LOWELL — During last Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Councilor Corey Belanger called the city’s Back Central neighborhood a “mini Mass and Cass,” referring to the area of Boston plagued by the same homeless, drug and crime crisis that has been growing for several years in Lowell’s poorest neighborhood.
“On the back of Charles Street … the sidewalk was completely overrun, tents on the sidewalk, open-air drug use going on,” he said. “We need help.”
Between March and September, the Lowell Police Department recorded a staggering 10,000 police dispatch entries in the densely populated neighborhood, which is roughly bounded by Appleton Street to the north, Chambers Street to the south, Thorndike Street to the west and Lawrence Street to the east.
The police calls resulted in more than 18,000 officer call-offs, reflecting the significant resources required to manage incidents in this area. During this same period, 606 arrests were made — or on average, 100 per month — with 117 individuals arrested two or more times, and 20 individuals arrested five or more times.
Councilors Corey Robinson and Erik Gitschier’s motion requested City Manager Tom Golden have a conversation between the council and key stakeholders centered around “challenges with our transient community.”
Golden said he was trying to “work toward a solution” on what he described as a “revolving door” of people being arrested by the police only to be released back out on the streets by the judges at Lowell District Court.
“There’s a lot going on here,” he said. “I can report back.”
But councilors, while praising the city’s policing and social outreach efforts, were exasperated by the lack of coordination between the courts, state-level departments and other social and legislative agencies.
“We need everybody together to help on this, otherwise we’re just going to spin our tires,” Gitschier said. “Send them down to the courthouse, they’re going to come right out of the courthouse and these numbers are just going to continue to escalate and escalate and no one really gets help. And that’s the sad part — people are not getting help.”
Although not exclusively a homeless problem, based on figures released by the LPD and the Office of Homeless Initiatives, which is under the purview of the Department of Health and Human Services, the rise in arrests of homeless people tracked with the rise in homelessness.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines individuals as homeless if they lack a “fixed, regular and adequate nighttime address.” Last winter’s federally mandated point-in-time count, conducted during the early morning hours of Jan. 30, reported 250 homeless people in Lowell.
Two hundred were sheltered through Community Teamwork Inc.’s hotel program in Chelmsford, and in both regular and emergency beds provided through the Lowell Transitional Living Center on Middlesex Street in Downtown Lowell. There were 50 unsheltered people living outdoors.
Those unsheltered people were mostly living in squalid encampments scattered throughout the city, including South Common Park, a 22.5-acre public green space in the city’s Back Central neighborhood.
The City Council passed an ordinance in November 2024 making it unlawful to camp on public property in the city of Lowell. The civil ordinance is enforceable through the LPD, and the city sanctioned so-called “sweeps” of numerous homeless encampments, including South Common.
In early October, one person was killed and another person hospitalized after a garbage truck backed over them on Spring Street. Witnesses said the two homeless individuals had been sleeping on the narrow, alley-like street after they had been repeatedly told to leave other parts of the city, most recently South Common.
But even homeless people with an emergency bed at night become unsheltered during the day when the LTLC, the largest adult emergency shelter north of Boston, asks its clients to leave the premises.
According to the LPD, complaints about trespassing increased from 519 complaints in 2021 to 1,369 complaints in 2024, a more than 150% increase.
The shelter clients generally congregate in the Jackson Street, Appleton Street, Middlesex Street, Summer Street, and Gorham Street corridors.
“These areas have experienced a high concentration of transient individuals, which has led to recurring public safety and quality-of-life issues,” Assistant City Manger Shawn Machado said in the motion response dated Oct. 21.
Councilor Vesna Nuon suggested that the task force approach the city took to address gang violence in the city almost 20 years ago may be a guide to Lowell’s current crisis.
“When we had a gang issue in the city, the juvenile court judge and others participated in this,” Nuon said. “The [District Attorney] the [Middlesex] Sheriff’s Office, [Department of Children and Families] and all those entries, joined in. The court plays an important role in this.”
Machado’s motion response noted that the city’s Community Opioid Outreach Program had been active in the neighborhood, offering outreach and services to individuals in need.
“Despite their daily efforts, there remains a significant number of individuals who decline the services offered,” Machado’s motion response said. “This underscores the complexity of the issue and the need for a more comprehensive, multi-agency approach to address the underlying causes of chronic homelessness, substance use, and mental health challenges.”
Machado said Golden will extend invitations to a representative from Sheriff Peter Koutoujian’s office, leadership from the LPD, district court judges serving the Lowell area, an a representative from the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.
“The goal of this discussion is to explore collaborative strategies that address the root causes of recidivism, improve outcomes for individuals experiencing homelessness or substance use disorders, and enhance public safety for all residents and businesses,” Machado said.
