Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan is asking the public for help in identifying the woman whose remains were found on July 7, 2016 in an industrial area of National Grid property on Rover Street in Everett.

Based on the condition of the remains it is estimated that the victim has been deceased between one and five years. This death is considered suspicious based on the circumstances surrounding the location and condition of the remains.

A forensic anthropologist has determined that the victim is:

– Female, 26 – 52 years of age;
– Ancestry indeterminate, but most likely white;
– Estimated to be 5 feet 1 inches – 5 feet 9.9 inches.

Evidence of prior medical injuries/treatment include:

– External fixation medical plate on the outer bone between the knee and ankle indicating a prior break;
– Right and left nose show signs of previous fracture and remodeling;
– Teeth show that there had been tooth loss and restorations.

Remains were found with the following clothing:

– Sporto Boots, ankle height, Daria Style, Size 10M;
– Long Sleeved white tee shirt;
– Cocoa vintage, black fleecy sweat pants, size small.

The Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and the Everett Police Department are actively investigating this case.

Members of the public with information that they believe may be helpful to the investigation should contact Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office at (781) 897-6600 or the Everett Police Department at (617) 394-2367.

– Submitted by Middlesex DA Ryan’s office

Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian recognizes graduates of 17th Annual Youth Public Safety Academy

Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian and the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office today recognized 130 graduates of the Youth Public Safety Academy (YPSA). Children from Belmont, Hudson, Medford and Tyngsborough were among those who graduated after spending four days learning from members of the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office as well as local police and fire departments.

“For 17 years YPSA has brought together local youngsters and members of the public safety community,” said Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian. “YPSA is an incredible opportunity to instill life lessons, provide critical public safety tools to some of our youngest residents, and allow children and public safety professionals to spend time getting to know one another. That is why I am so incredibly proud of this program.”

YPSA is offered as a low-cost, educational camp for county residents ages 9-11. The program is comprised of six one-week camps and graduates hundreds of cadets every year.

The cadets participate in several exercises during the week including fire hazard training in the Middlesex Sheriff’s fire safety trailer; team building activities at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Billerica; K9 demonstrations; and visits with local police and fire officials during community days.

– Submitted by Sheriff Koutoujian’s office

– Allison Goldsberry

A Malden man was arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court on Tuesday in connection with an alleged sexual assault of a disabled student, according to information released by Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan and Malden Chief of Police Kevin Molis.

Steven MacDonald, 46, was charged with two counts of rape, two counts of indecent assault and battery on a disabled person and one count of assault with intent to rape.

“The defendant in this case was trusted to care for and assist the student that he allegedly sexually assaulted. Such allegations, if proven, violate the trust that parents and guardians place in their children’s educators,” said District Attorney Ryan. “The charges brought today are a result of the collaborative investigation conducted with the assistance of Malden High School and the Malden Police Department.”

According to information released by DA Ryan’s office, MacDonald was a paraprofessional at Malden High School that had been assigned to the victim’s classroom in September 2015. Police say MacDonald sexually assaulted the victim while bringing him to the bathroom. MacDonald allegedly threatened to kill the victim’s mother if he didn’t comply with his demands.

The victim reported the assaults to his mother and his doctors in March of 2016. MacDonald was placed on leave after the allegations were reported to the school.

The DA says Malden High School is fully cooperating with the investigation.

MacDonald was released on personal recognizance and was ordered to stay away from the victim and his family. He was also told to have no unsupervised contact with children under 18 and to report to the Malden Police station today for booking, photographs and finger printing.

The next scheduled court hearing is September 15.

The Middlesex Sheriff’s Office (MSO) is today warning residents of ongoing telephone scams in which perpetrators are posing as deputy sheriffs.

“In recent days, we have received multiple reports of individuals threatening arrest for failure to pay outstanding bills or fines,” said Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian. “These are scams. No member of this office, or any legitimate law enforcement agency, will ever threaten arrest in such a manner.”

