Stoneham Men Charged with Heroin and Cocaine Trafficking

WOBURN – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Stoneham Police Chief James McIntyre announced today that three Stoneham men have been arrested and charged with drug trafficking following the execution of a search warrant at their residence.
 
Abel Rodriguez, 20, Jerry Rodriguez, 24, and Bien Venido, 49, all of Stoneham, were arrested and each was charged with trafficking in cocaine over 100 grams, trafficking in heroin over 36 grams, and conspiracy to violate the drug laws.
                 
The defendants will be arraigned in Woburn District Court on Monday, June 9.
     
“We allege that these defendants were trafficking in large amounts of heroin and cocaine,” said District Attorney Ryan.  “The dangers of illegal drug use and abuse, especially the use of heroin, have, unfortunately, become very well known in recent months.  The opiate overdose epidemic has reached across the county, from the cities to the suburbs, and every day our police departments are working hard to halt the efforts of those who are bringing these deadly drugs into our communities.  I commend the hard work of the Stoneham Police Department and all the agencies that supported them in their investigation that led them to apprehend these suspected drug traffickers.”

“Today’s arrests were the result of a three month investigation by Stoneham Police Detectives and the Southern Middlesex Regional Drug Task Force,” said Chief McIntyre.  “I am grateful for the assistance of the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and the members of the Northeast Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council’s SWAT Team, Middlesex County Sheriff’s SWAT Team, and K-9 units from the Towns of Chelmsford and Westford.”

It is alleged that authorities received information regarding the sale of heroin and cocaine in the greater Stoneham area.  Based on that information, authorities sought and obtained a search warrant for the residence at 5 Mountain View Drive.  At approximately 6:00am this morning, a joint police task force executed that search warrant and allegedly located approximately 140 grams of cocaine and approximately 61 grams of heroin from throughout that residence.
 
These charges are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
 
The case is being investigated by Stoneham Police.  Police have identified NatanielRodriguez, 22, Stoneham, as a person of interest in this investigation.  Members of the public with information that they believe may be helpful to the investigation can contact the Stoneham  Police Department at 781-438-1212

The prosecutor assigned to the case is Assistant District Attorney Stephen Gilpatric of the District Attorney’s Special Investigations Unit.