Revere Police Department Operation High Tide

April 1, 2014

25 Charged in Drug-Related Warrant Sweep

BOSTON, April 1, 2014—More than two dozen defendants, including two juveniles, were arrested last week on warrants stemming from a joint investigation into opiate distribution in Suffolk County’s northern communities, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

Arrested amid “Operation High Tide” and arraigned throughout last week were:

1. ERIC BALSAMO (D.O.B. 3/16/78), who has no fixed address, on a charge of distribution of a Class A substance and conspiracy to violate the state’s drug laws;
2. SAMANTHA BENKO (D.O.B. 7/20/80) of Revere for shoplifting and a warrant from Somerville District Court for larceny over $250;
3. MEREDITH DOWNING (D.O.B. 9/16/88) of Wakefield on a charge of distribution of a Class A substance, conspiracy to violate the state’s drug laws, and knowingly being present where heroin is kept;
4. JOSE ESTRADA (D.O.B. 5/25/94) of Chelsea on two counts of distribution of a Class A substance;
5. LAWRENCE HANCOCK (D.O.B. 12/31/73) of Revere on charges of distribution of a Class A substance, conspiracy to violate the state’s drug laws, and knowingly being present where heroin is kept;
6. BOLIVAR JAQUEZ (D.O.B. 5/19/82) of Revere on two counts of distribution of a Class A substance;
7. DAVID JONES (D.O.B. 4/14/94) of Winthrop on two counts of distribution of a Class B substance, conspiracy to violate the state’s drug laws, and violating the state’s drug laws in a school zone, and single counts of distribution of a Class D substance and possession with intent to distribute a Class D substance;
8. JONATHAN JONES (D.O.B. 2/20/76) of Revere on four counts of distribution of a Class D substance, a single charge of possession with intent to distribute a Class D substance, and multiple school zone violations;
9. SCOTT KOMORNY (D.O.B. 11/27/66), who has no fixed address, on two counts of distribution of a Class A substance, conspiracy to violate the state’s drug laws, and knowingly being present where heroin is kept;
10. PEREVON KONG (D.O.B. 1/3/83) of Revere on three counts of distribution of a Class A substance and school zone violations
11. PATRICIA KRAHN (D.O.B. 8/23/79) of Revere on two counts of distribution of a Class A substance;
12. TERI LOMBARDI (D.O.B. 11/24/86) of Revere on a charge of distribution of a Class D substance and violating the state’s drug laws in a school zone;
13. SUSAN MIMS (D.O.B. 12/31/75) of Revere for distribution of a Class A substance as a subsequent offense and knowingly being present where heroin is kept;
14. CARLOS MONTES (D.O.B. 5/24/89) of Everett on charges of distribution of a Class A substance, possession of a Class E substance, and violating the state’s drug laws in a school zone;
15. MIGUEL MORALES (D.O.B. 3/11/93) of Boston on a charge of distribution of a Class B substance;
16. DAVID POSATA (D.O.B. 2/20/88) of Revere for distribution of a Class C substance and shoplifting;
17. EMILY QUINT (D.O.B. 12/7/95) of Winthrop for distribution of a Class B substance and distribution of a Class D drug, conspiracy to violate the state’s drug laws, and violating the state’s drug laws in a school zone;
18. STEVEN RAPPLE (D.O.B. 6/8/72) of Revere on two counts of distribution of a Class A substance;
19. CYNTHIA RIFE (D.O.B. 5/25/57) of Revere on charges of possession with intent to distribute a Class A substance and a school zone violation;
20. JOSE ROHENA (D.O.B. 10/22/64) of Revere on two counts of distribution of a Class A substance as a subsequent offense and school zone violations;
21. WILLIAM SHUTE (D.O.B. 12/29/56) of Revere on charges of possession with intent to distribute a Class A substance and a school zone violation.
22. NICOLE THAIN (D.O.B. 2/22/83) of East Boston on two counts of distribution of a Class A substance as a subsequent offense and one count of distribution of a Class B substance as a subsequent offense;
23. DARREN ULRICH (D.O.B. 1/17/87) of Wakefield on a charge of distribution of a Class A substance and conspiracy to violate the state’s drug laws;
24. REINALDO VEGA (D.O.B. 10/2/72) of Revere on three counts of distribution of a Class A substance as a subsequent offense, a single count of distribution of a Class B substance, and warrants out of New Bedford District Court; and
25. SHEILA WILSON (D.O.B.) 12/12/71), who has no fixed address, charged as a fugitive from justice on a Florida warrant charging cocaine possession.

Charges of possessing or distributing Class A substances generally involve heroin. Charges of possessing or distributing Class B substances generally involve cocaine or Oxycodone. Charges of possessing or distributing Class D substances generally involve marijuana. Shute’s Class C charge relates to Xanax and Posata’s Class E charge relates to Gabapentin.

All 25 defendants were arraigned throughout the week on their Suffolk County charges and, in the cases of defendants with outstanding warrants, ordered to appear in the appropriate courts. Bail for the defendants ranged from personal recognizance to $100,000. Rohena’s bail was revoked on an open case in Suffolk Superior Court. The defendants are all scheduled to return to court on various dates in April and May.

One additional defendant, SEAN HALLEY (D.O.B. 6/30/85) of Revere, was arrested on a charge of distribution of a Class A substance but failed to appear at his arraignment Thursday in Chelsea District Court. A warrant has issued for his arrest.

Two Revere juveniles, ages 15 and 16, were arrested on charges delinquency, to wit: distribution of a Class B substance and violating the state’s drug laws within 1000 feet of a park. They will be arraigned at a later date in the juvenile session of Chelsea District Court.

The arrests came after months of surveillance and controlled purchases by Revere Police, Winthrop Police, Wakefield Police, and State Police assigned to Troop A, the Gang Task Force, the Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, and the Suffolk County State Police Detective Unit. They were specifically targeted to address the influx of potent heroin and other opiates in the greater Boston area.

--30--

All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Back to News