In each case, the caller claimed to be a deputy sheriff, providing the recipient of the call with a name and badge number, and indicating either a warrant or a complaint had been issued for the individual’s arrest. Fortunately, in each of the recent cases reported to the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, the recipients of the calls recognized them as scams.

“For more than two years we have been warning residents of these growing arrest scams,” said Sheriff Koutoujian. “It used to be that scammers preyed on people’s hopes, but today they are preying on their fears. By educating and alerting residents to these scams they can better protect themselves and their hard-earned money.”

With an increase of these arrest scams, the MSO is offering the following tips:

– Never give out your Social Security number or date of birth to anyone who contacts you;

– Never provide any financial information (bank account, credit card numbers);

– Never purchase a product (MoneyPak cards, gift cards, etc.) to pay a debt;

– If a caller phoning about financial issues identifies themselves as a member of law enforcement, get their name, hang up the phone and call Information or look up the agency’s main telephone line.Then call the main number, ask for that officer by name and remain on the line to speak with them, but always remember a legitimate member of law enforcement will never demand money.

Residents who receive similar calls in which individuals identify themselves as MSO deputies may contact the MSO’s Digital Forensics Unit at 978-495-7417 and are also encouraged to contact their local police department.

– Submitted by Sheriff Peter Koutoujian’s office

– Allison Goldsberry

Medford Police are warning residents about phone scams that have recently been reported in the area.

In one scam the caller poses as an IRS agent and tells victims they owe money and will be audited or even arrested. The caller claims the victim must transfer money to a “Green Dot Money Pak” or another similar card, and then give the card number to the caller.

Police say the IRS doesn’t “place these types of calls requesting money in this manner.” The IRS will also never ask for a Social Security number over the phone.

In another phone scam the caller claims to be a family member, usually a grandson or nephew, in distress. The caller lies about being in an accident or foreign jail and tries to ask engage in a conversation that will get the victim to reveal personal details and family names. These tactics can confuse the victim and give the caller enough information to pretend to be a relative.

Police say victims should ask the caller to identify other family members, which will likely result in the caller hanging up the phone.

Police are urging would-be victims to never commit to sending money to anyone based on a phone call.

Victims have reported these scams to police this week and many have likely gone unreported. Anyone who has questions or wants to report a phone scam can call the Medford Police Department at 781-395-1212.

Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian today thanked all those who made this year’s 17th Annual Youth Public Safety Academy (YPSA) a success.

Over six weeks this summer, more than 750 cadets (ages 9-11) from over 40 Middlesex County communities participated in the YPSA program held at the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office Training Academy in Chelmsford.

“I want to thank our incredible staff, our public safety and our community partners for making this year’s YPSA an overwhelming success. And most importantly, I want to thank the cadets and their families for participating,” said Sheriff Koutoujian. “YPSA provides us with an incredible chance to teach valuable public safety lessons, while also allowing our public safety professionals and some of our youngest citizens the opportunity to bond in a fun-filled, educational environment.”

YPSA is offered as a low-cost, educational camp and is comprised of six, one-week sessions.

This summer cadets participated in several exercises including fire hazard training in the Middlesex Sheriff’s fire safety trailer and on equipment provided by the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services; team building activities at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Billerica; K9 demonstrations; and visits with local police and fire officials during community days.

– Submitted by Sheriff Koutoujian’s office

– YourArlington.com

Police issue resources for parents

UPDATED, Sept. 10: A 51-year-old Medford woman who has charged with reckless endangerment of a child after police found her in an East Arlington neighborhood, allegedly drunk and high, while she was watching a young boy has lost her license to drive after a new alcohol-abuse charge.

The Boston Herald reported the new charges involving Susan M. Devereaux on Friday, Sept. 9.

Devereaux crashed her 2005 Hyundai Accent into cement poles outside the McGlynn Elementary School on Freedom Way in her hometown shortly before 6:30 p.m. Sept. 2, according to a police report filed in Somerville District Court, the Herald reported.

Devereaux stated that she had been drinking, a Medford police report says, the Herald reported. She pleaded not guilty Tuesday, Sept. 6, in Somerville District Court to charges of drunken driving, her first offense, and reckless operation, the newspaper reported.