TEWKSBURY — A Tewksbury woman is facing a slew of charges after allegedly unleashing chaos at the Market Basket on Main Street by assaulting employees and police officers before vandalizing her holding cell.
According to the Tewksbury Police, 54-year-old Kristin Hartman drove drunk to the store on Tuesday, allegedly shoving staff, ramming a shopping cart into an employee, and hitting and kicking officers during her arrest. Once in custody, police said Hartman intentionally vomited on the cell floor and attempted to clog the toilet using her prison-issued shoes and a roll of toilet paper.
Hartman was arraigned on Wednesday in Lowell District Court before Judge John Coffey on two counts of assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, operating under the influence of alcohol, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon — identified as a shod foot and a shopping cart — vandalizing property, and assault and battery.
Hartman was released on her own recognizance with the condition she stay away from the Tewksbury Market Basket, have no contact with the victims in the case, and abstain from alcohol.
According to court documents, Hartman has not been assigned an attorney. A call placed to the phone number listed in court records was answered by a woman who, when asked if she was Hartman, responded by asking who was calling. After The Sun identified itself, the call abruptly ended.
Police said in an incident report that officers responded to the Market Basket at 1900 Main St. shortly before noon after receiving reports of a woman — later identified as Hartman — yelling and swearing at staff. While approaching Hartman inside the store, police said they witnessed a 36-year-old Market Basket employee push her to the ground. Hartman got back up and was shouting, drawing the attention of nearby shoppers.
Officers escorted Hartman outside where she said she had been assaulted by a store employee. Police said in their report that she smelled strongly of alcohol, describing “a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from her breath while interacting with her in the open air.” They also said they observed her eyes were glassy and bloodshot, and her speech was slurred.
The 36-year-old Market Basket employee told police that Hartman had hurled derogatory insults at her “for no apparent reason.” Police said the employee added that Hartman “pushed her first and she defended herself and pushed Kristin back.” A witness later corroborated the employee’s account, according to the report, stating that Hartman was yelling in the employee’s face before shoving her.
A store manager also told police that earlier in the incident, Hartman, who showed several signs of intoxication, had allegedly shoved her shopping cart into another employee in one of the aisles and was yelling at him for no apparent reason.
Neither employee was injured during the incident.
During the chaos, police said they learned that Hartman also yelled numerous profanities at an 86-year-old employee.
While officers were still gathering information inside the store, Hartman’s alleged disturbance continued outside.
According to the report, she was shouting expletives at police while on the sidewalk, telling one officer, “I hope you die.” Police said Hartman then got into the officer’s face and swung her arm, striking him on the left arm while yelling, “Don’t touch me (expletive),” despite the officer stating he had not made physical contact with her prior to that moment.
As a result of the alleged assault, police said they instructed Hartman to place her hands behind her back, but she resisted, attempting to pull away as a crowd of onlookers gathered in the busy parking lot. While officers were placing her into a cruiser, Hartman allegedly kicked an officer in the leg with what police described as a hiking boot. During this struggle, police said she also threatened to kill an officer’s family.
The disruption continued at the police station, where Hartman allegedly caused issues during booking. Police said she “was screaming for no legitimate purpose, was yelling obscenities and required multiple different officers to be present,” according to the police report.
While in her holding cell, police said that Hartman told an officer, “If you keep me in here, I’m going to puke all over your floor,” followed by, “Enjoy cleaning it up.”
Police said Hartman placed her prison-issued footwear and a roll of toilet paper into the toilet and attempted to flush the items. She also allegedly induced vomiting by placing her fingers down her throat.
Officers took photos of the aftermath and noted in their report that the cell was littered with a roll of wet toilet paper on the floor, several empty water bottles, two vomit-soaked blankets, and vomit spread across the floor.
As part of the investigation, surveillance footage reviewed by police showed Hartman driving to a nearby liquor store shortly before the incident at the grocery store. According to a store manager interviewed by police, she purchased a bottle of Tito’s vodka and returned to her vehicle. Police said the footage captured Hartman “slightly staggering” as she walked to and from the store, before driving to Market Basket.
Hartman is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial hearing on Nov. 21.
Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.
LOWELL — Wall clocks were stopped at random times in the rooms throughout the vacant Lowell District Court at 41 Hurd St. The two public phone booths — from which visitors made calls before the age of cellphones — were missing the actual phone sets. And the water to the drinking fountain was shut off.
But the ancient heating system was pumping out warm air on a chilly October morning, and the lights were working, giving a small group a toasty and safe way to navigate the sprawling courthouse buildings Thursday.
The public tour was arranged by the Department of Planning and Development under the terms of the request for proposal issued by the city in August.
