Sudbury Man Charged in Connection with Death of Stephen Rakes
            
WOBURN – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Lincoln Police Chief Kevin Mooney announce today that an arrest has been made in connection with the death of Stephen Rakes*.

William Camuti, 69, of Sudbury, was arrested today in Boston and charged with attempted murder, misleading police, and unlawful disposition of human remains.

He will be arraigned later today in Concord District Court.

The body of Rakes, 59, of Quincy, was found July 17 in a wooded area off Mill Street in Lincoln. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has not yet determined the cause of death.  

“We allege this defendant intentionally put poison in the victim’s iced coffee and then disposed of his body,” District Attorney Ryan said. “This arrest is the result of a collaborative investigation by Massachusetts State Police, Lincoln Police, Sudbury Police, Waltham Police, and Sudbury Fire.”
Rakes’ body – with no identification, keys or cell phone -- was discovered at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 17. Lincoln Police and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office immediately launched an investigation.

Surveillance video showed Rakes leaving the Joseph Moakley Federal Courthouse the afternoon of July 16, where he had been regularly attending the trial of Whitey Bulger. He appeared to be wearing the same clothing when his body was found.

The defendant and victim were business associates who had known each other for many years and were involved in various business deals. While the investigation is ongoing, it is believed that the defendant owed money to the victim and the victim was expecting to be repaid.

The investigation revealed that Camuti and Rakes were in a business relationship in which the defendant was soliciting Rakes to invest in various real estate deals. Based on evidence gathered by investigators, Camuti and Rakes spoke by phone on Tuesday, July 16 and Camuti requested a meeting to discuss a potential investment property in Wilmington. The deal Camuti was offering to Rakes as an investment did not in fact exist.
Camuti allegedly met the victim around 1:45 p.m. at McDonald’s in Waltham on July 16. The defendant purchased two iced coffees, one of which he had allegedly previously mixed with two teaspoons of potassium cyanide. He gave the laced drink to the victim, who drank from it. 

It is alleged that the defendant drove around Waltham, Woburn, Burlington and Lincoln for several hours with the victim in the vehicle. It is further alleged the defendant dumped the body of Rakes in the wooded area in Lincoln where it was found the next day.

These charges are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Contributed content.

*Stephen Rakes accused Whitey Bulger of strong-arming his business from him, but was reportedly disappointed when he was told he would not be called to testify.

ROADWORK NOTICE

On Monday August 5^th, 2013 paving will take place on the following streets.

Huckleberry Rd – From Fruit St (east entrance) to 1500’ south of Fruit St (east entrance).

Colonnade Dr – Full length. Road will be closed during paving. Please use Roosevelt Ln to enter and exit the subdivision.

Alprilla Farm Rd – From Front St (east entrance) to the new well.

Thank you,

Mike Mansir

Hopkinton Highway Manager

Multi-town Break Suspects Charged

August 1, 2013 — With information received from the Wrentham Police Department, Ashland Police Detectives served a search warrant at 95 Meetinghouse Path on Tuesday July 30, 2013 and charged the resident, Mikhail Zaytsev in connection with four residential Breaking and Entering incidents in Ashland. Also charged was Nickolas Petruzzi of 194 Chestnut Street, Marlborough.

 After extensive interviews with the suspects, Detectives have also connected them to breaks in Wrentham, Southborough and Shrewsbury. All of the breaks occurred during the daytime hours.  The suspects would knock at the front door and, when nobody answered, would go to the rear of the home and force entry.  It is believed that the suspects used a rented blue van during each of the breaks. 

Detectives from Ashland, Wrentham, and Southborough are continuing their investigation as they visit pawn shops in the Boston area in an attempt to recover the stolen merchandise.   Contributed content.

Hopkinton Hillers Cycle for a Cure

Mass State Legislators Vote to Expand Juvenile Justice System to 17 Year-olds

Sheriff Koutoujian Praises Legislators

July 30, 2013 — Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian today praised legislators for their unanimous passage of a bill expanding the jurisdiction of the juvenile justice system to include 17-year-olds.

“The most appropriate setting to deal with the vast majority of 17-year-olds is in the juvenile justice system,” said Koutoujian, who testified in favor of the legislation before two joint committees earlier this year. “That is where the expertise is to intervene with age-appropriate correctional, substance abuse and educational services.”

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey, which looked at previously conducted research, found youth prosecuted as adults are 34 percent more likely to reoffend than those placed into the juvenile system. Massachusetts is currently one of just 11 states in which 17-year-olds accused of crimes are automatically tried and sentenced as adults, according to Citizens for Juvenile Justice.

“For me, this is about ensuring we give youth caught up in the justice system the best opportunity possible to turn their lives around and become productive, taxpaying members of society,” said Koutoujian.

The legislation, passed with bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate, would still allow 17-year-olds charged with murder to be tried as adults. It now heads to the Governor’s desk for his signature.

 Thai Restaurant Coming Soon

Mass State Trooper Suicide

A Massachusetts State Police trooper took his life yesterday afternoon at the Hilton Garden Inn in Devens. The trooper was the subject of an investigation, initiated Sunday, into an alleged criminal act that occurred early Sunday morning while he was on duty.  Upon initiation of the investigation, his use-of-force equipment, including his service firearm, was confiscated and he was relieved of duty.

Yesterday, that trooper made statements to two people indicating he intended to harm himself. Those people contacted State Police, a search for the trooper was immediately initiated, and the trooper was found deceased in the Devens hotel room with self-inflicted wounds.

The trooper was 40 years old and had been on the department since June 2005. His identity, duty assignment, and other details of the incident are not being released at this time. No further information is being released.

