The Waltham Police Department's routine traffic stop took a significant turn last Friday when what began as a citation for a helmetless scooter rider escalated into a major narcotics bust. According to a social media post by the Waltham MA Police Department, officer's attention was caught by Joseph Keane, 36, zipping down Main Street on his electric scooter without a helmet, weaving onto the sidewalk, and narrowly bypassing pedestrians at an unsafe speed.
In the process of the traffic stop, it was discovered that Keane's license was suspended, which led to an arrest for his negligent and disorderly operation of the vehicle. The situation escalated when Keane struggled with officers, prompting a pat frisk for their safety. This frisk revealed not just dangerous weapons—including a knife, brass knuckles, and an expandable baton—but also several packages of narcotics, packaged seemingly for street level resale. Keane was found to be carrying a hefty sum of cash, $67,961.57, bundled in a manner consistent with drug transactions, which is now subject to forfeiture proceedings.
The discovery during the traffic stop prompted a further investigation, which led to a search warrant for Keane's room at the Extended Stay hotel on Fourth Ave. There, law enforcement agents found additional illegal substances, including methamphetamine, Xanax pills, suspected marijuana products, and psilocybin mushrooms, subsequently adding to Keane's list of charges. The initial charges, as listed by the department's social media post, include multiple counts for possession and intent to distribute various classes of drugs, carrying dangerous weapons, and motor vehicle violations.
Accomplices, if any, have not been publicly identified, leaving open the question of whether Keane was operating alone. The narcotics seized in the arrest comprise a mini-pharmacy of controlled substances, suggesting that Keane might have been a prominent figure in the local drug trade. The investigation continues to further address any to potentially uncover associated parties in what appears to be a sizable narcotics operation. Keane is currently facing multiple charges related to narcotics trafficking and weapon possession, with the added drug and weapon charges from the hotel search warrant complicating his legal troubles.
