Police Seize 28 Grams of Heroin; Suspects Arraigned in Court

Two Tisbury men were arraigned in court on Monday for their alleged involvement in a recent heroin bust. Oak Bluffs and Massachusetts State Police officers arrested the men, Jeffrey Sylvia, 23, and Jeffrey Rancourt, 23, on Friday and seized 28 grams of heroin. That amount of heroin has a street value of $5,600, according to a press release issued by the Oak Bluffs Police Department.

The arrest occurred at approximately 2 p.m. on Friday in the parking lot of Our Market liquor store. 

Sylvia and Rancourt had allegedly arrived at the parking lot in order to make a drug deal. Instead, they were arrested.

Officers encountered Sylvia and Rancourt in Rancourt’s pick-up truck. Upon searching Sylivia, officers discovered the 28 grams of heroin, as well as 3.5 ounces of marijuana, worth  $1,750; 1.25 ounces of hashish, worth $600, five tablets of prescription drugs and “several tablets of other prescription drugs commonly abused,” according to the press release.

Officers also reportedly seized two cell phones, two digital scales and “a box of plastic bags and other rubber bands that are commonly used to package drugs for distribution.”

Sylvia was charged with trafficking in heroin, possession to distribute a Class B drug, possession to distribute a Class D drug, conspiracy to violate drug law, possession to distribute a Class C drug, and possession to distribute a Class E drug.

Rancourt, who was driving the truck, was charged with being present where heroin is kept and conspiracy to violate drug law.

Both men were transported to the Dukes County House of Correction, and have since posted bail. Sylvia’s bail was set at $5,000, Rancourt’s at $500.

In Edgartown District Court this morning, Judge H. Gregory Williams issued both men bail warnings—meaning, if they incur any new offenses, they can be held for up to 60 days without bail—and ordered to return to court on July 28.