 Story From the FBI

Operation Cross Country

Recovering Victims of Child Sex Trafficking

July 30, 2013 — Operation Cross Country—a three-day nationwide enforcement action focusing on underage victims of prostitution—has concluded with the recovery of 105 sexually exploited children and the arrests of 150 pimps and other individuals.

The sweep took place in 76 cities and was carried out by the FBI in partnership with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) as part of the Bureau’s Innocence Lost National Initiative. It is the seventh and largest such enforcement action to date.

Strong Partnerships

Operation Cross Country is part of the Innocence Lost National Initiative that was created in 2003 by the FBI in partnership with the Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), to address the growing problem of domestic child sex trafficking in the United States.

The program brings state and federal law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and social service providers from around the country to NCMEC, where the groups are trained together.

“Operation Cross Country demonstrates just how many of America’s children are being sold for sex every day, many on the Internet,” said John Ryan, NCMEC CEO. “We are honored and proud to partner with the FBI, which has taken the lead in tackling this escalating problem.”

“Child prostitution remains a persistent threat to children across America,” said Ron Hosko, assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “This operation serves as a reminder that these abhorrent crimes can happen anywhere and that the FBI remains committed to stopping this cycle of victimization and holding the criminals who profit from this exploitation accountable.”

Since its creation in 2003, the Innocence Lost National Initiative has resulted in the identification and recovery of more than 2,700 children who have been sexually exploited. Behind those numbers are the stories of real victims.

Alex was one such victim. At age 15, faced with a difficult family situation at home, she decided to leave and stay with a girlfriend and then an aunt. When that didn’t work out, she found herself on the street—with an abusive boyfriend who wanted to pimp her out.

“You learn quickly that the only people who are really willing to feed you, clothe you, and shelter you are your parents,” she said. “So I had to figure something out.” (See video.)

Alex was trafficked as a teenager and turned to the FBI for help. (See full story and videos/transcripts from the FBI).

Alex was 16 years old and desperate. She turned to prostitution and later fell under the influence of a pimp and her family. “At first it was terrifying, and then you just kind of become numb to it,” she said. “You put on a whole different attitude—like a different person. It wasn’t me. I know that. Nothing about it was me.”

Two years later, Alex bravely contacted the FBI, and her cooperation helped us send two pimps to prison and facilitate the recovery of other underage victims. Today, with support from the Bureau’s Office for Victim Assistance, Alex is turning her life around. She earned her high school diploma, is living on her own, and has plans to attend college. She wants to become an advocate for young victims of sexual exploitation.

“What happened to me happened, and I can’t change it,” she said. “I can only change my future.”

Special Agent Kurt Ormberg, who helped recover Alex and put her pimp behind bars, explained that children who are most susceptible to sexual exploitation have a void in their lives. “That void might be related to family, food, or shelter, but it’s a void that needs to be filled, and pimps fill it.” And after they nurture their victims, he said, they sexually exploit them. “Too often,” Ormberg added, “these young victims don’t think they have anywhere else to turn.”

“I was very lucky to be able to walk away,” Alex said. “I never got hurt, so I’m really, really lucky. I’m one of the few that can say that.” Without the help of the FBI, she added, “I probably would have ended up dead.”

Forty-seven FBI divisions took part in Operation Cross Country VII, along with more than 3,900 local, state, and federal law enforcement officers and agents representing 230 separate agencies.

ROADWORK NOTICE

CAUTION

Alprilla Farm Rd from Front St to the new well will be milled on Wednesday July 31 and structures will be adjusted to grade on Thursday August 1. Until the top course of asphalt is placed the road surface will be “grooved” so please drive slow and use caution.

Thank you,

Mike Mansir

Hopkinton Highway Manager

WOBURN— July 29, 2013 — A Worcester man arrested Saturday in connection with a double shooting in Framingham will be arraigned on a charge of murder today while his co-defendant will face charges including accessory after the fact to murder, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan announced today.

The two defendants face upgraded charges following the death of one of the victims. Shawn White, 20, of Framingham, died Sunday from his injuries.

“These two defendants attempted to thwart the investigation by lying to authorities and falsely implicating another man,” District Attorney Ryan said. “The reckless and horrific action of these defendants in not only allegedly committing this horrible crime, but attempting to implicate someone else is truly disturbing. Thanks to the thorough work of local and state police, authorities unraveled this lie and have charged these two defendants.”

Christian Castro-Lainez, 18, of Worcester, will be arraigned today in Framingham District Court on charges of murder, armed assault with intent to murder, unlawful possession of a loaded firearm and misleading investigators. His girlfriend, Margaret Desrosiers, 17, of Framingham, will be arraigned on charges of being an accessory after the fact to murder, being an accessory after the fact to armed assault with intent to murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and misleading investigators.

According to authorities, at approximately 1:45 a.m. July 27, Framingham Police responded to Hollis Street in Framingham for a report of a shooting.

When officers arrived they learned that two males had been transported to nearby hospitals. White suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was taken to Tufts Medical Center. He was pronounced deceased on July 28. The second victim, a 21-year-old male also from Framingham, suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and was taken to University of Massachusetts Medical Center. He was treated and released.

Framingham Police and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the District Attorney’s Office launched an immediate investigation into the circumstances of the incident.

The investigation revealed that the two victims went to the residence on Hollis Street to see Desrosiers. Following an interaction with Desrosiers and the two victims, it is alleged that Castro-Lainez came out to the street and a fight broke out among Castro-Lainez and the two victims. The fight ended and the victims got into their car to drive away, as which point it is alleged that Castro-Lainez shot the victims.

It is alleged that during the course of the investigation, both Castro-Lainez and Desrosiers misled authorities to believe that another party was responsible for the shootings. Police determined that that person was not involved in this crime.

Through the investigation, including interviews with witnesses and review of evidence at the scene, authorities developed sufficient probable cause to charge the two defendants.

These charges are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.