An Oxford man is behind bars today on a slew of charges, including drug possession and assaulting police officers at Boston's South Station. 29-year-old Sean Lavin was ordered held without bail after a court appearance earlier this week. According to Suffolk District Attorney's Office, Lavin was tackled by MBTA police officers after getting into a scuffle which saw him push two officers and tried to make an escape.
It seems trouble escalated at South Station when Lavin, reportedly engaging in suspicious activity, was found in possession of nearly 40 grams of heroin. He faces an arsenal of charges: carrying a dangerous weapon— specifically a knife— two counts of assault and battery on a police officer, drug possession, trafficking heroin, resisting arrest, among others. Judge Joseph Griffin refused to leave any recourse for a getaway, slamming Lavin with a $25,000 bail and revoking an earlier bail in a separate drug-related case out of Roxbury.
MBTA authorities initially grew suspicious when they spotted Lavin making multiple trips to the men's restroom, each time with different companions. This raised red flags, especially given recent drug overdoses requiring medical attention in these very bathrooms. Upon confronting Lavin, cops found him with a 12-inch knife and drugs, a discovery that echoes the city's growing concerns with narcotics and violence in critical community hubs.
Lavin's skirmish with the law occurred after officers had already slapped him with a trespass order when he wouldn't heed requests to vacate the premises. According to Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden, this arrest illustrates "a good example of an offense that can grind neighborhoods down" and disrupt daily lives. Hayden emphasized there is no intention to overcrowd jails with one-time, nonviolent offenders, but there is a clear message sent to repeat offenders causing harm to community standards of living.
Lavin is scheduled to return to court on April 17 for a probable cause hearing. Until proven guilty in a court of law, he, like anyone else slapped with charges, remains innocent by default. The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, committed to public safety and justice, handles over 20,000 cases annually, a testament to their steadfast vigilance in keeping Boston and its suburban counterparts secure.
