Alleged Somerville Drug Dealer Nabbed With Loaded Gun, Knife: Police

SOMERVILLE, MA – A suspected drug dealer in Somerville was hit with additional charges last week when police allegedly found a loaded pistol and a knife in his car during his arrest. Curtis Preston, 27, of Everett, was arrested after police surveilled an alleged drug deal involving him and another man.

Around 6:15 p.m. Thursday night, members of the Somerville Police Drug Unit observed a man walking on Mystic Avenue and make his way toward an address on Bay State Avenue. Both the man and the address were known to police from previous arrests, according to the police report. The man entered the building as another man, also known to officers, exited.

The second man was talking on his cell phone and looking around as he walked up Mallet Street toward Liberty Avenue, according to police. He stopped and a black Infiniti drove down Liberty Avenue to where he was standing. As the Infiniti passed officers, they saw a lone male driver on his cell phone.

Police said the man was picked up on the corner of Liberty Avenue and Mallet Street, which is within 100 feet of Powder House Park. The car drove toward Broadway for a brief period and then stopped to let the passenger out. Police believed a drug deal had just occurred, the report stated.

Detectives stopped the man and asked where he had just been. The man allegedly replied, "You must know if you're stopping me." When asked what he had received in the car, he allegedly answered, "A 40, it's in my pocket." Inside of his right pant pocket, police found a clear baggie containing a white powder believed to be fentanyl, according to the report.

Other members of the Drug Unit were told to stop the Infiniti. Officers followed the car onto Hudson Street, where it began to pick up speed, police said. The car then abruptly stopped in front of a Hudson Street home and the driver attempted to flee on foot. He was trapped by the side of a police officer's vehicle and ultimately complied with detectives' commands to stop upon realizing he had nowhere to run.

The driver, identified as Preston, was taken into custody. He was charged with distribution of a Class B substance. During a search of his car, police uncovered three more clear baggies containing a white powder believed to be fentanyl, according to the report. Inside of the trunk, police found a backpack containing a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber with five rounds of ammunition inside, 182 rounds of .40-caliber ammo and four rounds of 9-mm ammo, the report stated. Four cell phones, money and a spring-loaded camouflage knife were also found in the car, police said.

Preston was also charged with with possession of a Class B drug with intent to distribute, drug violation near school, carrying a firearm with ammunition, carrying a dangerous weapon, possession of ammunition without FID card (two counts) and improper storage of a firearm.

Editor's Note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Somerville Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. Click this link to find out how to get a name removed from a Massachusetts Patch police report.

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