By John Hilliard, MetroWest Daily News
GateHouse News Service
Fri Sep 07, 2007
State and local police seized about a quarter ton of marijuana - worth roughly $1 million - other drugs and $123,000 in cash following the arrest of three men on charges of drug possession and distribution earlier this week.
Two of the men who were charged with drug possession and distribution - Robert Kee Jr. and Christopher Jackman - are from Framingham, according to the Middlesex District Attorney’s office.
“These were significant busts that crossed into multiple communities and jurisdictions,” said Corey Welford, spokesman for Middlesex DA Gerry Leone.
Kee, 21, of 26 Main St., Apt. 1, Framingham, was arrested on the charges of
possession of marijuana, distribution of marijuana and a school zone violation.
Jackman, 50, of 258 Edmands Road, Framingham, was arrested for the charges of conspiracy, trafficking in marijuana over 50 pounds but less than 100 pounds, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute hallucinogenic mushrooms and distribution of marijuana.
Leone’s office announced the busts yesterday morning. They were the result of an investigation by Framingham Police and the Massachusetts State Police PACT unit, with the cooperation of Cambridge Police, the Drug Enforcement Agency and State Police assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s office.
“Drug use, abuse and addiction is the root cause of many crimes that compromise the quality of life in our communities, and we are going to continue to work together to investigate and prosecute cases in which drugs are being used and distributed on our streets,” said Leone in a statement.
Framingham Police Lt. Paul Shastany said police had conducted an investigation for about two months before this week’s arrests.
On Monday, Framingham Police arrested Kee and conducted a second investigation. That work led police to obtain a search warrant for Jackman’s home.
According to the Middlesex DA’s office, police seized about 50 pounds of marijuana, about $36,000 in cash, other drugs and equipment such as a digital scale and packing material from Jackman’s home on Tuesday.
Jackman and Kee were arraigned at Framingham District Court on Tuesday, where both men pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Jackman was ordered held on $50,000 cash bail at the court and Kee was released without bail.
Following the Framingham arrests, investigators identified a possible large scale drug trafficker as Michael D. Lowney, 51, of Cambridge, according to the DA’s office.
On Tuesday, Lowney was arrested on the charges of trafficking over 100 pounds of marijuana, possession of heroin and trafficking over 28 grams of oxycodone.
Cambridge Police, State Police and DEA agents seized paperwork associated with marijuana distribution, $87,000 in cash, heroin and about 28 grams of Percocet pills from Lowney’s home.
Police also seized about 175 pounds of marijuana from storage facilities in Hingham and Charlestown which are rented by Lowney.
Lowney was arraigned Wednesday at Cambridge District Court and ordered held on $20,000 cash bail.
Middlesex DA spokesman Welford said the investigation is ongoing.
“This investigation demonstrates the value of cooperation and sharing of information between enforcement agencies,” said Framingham Police Chief Steven Carl in a statement.
At Jackman’s Edmands Road home, a chainsaw was stacked on top of children’s toys on the house’s front porch yesterday afternoon. A woman who identified herself as the mother of children living in the house said Jackman was not there.
Shortly afterward, a man who refused to identify himself approached a reporter and a photographer and told them to leave the private property. The man said he knew where Jackman was, but would not release that information.
Neither would comment on the charges filed against Jackman.
John Hilliard can be reached at 508-626-4449 or jhilliar@cnc.com.