Latest news with #OperationNoLove
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Northampton man arrested after police search reveals drugs, firearm in Springfield apartment on Belmont Ave
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A man from Northampton was arrested during an investigation into illegal drug activity on Belmont Ave in Springfield. In a news release from the Springfield Police Department, for the past several months, the Firearms Investigation Unit were investigating complaints from residents about illegal drug activity in the area of Belmont Avenue. Detective identified the target as 44-year-old Rafael Aviles of Northampton. Mugshots released in Massachusetts 'Operation No Love' fentanyl takedown At around 7:15 a.m. on Tuesday, law enforcement conducted a search warrant at an apartment on Belmont Ave. Aviles was inside and detained during the search. Detectives seized approximately 22 grams of powder and crack-cocaine, nearly $2,000, loose ammunition, 15 bags of heroin and a loaded firearm. Aviles was arrested and charged with the following: Carrying a Firearm without a License Carrying a Loaded Firearm without a License Convicted Felon in Possession of a Firearm Firearm Violation with 3 Prior Violent/Drug Crimes Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony (Two Counts) Improper Storage of a Firearm Possession of Ammunition without an FID Card Trafficking Cocaine 18-36 Grams Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class A Drug – Subsequent Offense Conspiracy to Violate Drug Law 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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.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
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Police ID 16 suspects arrested in major Massachusetts drug sweep
BOSTON (WPRI) — Massachusetts State Police has identified the 16 suspects arrested in connection with a yearslong fentanyl and cocaine takedown operation. The suspects were taken into custody last month after detectives searched 20 locations throughout Fall River, Taunton, Raynham, Norton, Pembroke and Falmouth. Investigators uncovered a total of 2,360 grams of cocaine, 1,364 grams of fentanyl, 33 firearms, numerous high-capacity magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and $109,355 in cash. The 16 suspects arrested during 'Operation No Love.' (Courtesy: Massachusetts State Police) The joint investigation, dubbed 'Operation No Love,' began back in March 2024 and was spearheaded by the Massachusetts State Police Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team. Throughout the investigation, an undercover trooper successfully purchased drugs nine times from one of the suspects. Police said the controlled purchases served as a starting point for investigators, who then used a combination of physical and electronic surveillance, toll analysis and court-authorized electronic intercepts of target cell phones to identify the organization's hierarchy, primary suspects, communication devices, vehicles, methods of operation and supply sources. The information developed by investigators allowed them to obtain search warrants for 11 locations in Taunton, two in Raynham, four in Fall River, and one each in Falmouth, Pembroke and Norton, according to police. The investigative team, comprised of nearly 200 troopers and officers, then fanned out on April 15 to search each of the locations. The next day, the investigation team received additional intel regarding one of the Taunton locations. Police said investigators returned to that location as a result and uncovered a loaded pistol, 1,028 grams of fentanyl and 80 grams of cocaine. RELATED: 16 arrested in Southeastern Massachusetts drug sweep The following 16 suspects were arrested as a result of the investigation and are facing numerous charges: Fall River District Court: Yosef Ali, 49, of Fall River Trafficking 100 grams or more of fentanyl Trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine Conspiracy to violate drug laws Ali's bail was set at $75,000. Jean Carlos Castillo Mendoza, 44, of Fall River Trafficking 100 grams or more of fentanyl Trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine Conspiracy to violate drug laws Castillo Mendoza's bail was set at $150,000. Taunton District Court: Jorge Santiago, 36, of Taunton Two counts of possession with intent to distribute a Class B Substance Conspiracy to violate drug laws Santiago's bail was set at $20,000. Jorge Arce, 46, of Taunton Trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine Trafficking 36 grams or more of fentanyl Possession of ammunition with a license Conspiracy to violate drug laws Arce's bail was set at $100,000. Neftali Torres, 51, of Taunton Trafficking 100 grams or more of cocaine Conspiracy to violate drug laws Torres' bail was set at $25,000. Christopher McLaughlin, 43, of Taunton Trafficking 18 grams or more of cocaine Trafficking 18 grams or more of fentanyl McLaughlin was ordered held without bail. Shawn Roias, 35, of Taunton Trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine Possession with intent to distribute a Class D substance Conspiracy to violate drug laws Possession of a large capacity feeding device Possession of a firearm while committing a felony Roias' bail is set at $25,000. Courtney Whitmore, 27, of Taunton Trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine Conspiracy to violate drug laws Whitmore's was set at $10,000. Val Bettencourt, 50, of Taunton Possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance — subsequent offense Conspiracy to violate drug laws Bettencourt's bail was set at $10,000. Brayton Crites, 26, of Taunton Two counts of possession with intent to distribute a Class A substance — subsequent offense Conspiracy to violate drug laws Crites' bail was set at $20,000. Andrew Williams, 27, of Raynham Five counts of trafficking 18 grams or more of cocaine Two counts of trafficking 36 grams or more of cocaine Three counts of distribution of a Class B substance Conspiracy to violate drug laws Williams' bail was set at $25,000. Sabrina Cohen, 27, of Taunton Possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance Conspiracy to violate drug laws Cohen's bail was set at $1,000. Lucas Guimaraes, 29, of Norton Trafficking 36 grams or more of cocaine Conspiracy to violate drug laws Guimaraes' bail was set at $25,000. He will also eventually be arraigned in Attleboro District Court on the following charges: Trafficking 100 grams or more of cocaine, possession of a firearm while committing a felony, possession of a firearm without a license and possession of ammunition without a license. Brian Szakaly, 27, of Raynham Possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance Conspiracy to violate drug laws Possession of a firearm while committing a felony Szakaly's bail was set at $15,000. Falmouth District Court: David Brasil, 45, of Falmouth Possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance Possession of a Class C substance Conspiracy to violate drug laws Brasil's bail was set at $500. Mary Hunt, 59, of Falmouth Possession of a Class B substance Hunt was released on personal recognizance. