5 Arrested on Drug Charges in Worcester

Wednesday, February 01, 2017

GoLocalWorcester News Team

Worcester Police arrested five people in the area on multiple drug charges in the area of 700 Southbridge Street on Monday night.

Police were in the area conducting surveillance after multiple citizens complained of street-level drug dealing.

The Incident

On Monday, January 30, at approximately 11:45 a.m., police saw a Chevy Impala parked off to the side of the parking lot at 700 Southbridge Street. Officers saw the occupant looking around in all directions and making several quick phone calls.

After a short time, the Impala pulled out of the lot, and members of the Vice Squad followed. Officers followed the Impala a short distance over to Douglas Street, where the cars pulled over and parked. While on Douglas Street, members of the Vice Squad saw a Nissan Frontier pull up and park behind the Impala.

After a short amount of time, officers saw a Toyota pickup truck with a Florida registration pull up and park on Douglas Court. Members of the Vice Squad had prior information that this truck was involved in the distribution of heroin in that particular neighborhood.

Police watched the vehicles and watched a man (later identified as Joseph Pare, 25 years old of Northbridge) exit the Chevy Impala, walk over to the Toyota pickup truck, and enter the rear of the truck. Pare quickly exited the truck and returned to his own car. He then drove away from the area and was stopped by members of the Vice Squad. Members of the Vice Squad recovered one knotted bag of heroin from Pare and he was placed under arrest for Possession of a Class A Substance.

At the same time, officers continued surveillance and saw a woman (later identified as Jacqueline Germain, 28 years old of Webster) exit the Nissan Frontier and walk over to the Toyota pickup, entering the back seat. Germain quickly exited and returned to her car. Officers stopped the Nissan Frontier after it left the area. Officers identified the driver as Norman Berube, 34 years old of Douglas and the passenger as Germain. Officers recovered 6 knotted bags of heroin from the vehicle.

Both were placed under arrest and are being charged with possession of a class A substance and conspiracy to violate the controlled substance laws.

Officers then were able to stop the Toyota pickup. They identified the driver as Rafael Gaton, 46,of Worcester and the passenger as Efren Sanchez, 40, of New York. Officers recovered approximately $400 from the occupants of the Toyota.

As a result of the investigation and information received, probable cause was developed to arrest Sanchez and Gaton for two counts of distribution of a class A substance and conspiracy to violate the controlled substance laws.