Police Track, Charge Heroin Suspects in Medford, Arlington
Arlington police tracked down and charged two men who they said were involved in a heroin transaction at Hurd Field.
Responding to complaints from Arlington Heights businesses, police watched a residence near Mass. Ave. before trailing Johnny McCloskey, 26, Medford, and Scott M. Pisano, 32, Lexington.
Police said McCloskey is well known to them and has several drug charges on his record, including open drug cases in Medford. He has been arrested in Arlington several times for various charges, including drug charges.
A police report tells the officers’ side of the story:
On Wednesday, June 24, at 5:56 p.m., two officers were on a special assignment monitoring illegal drug activity near Mass Ave. in the Heights.
“This department has received several complaints from business owners in this area concerned about a white male distributing drugs in the area,” the police report says. An officer wrote that he received information showing a white male meet with two females and conduct what appears to be a hand-to-hand drug transaction near Mass. Ave. Police said the male was identified as McCloskey.
Johnny McCloskey is well known to the Arlington Police department and has several drug charges on his record, including six open drug cases out of Medford. McCloskey has been arrested in Arlington several times for various charges, including drug charges.
That led a number of police to watch the area at a number of locations near Heights businesses.
About 5:30 p.m., police saw McCloskey leave a residence and walk toward Park Ave. After he was seen on his phone, McCloskey headed toward the bikeway, where he met with a white male, later identified as Pisano.
Police followed them at a distance. “When McCloskey and Pisano got the area of Hurd Field,” the report says, “we were able to clearly observe a hand-to-hand transaction between McCloskey and Pisano.” Immediately after, they separated and walked in opposite directions.
Police stopped McCloskey and placed cuffs on him, as an officer ran toward Pisano, he reported the suspect dropped something on the ground directly in front of him. After Pisano was in cuffs, the officer said he could identify the item as a package of heroin.
Asked what was in the baggy, Pisano said it was heroin.
After a search of McCloskey, police found Clonazepam pills, a cell phone and several hundred dollars in his pocket.
McCloskey was charged with four drug-related counts, including possession, distribution, conspiracy and a violation near a school or park. Pisano faces possession and conspiracy charges.
Both were held at the Arlington Police Department pending arraignment in Cambridge District Court.