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on or with the new 12+ smart TV app. Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Five charged in Massachusetts during ‘Operation Restore Justice' nationwide child sex abuse crackdown
BOSTON (WWLP) – The United States Department of Justice announced on Wednesday that 205 child sex abuse offenders across the country have been arrested as a result of 'Operation Restore Justice,' including five in Massachusetts. According to the Department of Justice, this operation was conducted across five days from April 28 to May 2 by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department's Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorney's Offices throughout the nation. Mugshots released in Massachusetts 'Operation No Love' fentanyl takedown This team was organized to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators across the United States. A total of 205 child sexual abuse offenders within the country were arrested as a result of the operation, including school leaders, members of law enforcement, and registered sex offenders. Those arrested were accused of crimes ranging from possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to child sex trafficking. In the District of Massachusetts, the following individuals were arrested and charged as a result of Operation Restore Justice: Former Assistant Director of Admissions at Emmanuel College Jacob Henriques , 29, of Boston, is charged with attempted sex trafficking of a minor. Henriques is accused of soliciting an underage college applicant to engage in commercial sex with him. Level 1 sex offender Justin Ouimette , 34, of Holyoke, is charged with possessing CSAM. Officers seized over 400 files depicting CSAM from Ouimette's home, including files depicting the abuse of victims as young as three years old. The defendant has a prior 2022 state conviction for possessing CSAM. Warren Messeck , 75, of Agawam, is charged with possessing CSAM. Messeck was allegedly identified as a user of an internet-based peer-to-peer network downloading CSAM. Officers seized over 40 electronic devices from his residence, and over 10,000 CSAM files were found on six of the seized devices. Brandon Bendall , 49, of Wareham, is charged with possessing and receiving CSAM. According to court documents, Bendall was identified as a member of an online chat group in which members viewed and posted CSAM. During a search of Bendall's residence and cell phone, approximately 9,400 images and videos of CSAM, including images of children as young as infants being sexually abused, were allegedly located. Cess Frazier, 32, of Boston, is charged with receiving CSAM. It is alleged that approximately 100 media files depicting CSAM were saved on the defendant's phone. 'Protecting children from exploitation is among the most sacred responsibilities we have in law enforcement,' said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. 'Each case serves as a difficult reminder that child predators are embedded in our communities. Some take on roles that increase their direct contact with children, while others prey on children from behind a keyboard. But make no mistake, we will identify, arrest, and hold every one of them accountable, no matter how long it takes or how far we have to go. As Child Abuse Prevention Month came to a close, Operation Restore Justice delivered a powerful and urgent message: protecting children is not just a worthy cause we recognize, it is a mission we carry out every day. We will not relent in our pursuit of those who exploit children, and we are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their tireless work to bring these predators to justice. This work will not stop.' Local News Headlines 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. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Mugshots released in Massachusetts ‘Operation No Love' fentanyl takedown
BOSTON (WWLP) – The mugshots of the 16 individuals arrested and charged during last month's multi-agency fentanyl and cocaine takedown operation have been released. On April 15 and 16, the Massachusetts State Police Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team (CINRET) led a law enforcement team in the execution of search warrants across 20 locations in southeastern Massachusetts. These searches were conducted following an investigation beginning in March 2024, called 'Operation No Love.' Connecticut K-9 captures wanted fugitive working in Somers Massachusetts State Police said that members of CINRET-South and officers with the Brockton and East Bridgewater Police Departments had begun investigating a drug trafficking organization believed to be distributing fentanyl and cocaine in Bristol County. A State Trooper successfully conducted nine controlled drug purchases throughout the investigation. The undercover trooper and members of the investigative team were able to use surveillance, toll analysis, and electronic intercepts of cell phones to determine the drug trafficking organization's hierarchy, primary suspects, methods of operation, and narcotics supply. Law enforcement used this information to obtain search warrants for 11 locations in Taunton, two locations in Raynham, four locations in Fall River, and one location each in Falmouth, Pembroke, and Norton. On April 15, the team of over 200 law enforcement members executed these warrants. During the search, investigators seized approximately 2,280 grams of cocaine, 226 grams of fentanyl, 32 firearms, hundreds of ammunition rounds, high-capacity magazines, and $109,355 in suspected drug proceeds. On April 16, investigators returned to one of the target