PROBATION DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH
KEEP NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE THROUGH
COMMUNITY SUPERVISION

           From Suffolk County to the Berkshires, Probation Officers are doing their part to keep neighborhoods safe across the Commonwealth this summer through community supervision efforts. Many of these visits have turned up some dangerous and illegal surprises.

           Probation Officers, who pay unannounced visits to offenders’ homes and haunts, are finding a host of firearms, live ammunition, illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia.These visits, also known as Operation Nitelite, are made to ensure that offenders are following the orders of the court. Operation Nitelite, implemented in 1992, is now an integral part of the Massachusetts Probation Service’s community intervention and outreach.

           In Suffolk County, Boston Municipal Court (BMC)-Dorchester Division Probation Officers have removed dangerous weapons, ammunition, and illegal drugs from the homes of probationers during community supervision efforts.

           Last week, during an announced visit to an offender’s home, Probation Officers and Boston Police found marijuana as well as a Mac 11 machine gun, loaded clip, and a box of ammunition. The gun had an obliterated serial number. Probationer Anthony Jania Lewis, 21, was apprehended and charged with marijuana possession with intent to distribute as well as firearm offenses. 

           During a June 16th visit to another home, Probation Officer Thomas Todd and members of the Boston Police Department’s Youth Violence Strike Force found a 19-year-old offender, Deven R. Gallop, with a stun gun, sawed-off shotgun, live ammunition, drugs and drug paraphernalia. Todd, who arrived at the scene first notified police when he discovered drugs in the house. He also obtained an emergency search warrant which allowed the Boston Police Department in the home to search the premises. The offender, who has a history of violence and illegal gun possession, was taken into custody.

           Another offender, 20-year old Derek Graham, was arrested on May 28, when Probation Officers Todd and Lynne Thomas and police found a sawed off shotgun as well as a safe filled with a large cache of live ammunition. Graham had an outstanding warrant for violation of probation. He failed to report to the community corrections center, a condition of his probation. Graham was indicted in Suffolk Superior Court for possession of a sawed-off shotgun and ammunition and sentenced to nine months in the House of Correction-South Bay.

           In Bristol County, Fall River District Court Probation Officers John Gonsalves and Michael Borden conducted an unannounced home visit which resulted in the confiscation of drugs and weapons, according Fall River District Court Chief Probation Officer James Flannery. Gonsalves and Borden found 12 to 15 marijuana plants on the landing of a probationer’s third floor apartment. The Probation Officers alerted Fall River police who accompanied them in a search of the apartment. The search turned up a hand-held pellet gun, double-edged knife, a pipe and a plastic bag with marijuana residue. Isa Harris was taken into custody.

           In the Berkshires, Southern Berkshire Probation Chief Alf Barbalunga participated in an anti-crime sweep effort that took place over several days and involved 17 law enforcement agencies in the Pittsfield area. “Operation Vice Grip” resulted in the arrest of 59 people who had outstanding warrants for offenses which ranged from drug charges to assault and battery. This effort took place in early June.

           In Hampden County, Holyoke District Court Probation Officer Antoinetta DeAngelis and a Holyoke police officer were looking for probation violator Sixto Morera at his home when they discovered that he was hiding out on the back stairwell with Mujaahid Smith. When the officers encountered Morera and Smith, both men fled but were soon apprehended. The two men were found with a bag containing 20 doses of heroin, in a bundle marked “Danger,” which was confiscated by Holyoke Police.

           In Essex County, the Lynn District Court Probation Department has launched a major community service effort. Probation Officers go out into the community on a daily basis and recently dropped in on offenders at home, at work and in programs they are enrolled in on more than 300 occasions, according to Chief Probation Officer Donald January. More than 30 offenders, who violated their probation, were arrested in a 19-day span. Of the 32 arrests, 23 offenders had felony charges and nine were misdemeanors.