News

Danvers: Chief busts five with a pound of pot, cop says

By Ethan Forman
Staff writer
Published: March 26, 2008

DANVERS — Police Chief Neil Ouellette Tuesday night arrested five North Shore men in their 20s allegedly in possession of 1 pound of marijuana, with a street value of $1,500, police said.

The arrests took place in the parking lot of Planet Fitness, 10 Newbury St. (Route 1), Sgt. Robert Bettencourt said.

The men also had on them $4,600 in cash in two separate stashes of $2,700 and $1,900. The investigation led to the discovery of 61 pills police believe to be the pain killer oxycodone.

Ouellette was on patrol in an unmarked cruiser at 9:05 p.m. looking for suspects in a string of recent GPS-device car breaks. That's when he came across someone who appeared to be casing cars, Bettencourt said. He noticed a man in the parking lot when another car pulled in next to him, leading the chief to investigate.

Arrested were:

r Ryan Caverly, 29, of Peabody

r Harrison Lounsbury, 22, of Hamilton

r Jason Mostacci, 25, of Danvers

r Andrew Murley, 21, of Beverly

r Joseph Olson, 23, of Peabody

All five were to be arraigned Wednesday morning in Salem District Court, Bettencourt said. All face charges of possession with the intent to distribute a Class D substance, marijuana, and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Lounsbury faces an additional charge of conspiracy to violate drug laws in relation to the Class B substance, the pills, Bettencourt said.

"Obviously, it was great police work by the chief," Bettencourt said.

To learn more, read Thursday's edition of The Salem News.