“The RFP presents a unique opportunity for mixed-use development with the focus on residential development located in the downtown of the city of Lowell,” Asset Manager George Coulouras said at the onset of the self-guided tour. “We welcome you all here. If you have any questions, please direct them to the Purchasing Department.”
The two-story courthouse is actually two buildings. The original courthouse, closest to George Street, is a Federal Revival brick structure built in 1925 and expanded west toward Central Street in 1969. The almost 32,000-square-foot property included seven courtrooms and chambers as well as the Clerk of Court, Probation and other court support functions.
The City Council tasked City Manager Tom Golden with exploring ways to take control of and utilize state and local buildings for housing or other uses.
Last year, the city took possession of the District Court property when Lowell’s legislative delegation secured passage of a home rule petition allowing the city to acquire the vacant Hurd and Gorham street courthouses. So far, the city has only exercised its option on the District Court site.
Once the city received the title to the property, the DPD put out a request for proposal in August, the first step in soliciting companies to develop the property.
The hulking property is not without its challenges or expense. With last year’s agreement, the city assumed the operating costs of the building, and the fiscal 2025 budget allocated $200,000 to cover utility costs alone. The city also assumed all staffing and maintenance of the building, including plowing, cutting the grass, and trash removal and security, such as regular patrols and security fencing.
Although the structure isn’t as waterlogged as the long-neglected Smith Baker Center on Merrimack Street, across from City Hall, and lacks the pervasive moldy, mildewy smell of that building, the courthouse shows many signs of decay due mostly to water infiltration.
In 2020, a facility evaluation study commissioned by the Middlesex Trial Court identified existing infrastructure issues with the building.
“The roof appears to require replacement, and there is evidence of water intrusion in several parts of the building,” the report said. “The buildings have many level changes with small flights of stairs between the various portions of the facility.”
This reporter experienced those infrastructure challenges firsthand, climbing up stairs in order to go down a level, squeezing through narrow passageways and observing significant water damage in the walls and ceilings. There were numerous grade changes that were potential hazards.
Although the newer side of the complex features more open spaces, the entire structure is a rabbit-warren of halls, stairwells, cubbyholes and doors — lots and lots of doors. The structure lacks modern conveniences like wiring for high-speed internet; energy-efficient heating systems; no air conditioning in the original wing; outdated bathrooms; and the structure is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The interior space did not look vandalized — no graffiti was seen, there were no broken windows and the wiring, plumbing and mechanical systems appeared to be intact. But some interior doors were heavily fortified and a mini encampment was seen, ironically, in the old prisoner intake room in the basement that overlooked the six jail cells. Remnants included a pile of blankets, clothes, spoiled food, a dead phone and a broken crack pipe.
Grafitti marked the exterior building and lots of trash littered the fenced-in grounds. The outdoor stairwell entrance off the back parking lot appeared to be a shooting gallery as the area was filled with needle caps and other drug paraphernalia. Syringe Collection Program Coordinator Andres Gonzalez picked up needles from that area following the tour.
Despite its frozen-in-time charm, it’s hard to imagine how the space can be repurposed for anything, much less housing. Even the 2020 report acknowledged that “The layout of the building limits the adaptability and flexibility of the courthouse for other uses.”
Elsewhere the report, which was available to the city before its acquisition, noted that the building would be “extremely difficult” to renovate “due to the condition and layout of the building,” and the “comprehensive nature of the renovations required.”
The property is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The appraised value of the property is listed as almost $6.5 million. In 2020, demolition of the building was expected to cost $800,000, which no doubt is much higher in today’s market. Unless a potential developer assumes those costs, as owner, the city now bears full fiscal and physical responsibility.
Local historian and former Middlesex North Register of Deeds Richard Howe worked in the courthouse during his early career as a lawyer.
“I spent nearly every working day from 1986 to 1995 inside the building,” Howe said by email. “That was the court-appointed public defender phase of my legal career (pre-register of deeds) so I know the building well. It is maze-like and probably best torn down since it’s not significant architecturally.”
TEWKSBURY — A family residing in the 900 block of Andover Street reported to police that they were startled by sudden footsteps coming from upstairs while they sat in their living room on the afternoon of Aug. 31. When they called out, the footsteps grew louder as the unknown person inside their home ran downstairs and bolted out the backdoor.
TEWKSBURY — A 28-year-old Mattapan man is facing several charges for allegedly holding another man against his will in a room at the Motel 6, where he is accused of assaulting, robbing, and humiliating him.
BILLERICA — A Cape Cod woman with a criminal history involving animal abuse is again facing animal cruelty charges after authorities say videos surfaced showing her beating and torturing her dog while she lived on Boston Road.
