On Tuesday evening around 5:30 p.m. on May 29, Massachusetts State Police Gang Unit members partnered with an FBI agent to apprehend a Boston resident in Chelsea. The suspect, Bryan Cortez, 31, of Dorchester, was found in possession of an unlicensed firearm and trafficking-quantity amounts of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine.
While patrolling Chelsea Street in East Boston, the Troopers and Agent spotted a silver Volkswagen Passat operated by Cortez. The officers were aware that Cortez was driving without a valid license and recognized him as an individual involved in a 2015 motor vehicle stop during which he had dragged one of the Troopers with his vehicle.
The law enforcement team pursued the Passat as it turned onto Eastern Avenue in Chelsea and initiated a traffic stop for the license violation. When the officers approached, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and fled at high speed. The Troopers and Agent gave chase, ultimately locating the Passat at the top of Chester Avenue, where it had been driven the wrong way up the one-way street.
Upon the cruiser’s approach, Cortez exited the driver’s side and fled into a nearby yard. After searching both on foot and by vehicle, officers spotted him emerging from a backyard on Highland Street carrying a black backpack. When ordered to stop, Cortez ran again. Following a brief foot chase and multiple commands to halt, a Trooper cornered him on a Highland Street home’s porch. Though Cortez resisted, he was eventually subdued and taken into custody.
Examination of the backpack revealed a loaded Bersa Thunder 9 Ultra Compact 9mm pistol; multiple bags of white powder consistent with fentanyl; 43 Suboxone strips; plastic bags holding a hard white substance consistent with crack cocaine; a brown Gucci bag containing small plastic baggies with a tan substance consistent with heroin; three unidentified pills; and plastic baggies with a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana.
The backpack also held Cortez’s birth certificate, Social Security card, an RMV identification card, and an April 2018 RMV mailing notifying him of his license suspension. Officers recovered and seized more than $1,240 in cash from the backpack and Cortez’s person as potential narcotics trafficking proceeds.
Cortez admitted to lacking a firearm license. He was transported to the State Police Barracks in Revere for booking on the following charges:
Unlawful possession of a firearm;
Unlawful carrying of a firearm, third offense;
Unlawful carrying of a loaded firearm;
Armed Career Criminal;
Possession of a firearm in commission of a felony;
Trafficking heroin;
Trafficking fentanyl;
Trafficking cocaine;
Resisting arrest;
Failure to stop for police;
Operating a motor vehicle with a revoked license;
Negligent operation of a motor vehicle; and
Speeding.