Earlier case

On Wednesday, Aug. 31, shortly after 1:30 p.m., police were called to Egerton Road after a resident noticed a woman stumbling around the roadway with a 3-year-old boy in tow. On arrival, officers located Devereaux as she tried to enter a home on Egerton.

The first arriving officer reported a strong odor of alcohol coming from her, and after a conversation, the officer learned that she was the child’s babysitter and she was attempting to enter the wrong house.

Police were able to contact the boy’s mother, who lives on the street, to reunite her with her son. The mother told police that she first hired Devereaux in the springtime by using Care.com, a website that specializes in matching customers with babysitters and caregivers. The mother also told police that they had used Devereaux several times, through Care.com and later by reaching out and paying her directly.

Arlington police detectives will be consulting with Care.com management about this incident.

It was determined that Devereaux consumed multiple alcoholic beverages and had taken prescription drugs earlier in the day.

Chief Freed Ryan is urging all residents to take extra care when hiring a babysitter or searching online for a caregiver for loved ones.

“I urge everyone to take all possible extra steps you can take while screening a potential babysitter or caregiver. A reference or a website’s background check should only be one component of a larger vetting process,” Ryan said in the release. “Never rely solely on one reference or a single report.”

The Arlington Police Department filed a mandatory report with the Department of Children and Families, and after consulting with DCF, the decision was made to file charges.

“We commend the caller who reported this dangerous situation,” Chief Ryan said. “What matters most is that the young child was not harmed.”

Devereaux will be arraigned at a later date in Cambridge District Court.

Resources for researching child care

Following the report of a babysitter chosen from Care.com, Ryan and the Police Department sent to media outlets these resources to research prospective child-care providers to better ensure their children remain safe:

When searching for a babysitter, parents and guardians can conduct a background check on an individual through the Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) by visiting the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services online.

Once on the homepage, click on the CORI link in the left hand column under “Our Organization.” Then scroll down to the Child Care Provider Request Form under the “I want to Request Someone Else’s CORI” heading. Here, a form and the directions for use are provided. Community members can also obtain the form here >>

To submit the form, residents will be required to pay a $25 processing fee to the Commonwealth. Parents and guardians will then receive a Level 2 Category of Access, which includes all adult/youth offender convictions, non-convictions and pending offenses. Community members can also contact the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services CORI Unit at 617-660-4640 for additional information not provided online.

“You can never be too cautious when it comes to your children,” Ryan said in a news release Friday, Sept. 2. “While the overwhelming majority of child care providers are more than responsible and of good character, one should never assume that is the case. We advise that residents take extra precautions when hiring a care giver by submitting a CORI form and requesting references. Never rely on one report to make a decision about a person. Use all resources available to you to ensure you have the best possible picture of a person’s character before allowing them into your home and in contact with your children.”

– Allison Goldsberry

Massachusetts State Police are investigating a fatal hit and run accident that involved a pedestrian early Sunday morning.

According to information released by State Police, the accident happened around 5:30 in the morning on Route 16 west just before Wellington Circle.

The name of the male victim hasn’t been released. The police currently don’t have a description of the vehicle that hit the man and fled the scene.

Anyone with information about the accident can contact the Medford State Police barracks.

When I was elected to the City Council I promised to make government more accessible and to protect the integrity of our neighborhoods. In an effort to accomplish this goal I was able to move the upcoming monthly Medford Police Department’s Community Service meetings from police headquarters to our neighborhoods. The community police meetings provide a great venue to talk about public safety and to work with residents to resolve issues in our community. These neighborhood meetings will still provide all residents an opportunity to voice concerns and ask questions. The added benefit of having the meetings in specific locations across the city is that it will make it easier for neighbors to come together to discuss concerns that are specific to their neighborhoods.

The first neighborhood Community Service meeting will be held Wednesday, October 5th in the cafeteria of the Brooks Elementary School at 7:00 p.m.