Amanda Marie Cianciulli, 36, of Centerville (Barnstable), who was arrested on Friday, has since been released from custody following a 58A dangerousness hearing that took place in Lowell District Court this week. As part of her release, she was ordered to stay away from all animals, including her four dogs.
The Billerica Police issued a press release stating Cianciulli “used a shock collar in a manner and purpose so as to torture a dog while it was secured in a cage,” and that she struck the dog while pinning it to the ground during a separate incident.
Cianciulli’s attorney, Stephen Barton, claims his client was training the dog, not abusing it. He also asserted that the woman who shared the videos of the alleged abuse with police had been blackmailing Cianciulli.
“This was not gratuitous, sadistic violence against animals,” Barton said. “This was (Cianciulli) training pit bulls who had been left at shelters and disciplining them so they could be placed with families.”
An incident report states the alleged abuse was brought to the attention of the Billerica Police on April 15 when a 30-year-old woman who said she used to live with Cianciulli at 23 Boston Road shared two videos of the violent behavior that she had captured on her cellphone.
Police said one video showed Cianciulli “holding a dog down and hitting it with an unknown object in the head while yelling ‘how’s it (expletive).’” The report states she forcefully struck the dog seven times “in quick succession” over three seconds.
In the other video, police said Cianciulli is seen putting a shock collar on a dog that is confined to a crate, while saying “‘guess what? Craaank’ (while manipulating what I suspect to be the shock collar remote).”
“The dog then begins to loudly yelp and she says ‘Doesn’t (expletive) feel nice, does it?’” police said in the report. “As the dog continues to yelp she says ‘cut it out!’”
The report later states the duration of the shock was 45 seconds, while adding Cianciulli “did torture” the dog “by utilizing the e-collar on the level of 100 while the dog was contained and not engaged in any behavior that would result in the need to shock the dog.”
The 30-year-old woman told police the videos were taken a month and a half previously. When asked why she waited over a month to report the abuse, she told police “she was trying to figure out how to do it without escalating the tension that was already present in the household,” the report states. The woman further claimed she was in fear of Cianciulli evicting her, but she has since moved out.
According to the police report, Cianciulli owns four dogs, all pit bull mixes, including 2-year-old “Millie,” the target of the alleged abuse in both videos. The 30-year-old and another witness claimed seeing abuse inflicted on all four dogs over the previous 10 months. The alleged abuse included Cianciulli punching the dogs, throwing them into walls, and forgetting to feed them. The witnesses also claimed Cianciulli was running an illegal kennel at the Boston Road residence.
When questioned by police, Cianciulli said all her dogs are rescues and “she just needed to do some fine tuning with them but they did not require training,” the report states. Cianciulli said Millie, meanwhile, “needed a lot of fine tuning as lately there are rules and regulations with the dogs not being followed.”
She admitted to using an “e-collar” on Millie, using the “vibrate setting.” Cianciulli denied ever punching, kicking, or slapping the dogs.
After she was placed under arrest, Cianciulli’s four dogs were transported to a veterinarian for examinations. The outcome of those examinations were not immediately available.
Barton claims the videos the police have depict Cianciulli disciplining Millie after she had attacked another dog. Barton described it “as an act of discipline,” while comparing the shock from the collar as a dog getting zapped by an invisible fence.
Barton said he plans to call on an expert witness who trains military dogs who he says will testify that the shock Cianciulli applied does not cause pain.
“It’s not a pain that’s inflicted, it’s a vibration that’s inflicted,” he said, adding the expert witness’ testimony will be, “It stuns them and makes them shake.”
Barton added the woman who brought the videos to police is a tenant who Cianciulli’s family has been trying to evict for months.
“This is all about disciplining very difficult dogs to deal with, so they can be placed with families, and a vindictive tenant who wants to stay and live for free,” Barton said.
This is not the first time Cianciulli has been accused of abusing a dog.
In May 2014, Cianciulli was arrested after a neighbor told police he saw her discipline her pit bull, “Ace,” by choking the dog with its collar, punching it and kicking the animal. She allegedly did this after the animal had escaped her home on Boston Road.
Cianciulli was charged with animal cruelty for this previous incident of abuse. Lowell District Court documents state the case was continued without a finding for one year while she was on probation. During that probationary term, Cianciulli was required to complete an anger management course. She was additionally granted supervised visits of Ace, but could not regain custody of the dog until completion of the probation.
Court documents show since Cianciulli stayed out of trouble for the full year, the animal cruelty charge was dismissed, and she was allowed to retake possession of Ace.
Ace is one of the four dogs referenced in the incident report about Cianciulli’s latest arrest.
Following Cianciulli’s arrest on Friday, she was held at the Billerica Police station on a bail that was set at $5,000. Court documents show she posted the bail and was released.
