Ashley Harmon,Mark Sayce jailed for four years

Ashley Harmon, aged 27, of Lime Grove, Hinton, Hereford; Mark Sayce, aged 34, of Archenfield, Madley; Timothy Kaye, aged 26, of Archenfield, Madley; and Paul Kings, aged 35, of Springfield Avenue, Hunderton, Hereford; all admitted a series of charges related to supplying heroin and were each jailed for four years.
His Honour Judge Richard Rundell told the four that evidence showed they had set up a “significant operation” to meet a ready market. Anthony Johnston, prosecuting, told the court that the gang used Kings’ flat in Hunderton to sell from and kept its stocks at Sayce’s home in Madley. A police surveillance team spent several weeks watching the flat between July and September last year to see a steady stream of addicts calling and deals being done. Another team was watching Sayce’s address at Madley. Sayce and Kaye were caught with more than £1,000 worth of the the drug that they had been seen buying in Gloucester when undercover officers stopped and searched their car. Raids on the two target addresses were launched last September. At Archenfield, officers had to force their way through a front door that had been barricaded by a metal pole and saw Harmon hurl heroin, just bought in Newport, out of a window. The Springfield Road flat was found full of evidence that deals were being done, but no heroin. The four gave little away in police interviews and were freed on bail. Kings was arrested again in October when heroin was found in his shed and told officers that he had let Sayce and Harmon use his flat to sell the drug. All four then faced conspiracy charges. The court heard that the defendants were heroin addicts with previous convictions that ranged from drugs offences and dishonesty to counterfeiting. Anna Midgley, for Harmon and Kaye, said the “hand-to-mouth” dealing being done was solely to feed the gang’s own addiction. Sarah Przybylska, for Sayce, said the gang made no profit from the operation beyond that to fund modest lifestyles. Michael Aspinall, for Kings, said his client let his flat be used for drug dealing in return for heroin.

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Duane S. Collins found guilty earlier this week of trafficking over 28 grams of cocaine

Duane S. Collins, 48, of 154 Lynnway, #207 was caught in Peabody nearly two years ago and was found guilty earlier this week of trafficking over 28 grams of cocaine by a Lawrence Superior Court jury.He was sentenced Thursday morning to serve not less than five years and not more than seven and one-half years in state prison by Judge Leila R. Kern.However, the judge ordered that the punishment will not commence until he completes a recently imposed 18-month jail term he is currently serving on a Middlesex County drug case for violating his probationary terms,Assistant District Attorney Michael A. Patten asked for a higher punishment, 8-to-10-years in prison, based on Collins' record and prior drug trafficking conviction in 1999.
Defense lawyer Russell L. Sobelman tried unsuccessfully to persuade Kern for an immediate straight five-year term, which is the minimum mandatory punishment for the crime, and eliminate the 18-month sentence he is now serving, but she declined. Collins was arrested July 6, 2006 after police discovered 38 grams of cocaine, nearly two ounces, in 34 individual bags in his red Ford Explorer.
Police were called to Su Changs restaurant at 373 Lowell St., a little after 5 p.m., on a report of a drunken and disorderly patron at the bar.When Peabody Patrolman Gerald Fitzgerald tried to place Collins into a cab, he refused to leave and police arrested him for disorderly conduct and intoxication.
Before towing his vehicle from the parking lot, police conducted a search and found the cocaine on the passenger's seat in a camera case.
Collins, a lobsterman by trade, testified that the cocaine was not his, that it belonged to two men he had picked up in Gloucester that night, but the jury was not swayed.The judge credited Collins the 12 days he has spent in jail awaiting trial on the case.

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Melvyn Whyte

Police raided two Gloucester homes they found £15,000 worth of heroin and £31,386 in cash, a court heard today.
Dealer Melvyn Whyte of Hazleton Cose, Gloucester pleaded guilty to possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply and possessing the proceeds of crime, when he appeared at Gloucester Crown Court.
The 26-year-old defendant admitted two charges of possessing heroin with intent to supply - at Brook Street and at Foxdale Close - on October 19, last year,
At first he denied the proceeds of crime charge, alleging that he made the money from buying and selling cars, but he later entered a guilty plea.
Prosecuting barrister George Threlfell said: "The defendant was in possession of 344 grammes of heroin, which has a street value of £15,000.
"He said that he was the custodian of the drugs for somebody else. His original explanation for the large amount of money found was that it came from buying and selling cars.
"Besides the heroin, drugs-related paraphernalia was also found at the addresses."
Mr Threlfell said that a confiscation hearing regarding the £31,386 would be held on May 7.
Defending barrister Rosemary Walsh said: "The defence have a basis of plea to be considered."
Judge Martin Picton said: "The Crown can have seven days to consider the basis of plea and a further seven days to respond."
The case was adjourned until February 8 and Whyte was remanded in custody.

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James M. Jaksland

James M. Jaksland, 37, of 11 Fair St., Apt. 1, was arrested on a charge of illegal possession of prescription drugs around noon.
Conners, Lane and Ryan noticed Jaksland walking down Main Street and followed him to Rogers Street, since they knew him to be a heroin user, the report said.
There, Jaksland went up the back stairs of the Schooner's restaurant building and knocked on a window before a back door opened and he entered. According to the report, police had heard that a woman living in an apartment above the restaurant was involved in heroin use and sale.
When Jaksland emerged and was confronted by police, he told them he was carrying Suboxone, a prescription drug used to quell heroin urges.
Lane said that Suboxone is commonly sold on the street, with dealers using the proceeds to buy heroin. He added that people on Suboxone are also often heroin users.
Jaksland was arrested on a charge of illegal possession of prescription drugs. The woman who lives in the apartment called her boyfriend for the Suboxone and the boyfriend instructed her to give Jaksland the pills from his prescription, according to police.
She told police her boyfriend sells Suboxone to pay the rent, and that the pills go for $10 to $20 apiece.
Police are looking for the boyfriend and plan to seek charges against him for the distribution of prescription drugs. Lane said that detectives are uncertain whether the woman will be charged.

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