4 Men Arrested in Worcester Following Undercover Investigation
Monday, July 31, 2017
The men were arrested after undercover Worcester police officers set up surveillance on the apartment building.
The Incident
On Friday, July 28, 2017, members of the WPD Vice Squad were in possession of a search warrant for 830A West Boylston Street, Apt. 8. At approximately 12:30 p.m., the undercover vice officers set up surveillance that covered the apartment building.
At approximately 1:15 p.m., the target of the search warrant, Joseph Ekberg, 29, of 335 Brooks Street, Worcester, was seen standing outside the apartment building. Ekberg entered the driver’s seat of a Chevrolet Cruz with New York registration plates and drove off. Vice officers followed this car and eventually stopped it on Anson Street. A search of Ekberg produced $2,691 in cash, a one half gram knotted bag that contained heroin along with four suboxon strips.
At this time the officers went back to the West Boylston Street apartment to execute the search warrant. Officers entered the apartment. The search led the officers to believe that Ekberg was also conducting his drug trade out of apartment 14. Officers went to secure that unit. Officers discovered a key to apartment 14 on Ekberg’s key ring.
Officers unlocked the door to the apartment. At this time a man, identified as Richard Bain, 38, of apartment 14, walking out of the apartment. Officers recognized Bain as a man that was talking to Ekberg prior to him driving off earlier. Officers could hear other people within the apartment. While anticipating the pending search warrant for apartment 14, officers entered the unit for the purpose of securing it. When officers entered, they saw two men in the living room sitting around a coffee table. Officers saw in plain view numerous hypodermic needles, a digital scale and many cut corner plastic baggies that contained heroin residue. The two men were identified as Cody Handrahan, 26, of 137 Rutland Road, Oakham and Joseph Randell, 28, of 37 E. Main Street, Webster. A search of Randell produced 11 knotted bags of heroin, one suboxon strip and 2 clonazepam pills.
While waiting for the search warrant for apartment 14 officers continued to search apartment 8. The search of apartment 8 produced plastic baggies, and one digital scale. During the search one of the officers was stuck by an uncapped needle. The officer was transported to the hospital for treatment and then released.
At approximately 4:15 p.m., the officers obtained and executed the search warrant for apartment 14. The search produced 30 to 40 knotted bags of heroin, one digital scale, 3 cell phones, packaging material, two pieces of crack cocaine and 15 unidentified pills. All four men were placed under arrest.
The Arrests
Ekberg was charged with Possession of Class A Substance with the Intent to Distribute, and two Counts of Possession of Class B Substance.
Bain was charged with Possession of Class A Substance with the Intent to Distribute and Possession of Class B substance.
Randell was charged with Possession of Class A Substance with the Intent to Distribute, Possession of Class B Substance and Possession of Class C Substance.
Handrahan was charged with Knowingly Being Present where heroin is Kept.
All four men will be arraigned on Monday, July 31, 2017 at the Worcester County District Courthouse.
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