Alleged Cocaine Dealer Arrested Near Elementary School

An alleged cocaine dealer was arrested on Monday within 1,000 feet of the King Open Elementary School and charged with cocaine trafficking and drug violation near a school or park, the Cambridge Police Department announced.

The arrest of Jeffery Appolon—which took place around 7:30 p.m. near the rear of the Roosevelt Towers—came on the heels of recent complaints of drug activity, and tip-offs from Cambridge citizens that an individual with a large amount of cocaine would be in the area, according to a CPD press release.

“We are very proud that a known drug dealer and a large amount of cocaine were removed from Cambridge city streets,” said Police Commissioner Robert C. Hass in the release.

While conducting surveillance, detectives of the Special Investigation Unit found approximately 50 grams of cocaine hidden in the waistband of Appolon’s pants. In addition, officers found a digital scale disguised as a CD case and a Pringles potato chip container with a concealed compartment.

Sergeant Robert W. Grey, a member of the Cambridge Police Special Investigation Unit, emphasized the importance of anonymous tips from the community to yield arrests like Monday’s.

From the 13 Neighborhood’s in Cambridge, the neighboring areas in north eastern Cambridge-Agassiz, Mid-Cambridge, Inman/Harrington, and Area 4-have shown high—and, in most cases, increasing—number of drug incidents. Most of the remaining neighborhoods have shown decreases—and sometimes no—drug incidents over the past three years.

"Cambridge is a big city and it has the assorted drug problems that any city would have," Grey said. "[The drug dealers] are trying to fit into the neighbourhood....It’s very hard to infiltrate these groups."

—Staff writer Rediet T. Abebe can be reached at rtesfaye@college.harvard.edu.