Additional meetings are as follows:

– Wednesday, November 2, 2016- St. Francis Parish Center
– Wednesday, December 7, 2016- Andrews Middle School
– Wednesday, January 4, 2017- South Medford (location to be determined)

Everyone is welcome to attend!

I hope that you will be able to attend the upcoming meetings. I am focused and enthusiastic about the time ahead and the community we can build together to achieve One Medford! If you have any questions, please contact me at falcoformedford@verizon.net, onemedford.org, or 781-395-1290.

Sincerely,

John Falco, Jr.
Medford City Council

– Allison Goldsberry

The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and Massachusetts State Police are asking for the public’s help with identifying the driver of a motor vehicle that fatally struck a pedestrian in Medford on Sunday, September 25.

The accident happened just after 4:00 AM at Wellington Circle. Alberto Flores, 41, of Somerville, was struck and killed by a car that fled the scene.

Police say the car might be a 2011-2015 model, possibly a Honda Civic, and silver or gray in color with the third brake light on the trunk lid or rear spoiler. There is a neon light surrounding the license plate and the car also has large black scuff marks under the right brake light and the right, rear passenger side of the car.

Members of the public with information they believe may be helpful to the investigation may contact the Medford State Police Barracks at (781) 396-0100.

Police have also made the following photos available of the car in question.

Story Updated 9:56 AM Saturday, October 15, 2016

– Allison Goldsberry

Three bystanders came to the rescue after a 68-year-old Medford woman accidentally backed her car into Spy Pond in Arlington.

According to a statement from Arlington Police, the woman was trying to back into a parking spot on Linwood Circle around 1:00 PM Friday afternoon. Three bystanders jumped into the water and pulled out the woman, who was conscious and alert. Police say she was cold but otherwise unhurt.

Two of the bystanders spoke to The Boston Globe about their actions.

One of them, Dan Frazier of Boxford, told The Globe he riding his bicycle on the nearby Minuteman bike path when he heard squealing tires and splashing water.

“As the car started to go down, I saw a woman slamming on the passenger window,” The Globe quoted him as saying during a Newton news conference.

The Globe reported that Frazier said he dived into the pond as the vehicle rapidly sank with the driver trapped inside.

Frazier said he first tried to pull the woman through an open window. When that didn’t work, the woman grabbed onto a cushion, and Frazier was able to drag her from the vehicle, he told The Globe.

About 25 yards from the shore, his friend, Kenneth Chapman, who is visiting from Sydney, Australia, pulled the woman to shore.

The Cambridge Police dive team assisted as a precautionary measure to make sure the submerged car was empty. Cambridge Police are also assisting with removing the car from the pond.

Arlington Police released the following unedited video of the rescue:

UNEDITED: Bystanders rush to help woman after she accidentally drove vehicle into Spy Pond in Arlington Description from John Guilfoil Public Relations on Vimeo.

Information from YourArlington.com was used in this report.

Medford Police and Medford Board of Health are hosting a “National Prescription Drug Take Back Day” on Saturday, October 22.

Items accepted include pills, tablets, capsules, cough medicine, creams/salves, and any other medications. This service is free and anonymous for residents.

Needles/syringes, medical devices (IV bags, home infusion items), thermometers, and medical instruments will not be accepted.

The event is for residential drop offs only and not for doctors’ or veterinarians’ offices.

The event is taking place at Medford City Hall rear parking lot from 10:00 AM-2:00 PM.

Medford also has a permanent prescription drug disposal unit Located at Medford Police Station, 100 Main Street. Prescription drugs can be disposed of there confidentially anytime.

– Information from Medford Police

– Allison Goldsberry

The Facebook page maintained by members of the Medford Police Patrolmen’s Association has recently been in the news because of the content of some of its posts.

Last week some police officers were criticized after photos of them posing with people dressed as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were posted on the Patrolmen’s Association’s Facebook page. The photos have since been removed and Patrolmen’s Association president Harry MacGilvray publicly apologized for the incident.

