Dorchester man held without bail after drug, gun arrest at Mass and Cass
BOSTON, August 16, 2022 — A Dorchester man targeted for selling drugs in the Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard section of Boston is being held without bail after being charged Monday in the Roxbury Division of Boston Municipal Court on numerous drug and gun charges, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
KEON LEARY, 43, is charged with trafficking fentanyl, trafficking cocaine, carrying a loaded firearm without a license (third offense), illegal possession of ammunition, and various other drug distribution and gun charges.
Assistant District Attorney Michael Murphy requested a dangerousness hearing and, if released, $250,000 cash bail and other conditions, including home confinement, a stay-away order from Mass and Cass and wearing a GPS tracker. Judge Debra DelVecchio found Leary dangerous, which means he will be held for at least 120 days. DelVecchio set bail conditions of $25,000 with GPS tracker and a stay-away order from Mass and Cass.
On August 12, Boston police conducting operations near Mass and Cass became aware that Leary was selling drugs in the area. Officers identified Leary’s car and deployed an undercover officer. After the officer purchased drugs from Leary, other officers moved in and arrested him.
In Leary’s backpack and car officers found a .22-cal Taurus pistol loaded with nine rounds, 20 plastic bags containing fentanyl, more than 30 plastic bags containing crack cocaine, 41 Gabapentin pills, one plastic bag of cannabis and $8,994 in cash.
“This is exactly the type of individual who is both capitalizing on and perpetuating the situation at Mass and Cass and who must be prosecuted for the public safety threat he is. The amount of drugs and cash seized, not to mention the gun and ammunition, justify him being held as a danger to the community,” Hayden said.
Leary has a criminal record dating back to 1998. He returns to court Sept. 8 for a probable cause hearing.
Hayden earlier this year announced the spending of $400,000 from his asset forfeiture account to fund Services over Sentences, a court-based program aimed at giving low-level drug offenders the services necessary to help them move away from life at and near Mass and Cass. The program started in June and has 10 participants so far.
“We know when prosecutions are the right choice and when they’re not. The Mass and Cass problem is one with many causes and one that requires many coordinated responses from all levels of government. Prosecution should be low on the list, except when individuals pose a clear threat to public safety. This is such a case,” Hayden said.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications