In Holyoke, law enforcement's crackdown on illicit activities bore fruit Sunday night as police seized two illegal guns, along with quantities of heroin and crack-cocaine, resulting in the arrest of three individuals. The Holyoke Police Chief, Brian Keenan, announced the arrests and recoveries, sharing details about the operation designed to improve the quality of life in the Elm Street area.
Officers responded around 9:15 p.m. to a residential building at 173 Elm Street to address the issue of trespassing. As the night unfolded, authorities encountered four individuals who attempted to flee upon their arrival. Sarah McLaughlin was found hiding in an apartment; Emmanuel Rivera was seen discarding a weapon during his escape attempt; and two others, Nelson Ramos and Eugenio Rivera-Narvaez, were detained, with police uncovering a significant cache of drugs and a large capacity firearm.
According to the department's Facebook account, McLaughlin, who had an outstanding warrant, was apprehended by Lt. Jorge Monsalve and Officer Justice Gonzalez. Emmanuel Rivera, after discarding the firearm, was detained by Officers Nigel Astwood and Gabriel Irizarry, who also arrested Nelson Ramos for resisting and trespassing. Officers recovered 27 vials of crack-cocaine and the tossed firearm from Rivera.
Furthermore, the department detailed that Rivera-Narvaez, upon his detention, was found to be in possession of not just a large capacity firearm loaded with 16 rounds, but also a horde of narcotics—91 vials of crack-cocaine, more than eight grams of heroin/fentanyl, and prescription drugs Clonazepam and Gabapentin. The charges lined up against the perpetrators are extensive, ranging from drug possession with intent to distribute, carrying firearms without a license, to trespassing.
The apprehended suspects face multiple charges, including drug possession and distribution, weapons charges, and trespass. Emmanuel Rivera of West Springfield faces a slew of eight charges, among them possession with the intent to distribute a Class B drug and carrying a loaded firearm without a license. Eugenio Rivera-Narvaez of Springfield is charged with over ten offenses, significant among them are possession with the intent to distribute a Class A drug and possession of a large capacity firearm during the commission of a felony. Meanwhile, Nelson Ramos, also of Springfield, faces charges for trespassing and resisting arrest. Sarah McLaughlin of Greenfield, while not caught up in the drug and weapons bust, was charged on the basis of an arrest warrant.
