News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 5, 2004

Woburn Man Arrested for Cocaine
Trafficking in Public Housing Project

AUG 5 - Boston, MA... A Woburn man was arrested late yesterday on federal charges of cocaine trafficking in a public housing project.

Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge of the U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration in New England United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan;; and Phillip Mahoney, Chief of the Woburn Police Department, announced today that EXPEL CALIXTO, JR., a/ k/ a “Pico”, age 39, of 22 Wade Avenue in Woburn, was charged in a criminal complaint with distribution of cocaine.

An affidavit filed in support of the complaint alleges that CALIXTO sold cocaine to a cooperating witness working with the DEA at the Creston Avenue Housing Project in Woburn on various dates in July and August, 2004. According to the complaint, the most recent sale took place on August 3, 2004. CALIXTO was arrested yesterday inside the housing project.

CALIXTO had an initial appearance today in federal court before U. S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence P. Cohen. He is being held in federal custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for Tuesday, August 10, 2004 at 2: 30 p. m. If convicted on these charges, CALIXTO faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by at least 3 years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

“ This is another example of law enforcement’s resolve to stop drug trafficking in public housing projects, wherever they may be located,” stated U. S. Attorney Sullivan. “Cooperative efforts among state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies such as this can help stem the tide of drug trafficking. Public housing projects such as Creston Avenue belong to the residents who live there and not to the drug traffickers who seek to prey on them.”

“ The Woburn Police Department, in conjunction with the DEA, the Northwest Drug Task Force, and the Woburn Housing Authority through a combined effort, were able to remove an alleged drug dealer from the housing projects,” stated Woburn Police Chief Mahoney. “The citizens of Woburn owe a debt of gratitude to the DEA, the U. S. Attorney, and the task force for their efforts in this investigation.”

“Today the residents of the Creston Avenue Housing Project are safer, because they have one less alleged drug dealer in their community. DEA and our law enforcement partners are out on the streets every day fighting the plague of drug dealers, in an effort to make our communities better places to live. That’s our commitment to the citizens of Woburn,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Trouville. “This investigation was successful because of the hard work of the Woburn Police Department, the Northwest Drug Task Force and the Woburn Housing Authority.”

The case was investigated by the U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Woburn Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorneys in Sullivan’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit.