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Posted by: IrishEyesKelsey

I never knew they worked "undercover" outside the jail. I thought the State Police took care of these types of investigations

Marlborough - A city man, who told an undercover cop that he could supply guns and drugs, was arrested Thursday following a monthlong investigation.

Michael P. Castellucci, 23, was arrested on drug and conspiracy charges just before his probation was due to expire on an old armed robbery charge, according to police.

Marlborough detectives worked with an undercover county sheriff's deputy, known in police reports only as "U-8," to set up drug buys and gun deals in Marlborough and Framingham with Castellucci, according to police reports.

The operation began May 24 with a run to Framingham, in which "U-8" and Castellucci drove to a Hollis Street convenience store to buy cocaine from a man known only as "Jamaica," police said.

"U-8" bought marijuana or cocaine from Castellucci while under police surveillance three more times between May 24 and June 13, police said, including once in front of the Cozy Cafe on Lincoln Street, when Castellucci allegedly sold the undercover agent bogus cocaine.

Soon after that, an anonymous tipster informed police Castellucci had boasted of having two guns hidden under his mattress, according to police reports.

Castellucci and Jamaica offered to sell U-8 a MAC-11 submachine gun, police said.

According to police, Castellucci and Jamaica were joint owners of the gun, and planned to sell it, but when the undercover sheriff's deputy showed up in the parking lot of the Ashland Market Basket with $1,800 to buy the weapon, Jamaica was a no-show.

The agent planned to go back with Castellucci to the same spot the next day, until a tipster warned off police. The tipster said that Castellucci said if "Jamaica" didn't show again, Castellucci was going to have "a couple of his
boys" waiting to rob U-8 at gunpoint of $1,800," according to a police report.

Police scrubbed the operation and arrested Castellucci on Thursday
afternoon, one day before his probation was to expire on a 2003 charge of masked armed robbery, according to court records.

Castellucci was charged with distribution of class B and D substances, conspiracy, distributing a counterfeit substance and filing a false crime report, police said.

He was arraigned Friday in Marlborough District Court, and freed on $2,500 cash bail. He is due back in court Aug. 17, court records show.
(Galen Moore can be reached at 508-490-7453 or gmoore@cnc.com.)

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Posted by: Inspector

This has been going on for years but is low key. Sheriff deputies are working on various task forces in many states, including Massachusetts. I was working a case in Lawrence along side an Essex County deputy five years ago, although this was a surveillance and gang suppression operation rather than a true undercover where the deputy made buys. This week I learned Middlesex deputies are being assigned to work with Lowell Police.
Troopers and local police and even feds now need manpower wherever we can get it as budgets are killing our manpower needs at the same time operations require more manpower hours to develop good cases. Get used to it folks, not every other department is trying to take away work from you as there is even more to go around. Look at the person you are going to work with more than the badge he or she wears.

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Posted by: pahapoika

actually if you think of it , prison deputies know all the current street lingo and are use to being in close quarters with criminals.

i think it would make them ideal for this type of work. ( if they don't get I.D. first ) inmate's have great memories for some reason

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Posted by: IrishEyesKelsey

Sounds like great cooperation between Marlboro, Framingham and the Sheriffs. I am just starting out and hope to keep an open mind when it comes to working with other agencies. The bashing starts in the Academy when the local/state/fed instructors tell horror stories about working with the anyone other than members of their own department.

Last week we had a major traffic issue in our town which caused numerous streets to be closed for several hours. The backup casued hour long delays and pissed off commuters. I heard Officers from my department telling the public "all the State Police and blame them" or its the "Troopers fault." I don't think that makes for great friendships.

I was surprised due to the fact that in my opinion a Corrections Officer may have a greater risk of being “made” by the bad guy. I am willing to bet the major players have all been through the system and or visited inmates inside.

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