|
Narrative:
During the past few months, there has been numerous citizenry complaints about drug use and dealing in Davis Square, especially the Statue Park, Seven Hills Park and West Branch Library areas. Due to these complaints, directed patrols as well as routine surveillance had been established within the past few weeks.
I would note that the Somerville Police Department has received numerous complaints regarding open drug use in the Davis Square area, including a written complaint alleging human trafficking and prostitution occurring within the portable toilets located in Seven Hills Park behind the Davis Square MBTA Station. The issue has become so prevalent that residents have posted signs in the area discouraging drug use.
On June 15, 2026, I was on duty as part of an initiative to address the increase in drug activity and violence in the Davis Square area, along with Captain Michael Perrone. At approximately 9:51 PM, we were conducting surveillance in the area of Seven Hills Park when I observed a male and a female enter the portable toilet located behind the Davis Square MBTA Station.
Captain Perrone and I approached the portable toilet and could hear the sound of a lighter repeatedly flicking. Based on my training and experience, I know this behavior to be consistent with the smoking of illicit drugs such as crack cocaine and methamphetamine, which often require repeated attempts to generate sufficient heat for use.
Captain Perrone then knocked on the door of the portable toilet, identified us as police officers, and ordered the occupants to exit. After approximately ten seconds, a male and a female exited and were subsequently identified as Kaelyn Poirier and Sulieman DeJesus.
When Poirier and DeJesus exited the portable toilet, I asked them why Captain Perrone and I had heard the repeated sound of a lighter being ignited. In response, DeJesus produced a butane torch-style lighter from his person and stated that they had been using it to light a cigarette. I would note that neither party was in possession of a lit cigarette when they exited the portable toilet, nor did I observe any cigarette smoke or detect the odor of burnt tobacco inside the portable toilet.
Based on my training and experience, I know that butane torch-style lighters are commonly used in the consumption of illicit narcotics, including crack cocaine and methamphetamine, because they generate a significantly higher temperature than a standard cigarette lighter. This higher heat is often necessary to effectively vaporize or smoke these substances for inhalation.
I inspected the interior of the portable toilet and observed a twisted corner of a glassine bag on the floor. Based on my training and experience, I know these bag corners, commonly referred to as "diaper baggies" in street terminology, are frequently used to package illicit narcotics.
DeJesus and Poirier were escorted to the area where my unmarked cruiser was parked on Meacham Road, which runs parallel to the park. A search of DeJesus revealed a glass pipe containing burnt Brillo material at the end. Based on my training and experience, these items are commonly used to smoke illicit narcotics, including crack cocaine.
Poirier was asked whether she knew if she had any active arrest warrants and she stated that she knew she did. I asked if she possessed any sharp objects in her bag. She stated that she had hypodermic needles inside. Due to the officer-safety concern associated with searching a bag containing needles, she was directed to empty the contents of the bag onto the sidewalk. The contents included approximately ten hypodermic needles, the majority of which were uncapped.
In addition to the hypodermic needles, the contents of the bag included several broken glass tubes with burnt ends. Based on my training and experience, I know these items to be commonly used in the consumption of illicit narcotics and are often referred to as "crack pipes." Due to the safety hazard posed by the uncapped needles and broken glass, the hypodermic needles and broken glass pipes were collected and disposed of in a department-issued sharps container.
The identifying information for both Poirier and DeJesus was provided to dispatch, which revealed that both parties had active warrants for their arrest. Captain Perrone placed DeJesus into handcuffs, and I placed Poirier into handcuffs in a manner consistent with department training, ensuring the handcuffs were double-locked.
DeJesus was transported to the Somerville Police Department by Somerville Housing Authority Officer Ahmad Mtet due to the department's prisoner transport vehicle being out of service.
Officer Guylerna Pierre arrived on scene and conducted a search of Poirier. During the search, Officer Pierre located a small glassine bag containing a white rock-like substance inside a slim black pouch looped through Poirier's belt loops. Based on my training and experience, I believed the substance to be crack cocaine.
Poirier was transported to the Somerville Police Department in marked cruiser East-1, operated by Officer Pierre, with Detective Chris Collette accompanying her during transport.
At the station, both Poirier and DeJesus were booked in the usual manner by the commanding officer, Lieutenant Michael Capasso.
Captain Perrone logged the following evidence collected from the scene in per department protocol:
-Glassine baggie of white rock like substance
-Butane-torch lighter
-Glassine bag corner found in portable bathroom
-Black low profile fanny pack type bag
-Glass pipe (possessed by DeJesus)
I will be filing charges against Kaelyn Poirier for the following charge:
Ch. 94c S. 34: Possess a Class B Substance, Crack Cocaine
Respectfully submitted,
Detective Sergeant Devin Schneider
Badge #295
|
