Under the dim streetlights of New Bedford's west-end sector, routine surveillance quickly turned into a significant drug bust. Detectives arrested a Fall River couple for trafficking crack cocaine on the evening of December 1 after witnessing a suspected drug deal unfold at the intersection of Bullock St. and Trinity St. around 8 p.m. The pair, identified as Keith Santerre, 46, and Jennifer Santos, 42, both of 87 Orange St., Fall River, were apprehended following a meticulous tail by officers from the scene of the transaction to the corner of Austin St. and Richmond St., according to a Facebook post.
The subsequent search of their Mercedes revealed more than just two occupants trying to swiftly carry on with their evening. Inside the vehicle, officers uncovered over 43 grams of crack cocaine and a digital scale, the latter dusted with a white, powdery substance damningly indicative of its use. Notably, Santerre was found to also have two active warrants, adding to the charges stacked against the couple. Both Santerre and Santos are now facing charges for trafficking in crack cocaine and conspiracy to violate the controlled substance laws, a heavy setback for any ambitions of fleeting accountability.
Santerre, with a rap sheet that unfolds like a roadmap of criminal endeavors—from armed robbery to assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, down to drug possession—is no stranger to the tight grip of the law. Currently, he is residing under the watchful eye of the Bristol County Sheriff, as reported by the New Bedford Police Department.
This prompted takedown of the drug-trafficking duo was spearheaded by Detective Sgt. Jarrod Gracia and Det. Samuel Mojica-Algarin, underscoring a relentless pursuit to uproot the weed of illegal drug activities from their city surroundings. The implacable eyes of the law have once again zoomed in on criminal elements, aiming to rapidly respond to anonymous tips from those in the community intent on seeing change—from the echo of a call for action to the clang of a jail cell. If members of the public hold any information concerning crime, they are encouraged to contact the authorities at 508-99-CRIME, or to visit the police department's website and leave tips anonymously.