Cianciulli was arraigned on Monday by Judge John Coffey on two counts of animal cruelty. A 58A dangerousness hearing requested by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office was held the same day. The hearing was used to determine if Cianciulli poses a threat to the public, and if so, if she should remain in custody as her case progresses in court.
Following the hearing, Coffey decided Cianciulli is not a danger, and released her with conditions, including not to possess any dogs, or animals in general, and to have no avoidable contact with animals.
Cianciulli is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial hearing on May 23.
Follow Aaron Curtis on X, formerly known as Twitter, @aselahcurtis
DRACUT — The driver sent to a trauma center last month after crashing a neon-green Ford Mustang near the Lowell-Dracut line is facing a pile of criminal charges due to the violent single-vehicle wreck that left behind a trail of destruction on Hildreth Street.
Christopher Jopson, 30, of Dracut, is facing a total of 10 charges due to the crash, including five counts of vandalizing property (a felony), and one count each of negligent operation of a motor vehicle, unregistered motor vehicle, uninsured motor vehicle, speeding, and marked lanes violation.
This isn’t the first time Jopson has been in this situation, according to Lowell District Court documents.
Jopson was arrested for another alleged reckless single-vehicle crash that occurred with him behind the wheel on Old Road in Dracut nearly two years ago. During that wreck, a Dracut Police report states Jopson totaled another Ford Mustang, this one black.
Court documents additionally show Jopson was arrested in March 2023 for an incident in Dracut that included a response from the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council SWAT Team, and again in June 2023 following a violent episode at the Cornelius F. Kiernan Judicial Center in Lowell.
Each of those cases are pending in court.
The crash on Hildreth Street took place at approximately 12:20 p.m. March 8. First responders arrived to find the brightly-colored and mangled 2013 Ford Mustang Boss 302 came to a rest in a yard after smashing through a fence in front of 430 Hildreth St. in Lowell.
A Dracut Police incident report states Jopson was entrapped in the vehicle, “unsecured between the driver and passenger seat, with his head at the dashboard and his legs facing the rear of the vehicle.”
Lowell and Dracut firefighters were able to extricate Jopson using hydraulic rescue tools. He was transported to Lowell General Hospital and then flown by medical helicopter to Lahey Hospital in Burlington. Medical records available in court documents state he suffered an elbow fracture, and a facial laceration. Records also state Jopson experienced a seizure, which Jopson’s attorney, Ernest Stone, has said caused the crash.
As for the crash scene, police said debris and car parts from the vehicle spanned approximately 200 feet from the intersection of Hildreth and Hovey streets, to where the vehicle came to a rest. Several bystanders and drivers reported witnessing the vehicle being operated erratically, speeding, traveling on the wrong side of the road, and going through a red light on Hildreth Street just prior to the crash.
“He went around two cars, and he was coming directly at me,” driver Tracey Walton, of Dracut, told The Sun at the scene that day. “Then he switched back into the lane he was supposed to be in. I thought he was going to hit me.”
The laundry list of damaged property from the chaotic crash — which led to the vandalism charges — included a mailbox unit for an apartment complex, a picket fence lining a parking lot by Henry Avenue, a street sign, a cement wall, and a telephone pole that was snapped in half.
Surveillance footage of the vehicle’s treacherous route, captured by cameras at the nearby Hannaford, showed the Mustang went airborne at one point. Police said the Mustang’s estimated speed was 80 to 100 mph. The speed limit in that section of roadway is 30 mph.
The Registry of Motor Vehicles sent a correspondence to Jopson, dated March 11, stating his driver’s license was “suspended indefinitely because of an immediate threat” to public safety, according to the RMV paperwork available in court documents.
Court documents state Jopson was arraigned by Lowell District Court Judge William Travaun Bailey on April 3. Due to this latest arrest, Jopson’s release from custody due to the aforementioned previous charges was revoked, and he was ordered held without bail.
In an affidavit filed in support of a motion to reconsider the revocation of release, Stone stated Jopson suffers from epilepsy, and that he endures seizures multiple times a week. Stone said in the affidavit that Jopson “suffered a seizure without warning while driving causing the crash.”
According to the defense attorney, Jopson is in the process of having a surgery within the coming months to address the seizure disorder, and needs to attend preoperative meetings.
Stone also stated in the affidavit that the Mustang, which had been purchased recently from a dealership in Henderson, Nevada, was both registered and insured at the time of the wreck.
The motion to allow Jopson’s release from custody was ultimately denied by Judge Michael Fabbri following a hearing on April 11.
A Dracut Police incident report states the other motor vehicle crash involving Jopson occurred in the 40 block of Old Road on May 14, 2022. In that crash, Jopson was uninjured. When police arrived on scene, they found him standing outside the totaled 2010 Ford Mustang that had come to a rest in the eastbound lane, facing west.
