State Police Stop Leads to Trafficking Arrests
Trooper Jeffery Johnson was patrolling Route 146 North at around 5 p.m. when he observed a yellow Acura sedan in the right lane following the car ahead of it too closely. As the trooper was watching the car, it suddenly pulled into the left lane, passed the car in front of it, and abruptly cut back into the right lane in front of the other car, causing it to brake heavily to avoid a crash. Trooper Johnson then activated his cruiser's blue lights and pulled over the Acura.
Upon approaching the Acura to speak to the two men inside, Trooper Johnson noticed an odor of burnt marijuana coming from inside the car. He also observed several pieces of "green vegetable matter," which he recognized as marijuana, strewn throughout the car's interior.
Trooper Johnson further observed the car's occupants - driver and owner BRADLEY BARRETT, 19, and passenger MICHAEL CLARKE, 21, both of Greenfield - acting oddly and allegedly making furtive movements toward the floor of the car.
While conducting a consent search of the Acura, Trooper Michael McCammon, who had responded to assist Trooper Johnson, noticed what appeared to be a plastic bag hanging from underneath the car's console, on the passenger side. Inside the bag, the troopers found several large chunks of a white powdery substance, consistent with the properties of cocaine, and a rock-like substance resembling crack cocaine.
BARRETT and CLARKE were arrested for trafficking in cocaine and conspiracy to violate drug laws and transported to the Millbury State Police barracks for booking. Both men were also issued civil citations for possession of an ounce or less of marijuana and BARRETT was cited for motor vehicle violations. Preliminary weighing of the alleged cocaine indicated a weight of 104 grams, including packaging material. It will be analyzed at the State Police lab. The suspects were expected to be arraigned in Uxbridge District Court.