By KENNEDY GRIFFIN
(Whately, MA) Massachusetts State Trooper Tyler Hersom stopped a vehicle without either front or rear license plates last Tuesday at 3 pm on I-91 north in Whately. Trooper Hersom requested additional assistance due to deceptive behavior, evasive answers, and inconsistent stories from the five vehicle occupants. A State Police K-9 unit was brought in to sniff the exterior and the occupants were removed from the vehicle. Upon reentering the vehicle, Trooper Hersom saw a white package in plain view under the passenger seat that was consistent with heroin packaging, prompting a complete search of the vehicle.
The search yielded two firearms, approximately 1,150 wax envelopes containing what was suspected to be heroin, and approximately 35 grams of what was suspected to be crack cocaine. The operator , Dylan Grassy, 35, of Shaftsbury, Vermont and a juvenile male, 16, of Springfield, Massachusetts, were arrested and brought to the Northampton Barracks. Bail was set for Grassy at $200,000 and $100,000 for the juvenile. They were arraigned at Greenfield District Court on charges of trafficking heroin and cocaine, two counts of illegal possession of a firearm, two counts of a carrying a loaded firearm, among other charges. The other three occupants of the vehicle will also be arraigned at Greenfield District Court.