Jopson claimed, according to police, that he had turned onto Old Road from Sicard Avenue when a car entered his lane, forcing him to swerve. The Mustang spun out, eventually exiting the road and striking a tree stump.
The skid marks in the roadway did not match Jopson’s story, police wrote in the report, adding that a driver who was behind the Mustang at the time of the crash also refuted Jopson’s claims of another car causing the wreck.
The witness told police he observed the Mustang speeding and being operated recklessly, before it crossed the yellow lines and crashed.
The witness said he stopped at the crash scene, where he claimed to hear Jopson tell another bystander “that he was going to tell police that a car pulled out of a side street in front of him and caused the crash so he wouldn’t get in trouble.”
Jopson was subsequently charged with operating to endanger and marked lanes violation.
“The vehicle had the potential to be a danger for any vehicle traveling on Old Road as the vehicle entered both lanes of travel during the incident,” police said in the report. “The vehicle left the roadway on both sides of the road causing potential danger to any possible pedestrians in the area.”
Less than a year later, on March 19, 2023, a Dracut Police incident report states officers were dispatched to a residence on Sicard Avenue for a disturbance involving Jopson and one of his family members. Jopson is alleged to have pulled a 3-inch folding knife on the family member. After the police were called, Jopson retreated into his residence.
Police said they made contact with Jopson, who refused to leave the home “stating he did nothing wrong” and what he did was self-defense. Due to the presence of a weapon, NEMLEC SWAT was summoned. Jopson was ultimately charged with assault with a dangerous weapon.
On June 26, 2023, Jopson was charged with vandalism, disruption of court proceedings, and disorderly conduct after he allegedly became irate during a clerk’s hearing in Lowell District Court. An arrest report from a court officer states Jopson punched a table and threw a chair while “yelling and screaming obscenities” until he was taken into custody by officers.
Jopson is slated to return to court for a pretrial hearing on May 14.
Stone declined to comment.
Follow Aaron Curtis on X, formerly known as Twitter, @aselahcurtis
CLIFF KRIEGER, a member of Lowell’s Licensing Commission, reached out to The Column to note that among its many duties, the board also licenses palm readers, also known as fortune tellers under Massachusetts law.
The commission has the authority to “adopt rules and regulations for licenses and license activity that address matters of local interest in compliance with the laws of the Commonwealth.”
So, if you go and get your palm read in the city of Lowell, the proprietor should have a license displayed on premises. But then, they already knew that, right?
Based on previous reporting about Open Meeting Law complaints filed in Lowell against both the City Council and the School Committee, a reader reached out to let The Sun know that a complaint had been filed with the Attorney General’s Office against the Tyngsboro Housing Authority, alleging that three members colluded to oust longtime Executive Director Melinda Theide from her position.
A quick check of the THA website shows a job positing for Theide’s position and the board voted not to renew her contract at the Jan. 31 meeting. A subsequent meeting was scheduled for Feb. 28, but its agenda is not listed on the THA site, nor is there a recording of that meeting available on the Tyngsboro Media Channel.
The Attorney General website listing of pending OML complaints show the THA complaint as filed with the AG on March 7. There are no other complaints in the system for the town.
In contrast, Lowell has five complaints on file — two against the City Council and three against the School Committee. All of the complaints were filed by Laura Ortiz.
The Sun previously reported on Ortiz’s complaints against the City Council.
In January, Ortiz, who listed a P.O. box as her address, filed her complaints regarding the tabling of Councilor Corey Robinson’s motions by a majority of his colleagues on the Lowell City Council.
According to Ortiz’s lengthy filing, “On or before 11/20/23, Lowell City Councilor believed to be Wayne Jenness outside of the Open Meeting Law process, called an quorum of (9) peer City Councilors to ask them to make a statement and also to pressure fellow City Councilor Corey Robinson (a minority federal court decree ward duly and legally elected city council representative) into resigning his seat as the elected representative of Centralville … .”
The complaint is the latest incident in which Robinson’s personal life has collided with his official one. The newly reelected Robinson was arraigned in Lowell District Court on Nov. 16 on two charges of assault and battery on a family/household member.
The alleged incident took place eight days after Lowell’s municipal election, in which Robinson was reelected to serve a second term representing the Centralville neighborhood. Robinson, 46, was released on bail that included an order to stay away from the alleged victim that was enforced by a GPS tracking bracelet.
Since then, the council struggled to deal with the first councilor since the adoption of Plan E form of government in 1943 to be arrested while holding office, according to Lowell historian Richard Howe.
Robinson also has the dubious distinction of being the first sitting councilor to be inaugurated and take the oath of office while wearing a GPS ankle bracelet, as well as sitting in the chamber making motions and voting on agenda items with the tracking device affixed to his left ankle.
