On Thursday evening, police clamped down on a suspect in Brighton for allegedly engaging in some extra-curricular illegal activities. Police from the District D-14 (Allston/Brighton) Drug Control Unit nailed Jose Reyes Jr., 38, from Fitchburg, for toting a loaded firearm and possession of drugs, as authorities were knee-deep in a drug bust operation.
According to the Boston Police Department's official report, the arrest went down at approximately 6:58 PM near 1202 Commonwealth Avenue. Reyes Jr. was observed by officers while he appeared, to be casing the inbound traffic — maybe on the lookout for a ride or something. When a vehicle finally did stop to chat with the suspect, the cops smelled trouble. The exchange between Reyes and the vehicle's passenger had all the hallmarks of a drug deal.
The investigation veered into high gear as officers checked the vehicle's registration, which turned out to be revoked, bad move by the bigwigs in that car. With the help of a marked police cruiser, a traffic stop was initiated. Officers halted the suspicious vehicle at the 300 block of Summit Avenue. They then approached the vehicle, spelling out the reasons for the stop and then requested, the car's occupants to step out due to it being towed.
As the drama unfolded, officers hit pay dirt inside the vehicle by finding a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield firearm, along with a fully loaded magazine of eight rounds, an additional empty magazine, and a cache of 42 rounds of 9mm ammunition. Police slapped the cuffs on Reyes Jr., charging him with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and distribution of class E drugs. His next stop: Brighton District Court for arraignment.
Meanwhile, the driver of Reyes Jr.'s rendezvous vehicle got off with just a slap on the wrist, for now, set to be summoned to court later on. In the often murky streets of Boston's drug trade, it seems one more alleged player has been side-lined, courtesy of the long arm of the law. But the real question begs — how deep does this rabbit hole go?
