Potent Marijuana seized in Highland Avenue home
Published on April 9th, 2008
STONEHAM, MA - Local authorities confiscated a large quantity of potent marijuana from the home of Highland Avenue man arrested at a fast-food restaurant on April 3 for the alleged possession of another five pounds of the illicit substance.
Christopher Sampson, 21, of 4 Highland Avenue, was reportedly released on low bail shortly after being charged for possession of a Class D substance with intent to distribute.
The Stoneham Independent withheld the identity of the suspected drug dealer last week at the request of Stoneham police, who were still conducting an investigation into the large seizure.
According to Stoneham Det. Paul Norton, the head of the town's narcotics unit, investigators obtained permission to search Sampson's residence shortly after he was arrested at 1:35 p.m. on April 3 at Main Street's Burger King.
During the police sweep, authorities discovered another seven pounds of hydroponic marijuana in the dwelling, as well as over $28,000 in cash stashed in a bedroom dresser.
After obtaining information that Sampson would be in the fast food parking lot, local authorities set-up surveillance and soon spotted the 21-year-old's car in the area.
“It was a prearranged meeting, and we had a cooperating individual out of upper-state New York,” explained Norton.
Based upon the information gleaned from the confidential informant, the narcotics officers, joined by both state and federal law enforcement officials, searched the Highland Avenue man's car and found five pounds of marijuana.
Approximately $1,300 in cash was also seized from Sampson at the scene. The total street value of the drugs, from both the personal vehicle and Highland Avenue home, is estimated at $33,600.
“Your low grade Mexican marijuana, that's usually $1,200 a pound. This was a higher grade typically grown in grow houses,” said Norton, who said the potent drugs have a much higher THC content - the intoxicating substance in marijuana.
Despite the large quantity of marijuana and cash seized during the sting, the 21-year-old will not face trafficking charges due to what some in the law enforcement community believe to be lax and antiquated drug laws in the state.
“You need 50 pounds of marijuana in this state to be charged with trafficking. We are the most liberal state in the country,” opined the det., who pointed out that marijuana is a popular gateway drug often abused by teens and adolescents.
While the Burger King lot is known to be frequented by drug dealers, Norton believes that location is no more a popular meeting spot than a number of other parking lots and properties scattered across Stoneham.
Specifically, because of the town's proximity to I-93 and I-95, which can easily be accessed by parties from both the Boston and New Hampshire areas, Stoneham and neighboring communities are attractive locations for such illicit activities.
“Any parking lot, especially in Stoneham since we are 11 miles from Boston and near two major highways, is a common meeting spot,” the detective explained.
The alleged drug dealer was targeted by a law enforcement sting conducted by federal DEA agents, representatives from the Southern Middlesex Regional Drug Task Force, State Police assigned to Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone's Drug Task Force, and Stoneham Police.
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