Robinson’s case is due back in Lowell District Court on Monday, April Fool’s Day, for another compliance and election hearing date.
On the subject of domestic assault, The Sun updated the language on its arrest logs, which run several times a week, and list arrests from multiple communities, including Lowell.
Domestic violence arrests do not show up in the logs that are one of the paper’s most popular items.
Former Gov. Deval Patrick signed legislation in 2014 that requires police to scrub names of those arrested on domestic violence charges from the public police log.
The intent is to protect victims and ensure they report their attackers, but the effect creates the impression that no domestic violence crime takes place in the city.
But according to police recordings, violence against women — and women are still 91% of the cases of domestic violence nationwide — is still very much a problem in the city of Lowell.
On this last day of Women’s History Month, The Sun corrects that misrepresentation with the following statement preceding every arrest log article:
“The following arrests were made recently by local police departments. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Massachusetts’ privacy law prevents police from releasing information involving domestic and sexual violence arrests with the goal to protect the alleged victims.”
An epidemic of deficits and overrides
UNPRECEDENTED TURNOUT for a March 26 Town Meeting compelled Groton officials to dissolve the event due to larger-than-anticipated attendance. More than 900 people came out for a vote to override Proposition 2½ to cover a budget deficit, which has become a near epidemic among town governments across the commonwealth.
Not very far away, the town of Dunstable is also attempting an override. Other nearby communities trying to solve budget deficits include Acton, Dracut, Dunstable and Westford.
The Groton-Dunstable Regional Middle School Performing Arts Center auditorium and an overflow room could not accommodate the crowd that turned out this past week. Groton is now seeking a space that can hold a crowd of that size.
Despite the delay in holding the Town Meeting to attempt an override, the town will go ahead with its planned special election on the override petition. The election is scheduled for Tuesday, April 2. Dunstable, joined with Groton in a regional district, will also hold its special election on Tuesday. The two towns have been trying to follow the same schedule.
An override requires approval by Town Meeting and by ballot in an election. Both votes must succeed for the override to pass.
Groton Select Board Chair Peter Cunningham explained what’s behind the $50.5 million town budget, including the $27.7 million school budget.
In his statement to The Sun, he raised an interesting point about Proposition 2½.
“Groton is experiencing the confluence of a number of factors that are impacting the revenues available to the town to build its budget. At the core are the limitations of (Proposition 2½) which by itself does not keep up with inflation and the cost of providing services,” Cunningham said.
Inflation is one of the primary reasons that towns are struggling to cover important services like public safety and education.
The proposition passed by ballot measure in 1980 amid what has been called a “tax revolt” around the country, starting in California. The country was in recession in 1980 and was about to fall into a deeper recession. With high unemployment, the tax limitation measures were especially appealing. But inflation brings a different view to town governments.
In addition to the pressure of inflation, Cunningham noted the end of funding for many federal programs that were available during the pandemic. He also cited relatively flat state aid for both municipal and school services, mandatory increases in the Middlesex County Retirement assessment, increased health insurance costs and a number of unfunded state mandates which for the most part impact the schools.
Groton is in the unique position (at least among area towns) of being home to two prestigious and tax-exempt private schools, Lawrence Academy and the Groton School. And faculty and staff at the two schools send their children to the Groton public schools. Groton is not reimbursed for that, Cunningham said.
If approved for Groton, the $5.5 million override request would be added to the tax levy over the course of three years, not all at once. In fiscal 2025, the tax levy would increase by $1.7 million; in fiscal 2026 by $1.8 million; and by $1.7 million in fiscal 2027. Cunningham emphasized that the numbers are not set in stone. “There are a number of other factors which could affect the actual number in each fiscal year,” he said.
The epidemic of deficits and proposals for overrides has also caused a delay in the Westford annual Town Meeting, which was set for March 23 for the Westford Academy gym and auditorium, and will now be held April 27 at the Westford Academy football field because of expected turnout.
In Acton, the town will vote by ballot on an override April 30 and at Town Meeting on May 6.
An override in Dracut likely will not be put before voters at least until the fall. When, and if, it does land before voters, it will test the town’s tradition of never approving an operational override. Voters have voted for debt exclusions before, which, unlike overrides, do not permanently add to the tax levy. But debt exclusions are more suited to capital projects.
Stay tuned for Dracut’s decision on whether to attempt an override.
A “Thank You For Voting” sign sits outside the McCarthy Middle School in Chelmsford during a previous election. This week kicks off a flurry of local town elections. (Melanie Gilbert/Lowell Sun)
A peek at local down-ballot races
IT IS a busy local election season and while much of the focus tends to be on the races for select boards and school committees, there are other races appearing on local ballots that voters should be prepared to decide on as well.
