By Jim Patten
Staff Writer
July 25, 2008 12:00 am LAWRENCE — Three Maine men who police said came to the city to buy cocaine and heroin and the man who allegedly sold them the drugs were arrested during a police surveillance near the Prospect Hill area Wednesday afternoon. After the arrests, the police discovered the accused dealer, identified as Angel Gonzalez, 21, of 1 Harriman St., was concealing his stash of drugs in a secret compartment in the dashboard of his car. The "hides" are operated electronically and hydraulically, often by activating regular switches on the dashboard in a particular sequence known only to the owner of the car. In this case, police were unable to activate the "hide" in the passenger side dashboard of Gonzalez' Lincoln LS, but were able to access the "hide" compartment through the space holding the airbag. Detectives were conducting surveillance in the area of Ferry and Marston streets, about 5:30 p.m. when they saw Gonzalez drive up in his Lincoln LS and turn left onto Ferry Street from Marston Street, traveling west at a slow speed. After traveling on several streets in the area, Gonzalez pulled over on Allston Street for a rendezvous with a light green Saab with Maine plates parked at the corner of Allston and Marston streets. Police said Gonzalez walked over to the car and leaned in, with his hands inside the passenger compartment very briefly, then walked back to his car and drove north on Marston Street. Detectives, in unmarked cars followed the Lincoln and Saab. The detectives following the Saab tried to pull it over at Ferry and Marson streets. The car pulled over but never came to a complete stop. They tried to box the Saab in but the driver backed up, pulled around them and took off at a high rate of speed, with the detectives in pursuit. As they watched, a white object was thrown from the car. The Saab was stopped on Marston Street by Savin Street and the three men inside were arrested. Leon Cray, 41, of Richmond, Maine, driver of the car, was charged with trafficking cocaine over 28 grams, trafficking cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school zone, resisting arrest, assault and battery on a police officer, failure to stop for a police officer and reckless operation of a vehicle. The front seat passenger, identified as Kadhar Bailey, 17, of Gardner, Maine, was charged with trafficking cocaine over 28 grams, trafficking cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school zone, and possession of heroin. The back seat passenger in the Saab, identified as David Knox, 21, of China, Maine was charged with trafficking cocaine over 28 grams, trafficking cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school zone, and knowingly being present where heroin is kept. Gonzalez was stopped on Kendall Street and arrested. Police seized $1,770 in cash from Gonzalez, who was charged with trafficking cocaine over 100 grams, trafficking cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school zone, trafficking heroin over 28 grams, distribution of heroin, and trafficking heroin over 28 grams within 1,000 feet of a school zone. Police impounded Gonzalez' car and a state trooper with a drug detecting dog was brought in. The detectives recovered 127 grams of cocaine wrapped in bags that were inside other plastic bags that contained cinnamon powder, apparently in an attempt to disguise the scent of the drugs. During their arraignments in Lawrence District Court yesterday, the judge set cash bails of $100,000 for Gonzalez, $25,000 for Cray, $10,000 for Bailey, and $5,000 for Knox.
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