TOWNSEND — What started as a routine fire response escalated into a major drug investigation, leading to the arrests of three Townsend men and the discovery of large-scale psilocybin mushroom cultivation and THC distribution operations inside a multifamily home divided into two apartments.
Crime and Public Safety
Firefighters battle wind-driven blaze in Acton’s Kennedy Pit
ACTON — Firefighters from Acton and multiple neighboring communities battled a wind-driven brush fire earlier this month, overcoming difficult terrain and a lack of nearby water sources to bring the blaze under control. The fire broke out at Kennedy’s Pit on Main Street at about 8:45 p.m. on Sunday, April 20, quickly spreading through large […]
Sheriff reports spring surge in “smishing” scams
WEST BOYLSTON — Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis is warning residents about a recent wave of “smishing” scams targeting cell phones across Massachusetts. Smishing, a combination of “SMS” (short message service) and “phishing,” involves scammers sending fraudulent text messages with website links to residents’ cell phones. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), a typical […]
Post Office allegedly finds 2.4 kilos of meth in toy packaging
WORCESTER — Following the alleged discovery of 2.4 kilos of methamphetamine pills concealed in the packaging for a children’s toy, a Worcester man has been charged in federal court for drug offenses involving methamphetamine and materials for pressing illicit pills. On Monday, Tong Tran, 34, was charged in federal court in Worcester with possession with […]
Woman pleads guilty to 2nd-degree murder in connection with fatal fire
WORCESTER — The woman charged with four counts of second-degree murder in connection with a May 2022 Worcester fire that claimed the lives of four people has pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four life sentences with parole eligibility after 20 years, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr. Yvonne Ngoiri, 39, […]
Man found guilty of murder in King Street killing
WORCESTER — On Thursday, a jury found a Worcester man guilty of murder in the August 2020 killing of 31-year-old Darren Dyette on King Street, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr. Jacob Grice, 39, was found guilty of first-degree murder by a Worcester Superior Court jury after a 10-day trial. The […]