locations in Taunton based on further information provided and located a Diamondback 9mm pistol, an additional 1,028 grams of fentanyl, and 80 grams of cocaine. Courtesy of the Massachusetts State Police. Sixteen individuals were arrested following the operation and arraigned in various district courts. On Wednesday, these individuals' mugshots were provided by Massachusetts State Police, as well as images of several of the items seized during the search. Shawn Roias, 35, of Taunton Trafficking in Cocaine, 200 grams or More (1 count) Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class D Substance (1 count) Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count) Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device (1 count) Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony (1 count) Bail set at $25,000 Lucas Guimaraes, 29, of Norton Trafficking in Cocaine, 36 grams or More (1 count) Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count) Bail set at $25,000 Andrew Williams, 27, of Raynham Trafficking in Cocaine, 18 grams or More (5 counts) Trafficking in Cocaine, 36 grams or More (2 counts) Distribution of a Class B Substance (3 counts) Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count) Bail set at $25,000 Brian Szakaly, 27, of Raynham Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class B Substance (1 count) Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count) Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony (1 count) Bail set at $15,000 Brayton Crites, 26, of Taunton Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class A Substance, Subsequent Offense (2 counts) Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count) Bail set at $20,000 Val Bettencourt, 50, of Taunton Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class B Substance, Subsequent Offense (1 count) Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count) Bail set at $10,000 Christopher McLaughlin, 43, of Taunton Trafficking in Cocaine, 18 grams or More (1 count) Trafficking in Fentanyl, 18 grams or More (1 count) Held without Bail Sabrina Cohen, 27, of Taunton Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class B Substance (1 count) Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count) Bail set at $1,000 Neftali Torres, 51, of Taunton Trafficking in Cocaine, 100 grams or More (1 count) Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count) Bail set at $25,000 Jorge Santiago, 36, of Taunton Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class B Substance (2 counts) Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count) Bail set at $20,000 Courtney Whitmore, 27, of Taunton Trafficking in Cocaine, 200 grams or More (1 count) Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count) Bail set at $10,000 Jorge Arce, 46, of Taunton Trafficking in Cocaine, 200 grams or More (1 count) Trafficking in Fentanyl, 36 grams or More (1 count) Possession of Ammunition without FID Card (1 count) Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count) Bail set at $100,000 David Brasil, 45, of Falmouth Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class a Class B Substance (1 count) Possession of a Class C Substance (1 count) Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count) Bail set at $500 Mary Hunt, 59, of Falmouth Possession of a Class B Substance Bail set at Personal Recognizance Yosef Ali, 49, of Fall River Trafficking in Fentanyl, 100 grams or More (1 count) Trafficking in Cocaine, 200 grams or More (1 count) Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count) Bail set at $75,000 Jean Carlos Castillo Mendoza, 44, of Fall River Trafficking in Fentanyl, 100 grams or More (1 count) Trafficking in Cocaine, 200 grams or More (1 count) Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count) Bail set at $150,000 Local News Headlines 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. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
‘Operation No Love': 16 facing charges after Mass. police bust massive drug trafficking operation
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Sixteen people are facing criminal charges in connection with the dismantling of a massive fentanyl and cocaine trafficking operation in Massachusetts, authorities announced Wednesday. The Massachusetts State Police Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team, Homeland Security Investigations, Raynham police, and the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office jointly conducted 'Operation No Love' in mid-April, executing search warrants at 20 locations in Fall River, Taunton, Raynham, Norton, Pembroke, and Falmouth. During the searches, state police said law enforcement arrested 16 people, seized about 2,360 grams of cocaine and 1,364 grams of fentanyl, 33 firearms, multiple high-capacity magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and $109,355 in cash. State police noted that Operation No Love began in March of 2024 when troopers, officers from Brockton and East Bridgewater, and a special agent with HSI launched a narcotics investigation into a drug trafficking organization involved in the distribution of fentanyl and cocaine in Bristol County. During the investigation, an undercover trooper made nine controlled drug purchases with a member of the drug trafficking organization. Investigators then used physical and electronic surveillance, toll analysis, and court-authorized electronic intercepts of target cellphones to 'identify the organization's hierarchy, primary subjects, communication devices, vehicles, methods of operation, and sources of narcotics supply,' state police said in a news release. The following suspects were arrested on various drug and firearms charges, according to state police: Yosef Ali, 49, of Fall River Jean Carlos Castillo Mendoza, 44, of Fall River Jorge Santiago, 36, of Taunton Jorge Arce, 46, of Taunton Neftali Torres, 51, of Taunton Christopher McLaughlin, 43, of Taunton Shawn Roias, 35, of Taunton Courtney Whitmore, 27, of Taunton Val Bettencourt, 50, of Taunton Brayton Crites, 26, of Taunton Andrew Williams, 27, of Raynham Sabrina Cohen, 27, of Taunton Lucas Guimaraes, 29, of Norton Brian Szakaly, 27, of Raynham David Brasil, 45, of Falmouth Mary Hunt, 59, of Falmouth Lucas Guimaraes Nearly 200 law enforcement officials later came together on April 15 and 16 to dismantle the operation. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
