CONVICTED DRUG TRAFFICKER SURVEILLED HIDING COCAINE STASH IN COTUIT WOODS, DETECTIVES REPORT

COTUIT, MASSACHUSETTS – [HN NOTES] – Ever since this past October 2023, members of the Barnstable Police Department, along with members of the local Drug Enforcement Administration have had their eyes on Charles Curtis, 36, of Cotuit. Curtis has a long criminal history dating back nearly 20 years. He is considered a “subsequent offender” by local cops, his most recent conviction being in 2018 for trafficking deadly Fentanyl. His criminal resume includes convictions for Possession to Distribute a Class “D” Substance (2018), Possession to Distribute Class “B” Cocaine (2018, subsequent offense), Possession of a Firearm Without a Permit, Trafficking Oxycodone, Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substance Act, and Distributing Oxycodone (subsequent offense), along with other convictions not listed in the BPD’s most recent report filed in Barnstable District Court. The BPD’s most recent investigation reveals Curtis somehow managed to pick up right where he left off prior to 2018. And details into how long Curtis had actually served behind bars for his previous convictions were unavailable at the time of this HN report… but suffice it say, Curtis has not been able to keep his nose clean, if recent allegations are true. This most recent investigation reveals Curtis has been distributing “quantities of cocaine in the Barnstable area to lower-level dealers and users” based out of his residence at 150 Hollow Road in Cotuit. The investigation involved confidential sources and a number of surveillance operations in a rural part of town where cops would ordinarily stick out like sore thumbs. In February 2024, surveillance began to focus on Curtis and the area of his residence at 150 Hollow Road. Investigators say they were able to observe Curtis walking into a wooded area near his home while wearing purple rubber gloves. He was observed walking along before suddenly bending down out of sight. According to confidential police informants, Curtis was hiding drugs during his jaunts into nearby nature… and he was wearing the purple gloves so he wouldn’t leave behind fingerprints with his stash. “Investigators took note of this area,” the detective’s report continues. Things were reportedly going well for investigators and last Friday, April 19, 2024, a lead Barnstable Police Detective obtained two search warrants, one for 150 Hollow Road, the other to “search the person of Charles CURTIS” for cocaine and other “related items.” This past Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at around 8:30 a.m., a briefing was held at the Barnstable PD with Barnstable Detectives, K9 units, and members of the DEA’s “Cape Cod Resident Office” in order to discuss the execution of the search warrants. At around 11:05 a.m., Tuesday, detectives noted a black Toyota Camery parked at the residence. Curtis had been previously observed operating the Camery, which is registered to his girlfriend. At approximately 12:00 noon, detectives observed a dark gray Dodge Durango, also registered to Curtis’ girlfriend, arrive at 150 Hollow Road. Shortly after that, Curtis was observed in the driveway with his girlfriend. Curtis was wearing a black t-shirt and dark pants. A short time later, the girlfriend was observed driving away in the Durango. At around 12:30 p.m., Curtis was observed entering the woods where detectives believed he was hiding his drugs. At around 12:53 p.m., Curtis was observed walking near the end of Hollow Road toward Santuit-Newtown Road. He then began to jog into some conservation area trails near his home. Earlier in April, detectives say they observed Curtis involved in a “suspected narcotics transaction” with the driver of a vehicle which arrived in the same conservation area. Detectives now realized that another drug deal was likely about to happen right in front of them. Sure enough, detectives then observed a pickup truck parked at the conservation area gate just off of Santuit-Newtown Road. Curtis was then observed standing next to the truck, apparently interacting with the passenger. The report continues, “Before investigators could safely approach this suspicious and suspected drug transaction between CURTIS and the vehicle, CURTIS went out of sight presumably back into the conservation trails.” Several minutes later, surveillance was able to pick up Curtis, now jogging with his shirt off toward his residence in the area of the conservation trails. DEA task force officers moved in and took the shirtless suspect into custody. Curtis was presented with the warrants and a search of his person located a black iPhone, gardening gloves, nitrile gloves, a wallet, and a large wad of cash amounting to over a thousand dollars. A detective dialed a phone number used during the controlled cocaine purchases and Curtis’ black iPhone started ringing. The iPhone was subsequently seized as a key piece of evidence. Back at the house, investigators reportedly found 9 pounds of suspected weed in heat-sealed bags in Curtis’ bedroom. They also found, “a box of fold top plastic bags, $1068 cash from the top shelf of the closet, $5000 cash separated by $1000 folds (“stacks”) and banded together inside a bureau drawer, $255 cash located in a different drawer in the same bureau, and multiple pieces of mail/documents containing Charles CURTIS name/ address (150 Hollow Road, Cotuit, MA). Also located in the bedroom trash were large amounts of discarded/ torn plastic bags (remnants of narcotics packaging). Located in the basement were two digital scales, discarded/ torn remnants of plastic baggies, a FoodSaver heat sealing machine, a large zip-lock bag with unknown white residue, two empty boxes of blue nitrile/ rubber gloves, and plastic cling wrap.” In the woods, detectives found a plastic container that appeared to be an old protein supplement bottle. It was almost fully buried under leaves and dirt. Inside the container, detectives found four knotted plastic baggies containing white powder. Detectives also observed a worn path leading up to the drugs. Curtis reportedly denied knowing about the stash of suspected drugs in the woods, saying something to the effect of “what’s in there,” when confronted with the old protein container. Curtis then said something to the effect of “that was in the woods, its got nothing to do with me.” Back at headquarters, investigators used a TruNarc Raman Spectrometer to analyze the bags of white powder found in the woods. Analysis reportedly confirmed the presumptive presence of cocaine. The four bags combined weighed a total of 91.5 grams. Charles Curtis, 36, of Cotuit was arraigned in Barnstable District Court on Wednesday on the charges of Trafficking a Class “B” Substance Cocaine, 36 – 100 grams, and Possession to Distribute Class “D” Marijuana — Subsequent Offense. Curtis was ordered to be committed to the Barnstable County Correctional Facility in lieu of having posted bail in the amount of $50,000 cash by the Honorable Dominic J. Paratore. His probable cause hearing is scheduled for 5/16/2024 at 9:00 a.m. (It’s uncertain whether the next hearing will actually be held in Barnstable, due to a report of a possible conflict of interest… developing…) * The above details are according to police documents filed in Barnstable District Court. Defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 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