BOULDER BASH UP
Officers responded to 99 Willow St. on April 30 at 10:40 p.m. following an accident report. When they arrived, they found a Ford Escape with its front end positioned on top of a 4X4 boulder that had been installed to prevent vehicles from entering the grass area. Investigation revealed the vehicle’s operator had been driving under the influence, leading to an arrest at the scene.
Antonio Timas, 62, of 95 Highland St., was arrested and charged with operating under the influence of liquor.
TAGGING THE TEACHER
A CPD officer was called to Browne Middle School on May 4 at 8:30 a.m. to investigate vandalism to a parked vehicle. The school’s principal informed the responding officer that a student had spray-painted a teacher’s car with red paint. After notifying the juvenile’s mother, police took the student into custody.
The 14-year-old was charged with tagging property.
DRUG ARREST
Officers arrived at a Cottage Street location on May 4 at 10:20 a.m. to perform a welfare check. During their visit, they discovered what appeared to be drugs packaged in a manner consistent with distribution. The male occupant was arrested and taken into custody.
Ezequiel Aranda, 27, of 179 Winnisimmet St., faced charges of possession to distribute a Class A drug and possession to distribute a Class B drug.
CRAZY DRIVER FLIED UP BROADWAY
At 2:18 a.m. on May 6, officers heard a loud crash near the intersection of Broadway and Library Street.
A vehicle that had struck another car was observed fleeing the scene at high speed toward Revere along Broadway. After stopping the fleeing vehicle and administering field sobriety tests, police arrested the driver on suspicion of operating under the influence.
Jose Laboy Cruz, 29, of Roxbury, was charged with operating under the influence of liquor, leaving the scene of personal injury, failing to stop for police, speeding at an unreasonable speed, reckless operation, marked lanes violation, red light violation, stop sign violation, operating with a suspended licensed, and possession of an open container of alcohol.
MS-13 MEMBER PLEADS GUILTY TO RACKETEERING INVOLVING MURDER
In federal court in Boston on May 9, an MS-13 member entered a guilty plea regarding racketeering conspiracy connected to the murder of a 16-year-old in East Boston.
Edwin Diaz, a/k/a “Demente,” 20, a Salvadoran national, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Aug. 20, 2018. At today’s hearing, the Court accepted the defendant’s guilty plea but deferred acceptance of the plea agreement until the sentencing. Under the terms of the proposed plea agreement, Diaz will be sentenced to 35 years in prison and be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. After a multi-year investigation, Diaz was one of dozens of alleged leaders, members, and associates of MS-13 named in a superseding indictment unsealed in January 2016 that targeted MS-13’s criminal activities in Massachusetts. Diaz is the 45th defendant to be convicted as part of that ongoing prosecution. Diaz was a “homeboy,” or full member, of MS-13’s “Westers” clique and on Jan. 10, 2016, participated in the stabbing and shooting death of a 16-year-old boy believed to be affiliated with the rival 18th Street gang. The victim sustained multiple stab and gunshot wounds. Within days of the homicide, Diaz made recorded statements in which he admitted to stabbing the victim repeatedly, and his arrest followed shortly thereafter.