Neighbors applaud arrest; suspect wanted by immigration (Gloucester Daily Times)

Neighbors applaud arrest; suspect wanted by immigration

By Patrick Anderson
Staff Writer
Published: October 02, 2008 05:30 am

A man arrested on drug charges on Myrtle Square to a round of applause from neighbors is a parolee wanted by federal immigration authorities who police say is known by nine aliases, including the local moniker "Versace."

Officers and detectives executing a search warrant Monday night found 22 bags of heroin on the man and a Rhode Island identification card listing him as Jose Barbosa, 34, of 11 Nebraska St., Providence, R.I.

But after booking him under that name and finding no outstanding police record, detectives faxed a copy of his fingerprints to the FBI and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

On Tuesday, Gloucester police received a response saying the prints matched those of Marcus Delacruz, of the same Providence address, who according to the federal records is 38 years old. Court records listed Delacruz as 46 years old.

Delacruz, a native of the Dominican Republic, was deported to Mexico in the 1990s, according to federal records, and is wanted by immigration. He served six years in New York state prison in Elmira on drug charges before being released on parole in 1997.

Initially held on $25,000 bail, immigration officials have asked that he be held until he can be taken into federal custody.

Delacruz was arraigned Tuesday on charges of possession of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of heroin and possession of cocaine.

Yesterday, Gloucester Police Lt. Michael Lane said detectives had received a search warrant for 4 Myrtle Square after receiving tips from neighbors and an informant that it was a base for drug dealing for more than a month. In addition to the nine aliases, Delacruz had two fake Social Security numbers, Lane said.

The search warrant identified the man living at the address suspected of dealing heroin as "Versace."

Around 6 p.m. Monday, six officers and two detectives knocked on the door at 4 Myrtle Square and, when they heard a commotion inside, knocked it down with a battering ram, according to the police report.

Officers entering the house tackled a man, now identified as Delacruz, as he ran toward the bathroom door. A search of the man found a bag containing 22 smaller clear plastic bags of what was believed to be heroin, as well as $739 in cash and a smaller amount of Dominican currency.

Detective Steven Mizzoni said yesterday he believed Delacruz was heading for the bathroom to flush the heroin down the toilet.

"He almost got there," Mizzoni said.

Also inside the house, police arrested Roland Parsons, 34, a resident of the address.

Parsons told police that Delacruz had been staying at his house periodically for five weeks while providing free heroin in lieu of rent. Parsons and a woman who also lived in the Myrtle Square house said they had known Delacruz as Versace.

Drawn outside by the police presence and commotion caused by the ramming of the door, around 10 residents clapped as Delacruz and Parsons were led into cruisers.

"I have never seen that before," Mizzoni said.