BRAINTREE POLICE DEPARTMENT NEWS RELEASE

282 Union Street Braintree, Massachusetts 02184 Release Date: July 8, 2012 (781) 843-1212 FAX (781) 794-8698

www.braintreepd.org rjenkins@braintreema.gov Follow us on Twitter All of the charges contained in this news release are merely accusations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Police Arrest Three and Seize 125g of Cocaine

Police arrested a brother and sister from New Bedford and an Abington woman at the South Shore Plaza on Friday evening, July 6th after discovering 125g of cocaine in the Infiniti G35 being operated by the two women. Officers Matthew Heslam and James Peters were patrolling the parking lots when they observed an individual, later identified as Omi Montanez, 35, of New Bedford acting suspiciously in the parking lot. The officers kept Montanez under surveillance and called Officer Mark Sherrick and Detective Joseph Molloy for assistance. Officer Sherrick monitored Montanez Nissan Maxima from surveillance cameras inside Lord and Taylor and observed him remove a black zippered bag from the trunk. Montanez drove from parking lot to parking lot and after a brief surveillance, the officers observed the Infiniti pull into the parking lot where Montanez ultimately parked his Nissan. Upon the arrival of the Infiniti, Montanez exited his vehicle and entered the back seat of the Infiniti and then exited the Infiniti less than a minute later. Suspecting that some type of drug transaction had taken place, the officers detained all three individuals as they walked from their vehicles and confronted them with their suspicions. Montanez vehicle was searched, but nothing was found. The Infiniti was searched and officers discovered a black zippered bag in the back seat containing 125g of cocaine. When confronted with the discovery, Montanez fled from the officers, but was apprehended after a brief foot chase. He and the two women, identified as Montanez sister, Leslie N. Montanez, 31, of New Bedford and Naomi L. Quansah, 38, of Abington were placed under arrest and charged with trafficking in cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and conspiracy to violate the Controlled Substances Act. Omi Montanez was additionally charged with resisting arrest and a drug free school zone violation. An additional 3.5g of cocaine was found on Leslie Montanez at the police station when she was searched. The two women were bailed and Omi Montanez was held without bail pending his arraignment in Quincy District Count on Monday. Trafficking in 125g of cocaine carries a penalty of a mandatory ten years in state prison.