Man held on $10,000 bail for cocaine possession

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - A local homeless man was ordered held on $10,000 cash bail Monday after allegedly being found in possession of 19 grams of cocaine.

Jose Cruz, 37, whose address is listed as the streets of Northampton, pleaded innocent Monday in Northampton District Court to charges of trafficking cocaine and possessing a class B substance (cocaine) with intent to distribute, subsequent offense.

On Friday, March 5, state police conducted a controlled purchase of cocaine from Cruz and then followed him as he drove a white Chevrolet Cavalier from Northampton to Fort Pleasant Avenue in Springfield, an area of "high drug distribution activity," according to court documents.

After waiting for about 15 minutes, police watched as Cruz approached a mini-van that had parked nearby and, after following his vehicle down Interstate 91, pulled him over when he used exit 19 to return to Northampton, court documents state.

A search of Cruz during the motor vehicle stop, state police said, uncovered 19 grams of cocaine.

In a prior case from April 23, 1993, in Northampton District Court, Cruz was found guilty on a charge of possessing a class B substance (cocaine) with intent to distribute; he was ordered to serve eight months in jail, according to court documents.

Judge W. Michael Goggins scheduled Cruz to appear in court on May 3 for a pretrial hearing.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com