In Billerica there are contested races almost all the way down the ballot this year in the April 6 election. In addition to the contested races of the Select Board and School Committee that have been covered in more detail by The Sun in recent days, the position of town moderator and seats on the Planning Board also have some competition.
The town moderator seat is a race with incumbent John McKenna seeking reelection against challenger James Reef. The Planning Board is a three-person race for two three-year seats between Anthony Ventresca and incumbents Marlies Henderson and Christopher Tribou. Incumbent Taryn Gillis is uncontested in seeking one of Billerica’s two seats for a three-year term on the Shawsheen Tech School Committee.
Billerica has a representative Town Meeting, and each voting precinct will have different options to choose from in that race.
In Chelmsford, in addition to the contested Select Board and School Committee races in the April 2 election, the Planning Board has three open seats with three-year terms being sought by four candidates: Doreen Deshler, Christopher Lavallee and incumbents Paul McDougall and Deirdre Connolly. The Board of Library Trustees also has some competition in Chelmsford with two seats with three-year terms up for grabs between Joshua Wimble, Bina Upadhyay and incumbent David Braslau.
The seat for Planning Board associate in Chelmsford is uncontested with just Joel Luna seeking a one-year term. The same is the case with a three-year term on the Cemetery Commission, with just Candace Chase on the ballot for the seat. As with Billerica, Chelmsford has a representative Town Meeting, and those seats will appear on the ballot for each individual precinct.
Tewksbury will have its election the same day as Billerica on April 6, to the dismay of a certain reporter that covers both communities. Though beyond the hotly contested Select Board and School Committee races, no other board or committee seats have any competition.
The Planning Board in Tewksbury has one seat for a three-year term up for grabs with only incumbent Vincent Fratalia’s name on the ballot. Likewise, the Board of Library Trustees has two seats up for election, with incumbents Christopher Castiglione and Bonnie Page as the only two names on the ballot.
George Ferdinand and Christine Janeczak are the only two names on the ballot for the Board of Health race, with Ferdinand seeking one of two three-year terms and Janeczak seeking an unexpired two-year term. However, multiple write-in campaigns have been announced, with five candidates in total appearing at the candidate forum for the race on March 28. The write-in candidates are Luke Miller, Pamela LeFave and Donna Robitaille.
A five-year term on the Tewksbury Housing Authority is on the ballot with just John Deputat in the running for the seat. On the Shawsheen Tech School Committee, Robert Hutchins is uncontested for a three-year term in one of Tewksbury’s two seats.
This week’s Column was prepared by reporters Melanie Gilbert in Lowell, Prudence Brighton on local overrides, and Peter Currier on local election races.
TEWKSBURY — An investigation by the Tewksbury Police Narcotics Unit led to the arrest of an alleged drug dealer from Lawrence, and the seizure of narcotics, a firearm, ammunition, and nearly $7,300 in cash, according to authorities.
Jan Paul Baerga-Mariani, 29, was arraigned on Tuesday in Lowell District Court on a number of drug and gun charges. Judge Zachary Hillman held the Lawrence resident without bail pending a 58A dangerousness hearing, scheduled on Wednesday.
The Tewksbury Police Department said Baerga-Mariani is a fugitive from justice on three outstanding warrants from courts in Lowell and Lawrence. He is also being held on a full extradition warrant for a domestic violence case out of a court in Puerto Rico.
According to police, detectives found Baerga-Mariani in possession of nearly 210 grams of cocaine, and two pill bottles containing prescription drugs for which he is allegedly not prescribed.
Police also alleged finding him with a 9mm handgun with a serial number that had been removed. The weapon was loaded with a 13-round magazine. Police said they also uncovered in Baerga-Mariani’s possession more than three dozen loose 9mm bullets, a 10-round magazine containing five rounds, and a 15-round magazine containing eight rounds.
According to court documents, he also had $7,282 cash, which was attributed to drug-sale proceeds and seized.
“This is a great example of solid detective work and interagency cooperation by our local drug task force. I am grateful for the hard work by all involved,” Tewksbury Police Chief Ryan Columbus said in a press release about the arrest. “Special thanks to the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office and NEMLEC SWAT for their assistance.”
Baerga-Mariani is charged with trafficking in 200 grams or more of cocaine, possession of a large capacity firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number in the commission of a felony, two counts of possession of a large capacity feeding device, possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card, possession of a Class E substance, carrying a firearm without a license, and carrying a loaded firearm without a license.
Baerga-Mariani’s attorney, Christopher Spring, was not immediately available for comment.
Follow Aaron Curtis on X, formerly known as Twitter, @aselahcurtis
