Yesterday, Saturday, February 12, 2011, officers from District A-1 (Downtown Boston) arrested suspect, William A. Cobb, Jr. 25 of Boston and charged him with Distribution of Class B, and Distribution of Class B within 1,000 of a School Zone. Officers initiated an investigation into the suspect’s activities after he was observed walking in the Chinatown/Theater District. Officers were conducting general surveillance when they observed the suspect and another individuals engaging in activity consistent with drug dealing, based on past experiences and training.
Officers followed the two individuals, and observed them meet with another individual in the area of the St. Francis House on Boylston Street. The suspect, his companion and the third male entered a nearby store, had a brief conversation, exited and then proceeded to a nearby Dunkin Donuts. There, officers observed the suspect and the third man engage in a hand-to-hand exchange with the third male examining the item passed to him before leaving the store.
The third male suspect was stopped outside the store and there confessed to having purchased crack cocaine from the suspect. Officers recovered the drugs from this suspect and opted to summons this suspect to court in the interest of catching the drug dealer. Once the drugs were recovered, officers followed the suspect and his companion and stopped both of them on Tremont Street. Both suspects were placed under arrest: suspect Cobb for the above charges and his companion for an outstanding warrant.
Both suspects were transported to the station for booking. Once at the station, officers determined based on their observations during the drug exchange that suspect Cobb may have some drugs secreted in his pants. Numerous attempts were made by officers to have the suspect retrieve the drugs from the back of his pants but he refused to comply with all efforts made by officers even after they were able to observe a clear plastic bag protruding from his buttocks. After several failed attempts, officers were forced to get a search warrant for the body cavity of the suspect. Once the warrant was secured, the suspect was taken to the hospital where a doctor retrieved a large plastic bag containing ten (10) individually wrapped plastic bags, and eight (8) loose pieces of crack cocaine. In addition to the recovered and seized drugs, officers recovered and seized over $500.00 of cash as proceeds from the drug sales from the suspect.
The suspect will be arraigned at Boston Municipal Court tomorrow, Monday, February 14, 2011.