NORTH ADAMS - Police have made what they say is a significant disruption in a major drug distribution ring after raiding a "classic drug house" on Friday night. The house was so popular, officers found themselves answering phone calls for drugs while they were searching the residence.
Six people, three of them from New York City, were arrested and charged with trafficking in cocaine by the Berkshire County Drug Task Force.
Shelley Demyer, 23, of Henderson Road, Williamstown, and Jamel Green, 32, of Orchard Street, Pittsfield, were eached charged with trafficking in cocaine, more than 28 grams, conspiracy to violate the Controlled Substance Act, and violation of a drug-free school zone after their 2000 Volvo was stopped at the Oasis Plaza on Ashland Street.
Demyer, who was driving the Volvo, was stopped about 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 14 by task force and North Adams officers and state police. The stop was the result of a three-month investigation by the task force into crack cocaine distribution in the Northern Berkshire area.
Green was found to be in possession of a plastic bag containing approximately 33 grams of crack cocaine, said police. The crack cocaine was prepackaged into for street-level sales in 58 individual baggies with a value estimated to be in excess of $3,000. Officers also located several hundred dollars in cash the two had in their possession. Demyer and Green were taken to the North Adams Police station where they were booked.
Within one hour of the motor-vehicle stop, officers executed a search warrant at 30 1/2 Francis St., chasing down one man who attempted to flee through a rear-bedroom window.
The suspect, indentified as Joseph Patterson, 28, of 8th Ave., New York City, allegedly had a large plastic bag filled with smaller bags of crack in his mouth. A second bag of crack containing 38 individual baggies was found on the floor in front of the window. During the search of the apartment, officers located a third large bag containing 39 individually packaged crack baggies and more than $2,500 in cash, along with crack distribution paraphernalia. The street value of the crack seized at the house is estimated to be more than $5,000.
Paterson, along with Robert Gage, 56, a North Adams native and renter of the apartment; Dwight Edwards, 27, of Curger Avenue, Bronx, N.Y., and Lance Williams, 32, also of 8th Avenue, New York, were all charged with trafficking in cocaine, more than 28 grams; conspiracy to violate the Controlled Substances Act and violation of a drug-free school zone. Gage's apartment is located within 1,000 feet of the Monument Square Day Care Center.
During the search, Gage's home phone and the cell phones of Patterson, Edwards and Williams rang constantly. On several occasions, task force officers answered them, finding that the callers were attempting to purchase various amounts of crack. The customers arrived at the home shortly thereafter and were surprised to learn they had spoken to narcotics investigators and not any dealers selling at the house, said police. Officers described the Gage residence as a "classic crack house."
Patterson, Edwards, Green and Williams were each held on $100,000 cash bail; Gage and Demyer were each held on $50,000 cash bail. All six defendants will be arraigned in Northern Berkshire District Court on Monday at 9 a.m.
The task force included the Berkshire Narcotics Unit(state police assigned to the district attorney's office) and North Adams, Lee and Williamstown police departments.
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