Holyoke Police seize kilo of cocaine, heroin and three firearms in drug bust
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – A months-long narcotics investigation has resulted in the arrest of a Holyoke man and the seizure of a significant amount of drugs and firearms.
According to Holyoke Police Chief Brian Keenan, the investigation, launched in February 2025 in partnership with the FBI Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force, targeted 25-year-old Roberto Muniz of Holyoke, and alleged drug activity at two Holyoke addresses: an apartment at 196 Oak Street and a secondary stash location at 805 High Street.
On Wednesday, May 13, police were granted a search warrant from Holyoke District Court for the two addresses and a vehicle linked to the investigation. At approximately 6 a.m. on Thursday, May 15, multiple agencies executed the warrants in a coordinated operation. Participating units included the Holyoke Police Department Narcotics Unit, FBI Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Hampden County Sheriff's Department, and Massachusetts State Police.
At the Oak Street residence, officers detained a female and five other individuals found inside, including Muniz. Two loaded firearms, an additional magazine, and marijuana were recovered at the scene. Muniz was taken into custody.
At the same time, agents executed the search at 805 High Street, where they seized a loaded large-capacity firearm, additional ammunition, over 1,000 grams of suspected crack cocaine and cocaine, approximately 100 bags of heroin/fentanyl, and roughly five pounds of marijuana. The firearm recovered at this location was reported stolen from Virginia.
In a search of the related vehicle, authorities seized more than $1,000 in cash.
Roberto Muniz, 35, of Holyoke, faces multiple charges, including:
Possession of a Class A Drug
Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class A Drug
Cocaine Trafficking (200+ grams)
Possession of a Large Capacity Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class D Drug
Improper Storage of a Large Capacity Firearm
Possession of Ammunition Without an FID Card
Receiving Stolen Property Less than $1,200
Possession of a Firearm Without an FID Card – Subsequent Offense
Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
Police said the investigation remains ongoing and that additional charges may be pending.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Springfield man to be sentenced in Chicopee murder case
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A man from Springfield is set to be sentenced to prison on Friday. Springfield man arrested after six-hour standoff on Byers Street Kaysone Walters was found guilty in the killing of 25-year-old Brianne Boiselle back in August of 2021. On August 11th, Boisselle was found on Baldwin Street in Springfield with several stab wounds and died from her injuries. An investigation led Springfield Police to apply for an arrest warrant for Walters, who was believed to be the suspect in the alleged murder and armed carjacking. Springfield police along with the U.S. Marshals Service, State Police and the Hampden County Sheriff's Department later learned that Walters left the state and was in Lakeland, Florida. On October 7th, the U.S. Marshals Florida Task Force went to Lakeland and spotted Walters attempting to run away. He was caught and arrested by the officers. Walter was charged with Fugitive from Justice Warrant and was brought back to Massachusetts to face murder charges. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Springfield Police warn of suspicious panhandling soliciting donations for fake child funeral
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Springfield Police are warning residents about panhandlers seen in the city using. Springfield takes action against illegal 'Gas Station Weed' According to a message posted Thursday on the department's official Facebook page, individuals were spotted at the intersection of State Street and Walnut Street claiming to be collecting donations for the funeral of a deceased child. Police say they have encountered this type of panhandling before and, to date, none of the similar cases are legitimate. 'Warning: We have once again spotted individuals panhandling under the guise of raising money for a funeral for a child who died,' the post reads. 'We have yet to see one of these solicitations being legitimate.' Police emphasized that while the practice is misleading, panhandlers are legally allowed to solicit donations on public sidewalks as long as they do not step into the roadway or act aggressively. The legality of their signage, regardless of whether the content is truthful, is not regulated unless other laws are being violated. 'If you do come across this, please be mindful of these types of solicitations,' the department advised. Residents who feel unsure about the authenticity of fundraising efforts are encouraged to donate directly to verified charities or check for legitimate online fundraisers with identifiable contacts. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Florida man sentenced to over four years for embezzling $5.8M from employer
BOSTON (WWLP) – A Florida man who served as a finance director has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for embezzling over $5.8 million from his employer, prosecutors announced Thursday. Ten arrested in multi-location drug bust in Holyoke Paul Schnitzer, 52, of Clermont, Fla., was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Boston to 54 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Schnitzer was also ordered to pay $5,831,829 in restitution and forfeit assets he acquired through his scheme, including the balances of two financial accounts, subscription ownership shares in certain artwork, and up to $50,000 in cash held with luxury jeweler Bulgari. Federal prosecutors said Schnitzer carried out the fraud between January 2022 and May 2024 while working as the finance director of a Florida-based company owned by a Massachusetts investment firm. Over that period, he made more than 100 unauthorized transfers from the company's operating account into his personal bank account. Many of the transfers were falsely labeled as 'equity distributions,' according to court documents. To conceal the theft, Schnitzer used a company line of credit to replace stolen funds and further siphon money into his own account. Prosecutors said he also submitted falsified financial reports showing inflated cash balances to the company's owners and went so far as to spoof email addresses, posing as representatives from the company's bank and customers to mislead auditors. Schnitzer was initially released while awaiting trial, but was arrested again in June 2024 after he removed his court-ordered location monitoring device. He was later found to have used a company credit card to make more than $10,000 in unauthorized purchases in August 2024. Schnitzer pleaded guilty in the case earlier this year. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