“These were Halloween costumes. It was meant totally as a joke,” MacGilvray said in an email to the Globe. “I apologize if this offended anyone in any way. I never expected this sort of reaction. It was poor judgment on my part.”

This week the Facebook page is the subject of another news story. WHDH is reporting a Medford police officer has filed a discrimination complaint against the city due to the condition of the police department. The Patrolmen’s Association’s Facebook page recently posted photos that depicted the condition of the department, including insufficient facilities for female officers, broken windows, water leaks, and air quality concerns. A 2012 message urging union members to contact city officials to complain about the department’s condition was also posted with the caption “the more things change, the more they stay the same.”

“We believe that it is important for the citizenry to be aware of the conditions under which we work,” said the Patrolman’s Association in a statement to WHDH. “These conditions have not just happened over the last few months. The conditions at the police station have been steadily deteriorating over the last decade or longer. The first female Medford Police officer was hired in the early 1980s and today we still do not have a locker room for our female officers.”

According to WHDH, Mayor Stephanie Burke says she understands why police officers are upset and she is going to prioritize police department improvements.

– Allison Goldsberry

Medford Police sent out a public alert on Tuesday warning residents about “numerous reports” of tire and rim thefts.

According to police, reported incidents have involved Toyotas, Hondas, Mercedes, and BMWs. Thefts usually take place in the early morning darkness between midnight and 4:00 AM.

Other area communities have also reported similar thefts.

Police are urging residents to be vigilant and to report suspicious activity.

The Medford Police Patrolmen’s Association is collecting winter clothing for veterans in need, according to a Facebook post on the organization’s page. The union is seeking preferably new items such as gloves, hats, sweatshirts, thermals, and other warm items. Donations can be dropped off through December 23 at the Medford Police station at 100 Main Street. Pictured below: Medford Police officers with items they recently donated, along with the Massachusetts Municipal Police Coalition, to an organization supporting male and female veterans. Courtesy photo.

– InsideMedford.com

The Middlesex Sheriff’s Office formally dedicated the Housing Unit for Military Veterans (HUMV) in memory of Sergeant John J. “Jack” McGlynn, Sr., a World War II Veteran of the U.S. Army’s 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, and a former member of the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office.

HUMV opened earlier this year at the Middlesex Jail & House of Correction as the Commonwealth’s only specially designed unit to provide incarcerated Veterans with targeted programming, guidance and support services.

The U.S. Army’s 23rd Headquarters Special Troops was known as the Ghost Army for its efforts to deceive the German Army utilizing inflatable tanks, sound effects and impersonations over 21 missions from 1944-45. While the Ghost Army’s story did not become widely known for more than six decades, Sgt. McGlynn went on to a distinguished career in public service, including five terms as Mayor of Medford and more than four years as Special Sheriff and Director of Special Projects for the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office.

“Jack McGlynn was a man of incredible compassion, who dedicated his life to improving those of others,” said Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian. “We are honored that this unit – conceived to help those who have served our nation set their lives on better paths – will now carry his name. His story and that of the Ghost Army and its ingenuity, will serve as inspirations for those Veterans in our custody seeking to write new chapters in their lives.”

“Our father would be honored and overwhelmed with this dedication, knowing that he is once again working with his fellow Veterans,” said former Special Sheriff McGlynn’s children.

Participation in HUMV is voluntary and geared toward creating a community among former military service personnel by fostering an environment of shared experiences and common goals. Programs offered to those in HUMV are tailored for Veterans and include substance abuse treatment, vocational programming, employment readiness, visits from the Department of Veterans’ Services, a weekly speaker’s series and transitional assistance.

Governor Charlie Baker marked the formal opening of the unit with a visit and discussion with Veterans in March. Since January, 102 pre-trial detainees and sentenced inmates have participated in HUMV, including 21 transfers from outside Middlesex County.

Sheriff Koutoujian with five of Jack McGlynn’s six children, including former Medford Mayor Michael McGlynn (second from left).

– Submitted by Sheriff Koutoujian’s office. Photos courtesy Sheriff’s office and Lisa Evangelista.