham man accused of dealing marijuana was arrested while police executed a search warrant last week, according to  Chief Richard Bongiorno.

On April 17, the Southern Middlesex Regional Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at the residence of Patrick Decroteau, 17, of 5 Pond Street, according to Bongiorno. Decroteau, who was home at the time the warrant was executed, was taken into custody and charged with possession and distribution of a class D illicit substance (marijuana). If convicted, he could face up to two years in the House of Corrections, according to a police press statement. 

Find out what's happening in Woburnwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The drug task force includes police officers from several towns, including Stoneham Det. Paul Norton, and Woburn Police Lieutenant Robert Rufo and Woburn Police Detective Angelo Piazza, according to Bongiorno. 

"We worked very, very closely with Woburn (Police). They are usually involved in most of what we do," Bongiorno said of the drug investigation. 

Find out what's happening in Woburnwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

How the Investigation Started

A confidential informant tipped off Stoneham Police Det. Paul Norton and the task force about the possibility of illicit drug activity happening at the Stoneham residence, according to Bongiorno. "It involved various surveillance times not only at the house, but while the suspect was mobile," said the police chief.

While executing the warrant, officers seized some marijuana, drug paraphernalia, money and paperwork consistent with a drug ledger, according to Bongiorno.

"There was a large number of sandwich bags consistent with drug distribution," Bongiorno said. "There was a scale and two grinders found. When you get marijuana, it is very leafy and you grind it to smaller pieces."

He declined to comment on the quantity of drugs recovered or the amount of cash found at the site. 

"Even though there is an arrest and a search warrant, that doesn't end an investigation necessarily," Bongiorno said. "It's possible that the result of this component could lead into things depending on evidence seized."


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.