Healey’s Western Mass Deputy Director arrested on drug trafficking charges

The Healey administration s Western Massachusetts Deputy Director Lamar Cook was arrested after State Police intercepted a cocaine shipment at the Springfield State Office the Hampden DA s office publicized Wednesday The Governor s Office has been made aware of the arrest of an employee Lamar Cook a spokesperson for the governor declared The conduct that occurred here is unacceptable and represents a major breach of the citizens trust Mr Cook has been terminated from his position effective at once This criminal probe is ongoing and our administration will work with law enforcement to assist them in their work Lamar Cook of Springfield was arrested while driving his car on Tuesday evening and charged with trafficking grams or more of cocaine as well as unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition Cook who has worked in the Healey administration since is scheduled to be arraigned in Springfield District Court on Wednesday State Police have seized multiple parcels containing a combined total of approximately kilograms of suspected cocaine in the review the DA s office noted The defendant s trafficking charges relate to about eight kilograms of suspected cocaine intercepted during a controlled delivery operation at the Springfield State Office building on Dwight St where Cook worked on Saturday according to the Hampden DA On Monday night the DA s office disclosed state police investigators executed a search warrant for the suspect s former office in the building The scrutiny stems from two prior drug trafficking seizures earlier this month the DA s office announced In one on Oct police intercepted about kilograms of suspected cocaine in two suspicious packages at Hotel UMass in Amherst Cook was the Director of Hotel UMass before being hired by the Healey administration Evidence collected during that operation was consistent with the narcotics recovered during the majority of new controlled delivery in Springfield the Hampden DA s office noted Related Articles Cigna will end drug rebates in a great number of private healthcare plans US imposes sanctions on Colombia s president and family members over drug arrangement accusations US strikes two more alleged drug-carrying boats this time in the Pacific Ocean A war on drugs or a war on terror Trump s military pressure on Venezuela blurs the lines Cops on ketamine Largely unregulated mental healthcare medication faces hurdles The Hampden DA stated the study being led by the Massachusetts State Police Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Company state police with the Hampden DA s office and assistance from Homeland Defense Investigations and other partner agencies The assessment is current and ongoing and may consequence in additional charges related to the prior shipments in Hampshire County