Elm Street resident nabbed in drug bust
Published on May 18th, 2005
STONEHAM, MA -A Stoneham resident was arrested outside his home and arraigned in Woburn District Court in what police are calling the biggest Oxycontin bust in Stoneham history last Wednesday morning -- and one of the biggest drug busts in the history of the bedroom community.
After several months of diligent investigation by the Stoneham Police Drug Unit and the State Police/Middlesex District Attorney Narcotics Unit, Jonathan Lee Colleran, 24, of 135 Elm Street Stoneham was busted at his home yesterday with police recovering $37,000 in cash and approximately $18,000 worth of Oxycontin stored in a safe in his bedroom - Colleran was allegedly dealing the highly addictive opiate directly out of the dwelling he shared with his mother and father.
"This was a good bust for us," said a Stoneham Police source instrumental in the collar. "We had received many anonymous complaints about people coming in and out of the residence dating back to September, and this is a guy we had been looking at for a while. He could be looking at up to twenty years in jail when all is said and done."
Colleran was arraigned at Woburn District Court and is being held at Middlesex Superior Court in Cambridge on $25,000 bail on charges of trafficking over 28 grams of a Class C substance, illegal possession of a Class B substance with intent to distribute (Subloxen, a Methadone-type drug used to kick the Oxycontin habit), and illegal possession of a Class C substance (Xanax) with intent to distribute.
Stoneham Police approached his Elm Street home Wednesday morning armed with a Search Warrant obtained by Stoneham Police, and found Colleran allegedly in the midst of a drug deal on his property. A struggle ensued between Colleran and police forces from the narcotics unit and the towns of Stoneham, Winchester, and Medford. A comprehensive search of the property revealed 195 80-milligram Oxycontin tablets with a street value of approximately $80, 61 40-milligram Oxycontin tablets, as well as the other prescription drugs - a total weight of 60.9 grams of the highly-addictive painkiller.
"We were fortunate with our timing in this," said the police source. "Sometimes you can catch someone without a lot of cash at the beginning of a flurry of transactions or at the end without any of the drugs in his possession. We caught him right in the middle when he had both the drugs and the money."
According to Stoneham Police, Colleran had a four-foot pole with a knife blade attached to it - essentially a homemade bayonet - next to his bed during a search of the Elm Street home, but was not charged with possession of the weapon.
Police officials also reportedly had to use pepper spray on Colleran's Pit Bull Terrier which snapped at officers as they attempted to make the arrest.
Police officials eventually subdued the dog, who was left unharmed with Colleran's parents
Authorities caution that Middlesex County is seeing a large increase in overdose deaths resulting from Oxycontin abuse. In addition, it is clear the drug dealers target high school and college students throughout the area; there has been a substantial increase in Oxycontin use amongst high school to early college-aged individuals. Authorities warn the public of the detrimental effects of Oxycontin and strongly caution the public of the dangers of its use without legitimate prescription.
Anyone with information regarding the sales of Oxycontin or other prescription drugs is encourage to contact the State Police/Middlesex DA tip line at 1-866-OXY-TIPS.
Colleran was arraigned Wednesday morning where he entered a plea of not guilty and was ordered to be held on $25,000 cash bail.
He is due back in court on June 21 for pre-trial conference.
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