36 Indictments Handed Down Against 3 Prolific Methadone Mile Drug Dealers

BOSTON, May 31, 2021— As part of ongoing, collaborative efforts to address public safety and public health concerns in the area of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, a Suffolk County grand jury last week returned a total of 36 indictments against three individuals, and dozens of other individuals face arrest for offenses impacting the area, District Attorney Rachael Rollins said.

The arrests and indictments came about through an on-going long-term, strategic and collaborative approach to addressing violent crime in Suffolk County. Each arrest is the result of actionable intelligence gathered and evaluated by teams of police, prosecutors, analysts and other partners. As a result of these efforts, Suffolk prosecutors assigned to District Attorney Rollins’ Crime Strategies Bureau led proceedings before the grand jury resulting in indictments against:

JAY CANDELARIO, 40, of Lowell

  1. Trafficking in Fentanyl over 100 grams
  2. Possession of a Class B substance (Cocaine) with intent to distribute
  3. Possession of a Class B substance (Buprenorphine) with intent to distribute
  4. Possession of a firearm without a license
  5. Possession of ammunition
  6. Possession of a large capacity feeding device
  7. Possession of a firearm in commission of a felony
  8. Armed career criminal, Level 2


Mr. Candelario is accused of selling drugs in clear view of a BPD officer on February 13, 2021. At the time of his arrest on the same day, he was in possession of a loaded firearm with a feeding device capable of holding 15 rounds of ammunition. At his arraignment in the Roxbury Division of the Boston Municipal Court on February 16, 2021, prosecutors asked that Mr. Candelario be held under Massachusetts’ dangerousness statute. A judge denied that request at a subsequent hearing and Mr. Candelario was held without bail on a probation matter out of Middlesex County.


DALE CLARKE, 24, of Boston

  1. Distribution of cocaine
  2. Distribution of cocaine
  3. Distribution of cocaine
  4. Distribution of cocaine
  5. Distribution of fentanyl, subsequent offense
  6. Possession of a Class B substance (cocaine) with intent to distribute
  7. Possession of a Class A substance (fentanyl) with intent to distribute, subsequent offense 
  8. Trafficking in fentanyl over 200 grams
  9. Trafficking in cocaine over 200 grams
  10. Receiving stolen property
  11. Possession of a firearm without an FID card
  12. Possession of a firearm without an FID card
  13. Possession of a firearm without an FID card
  14. Possession of ammunition
  15. Possession of a firearm in commission of a felony
  16. Possession of a firearm in commission of a felony
  17. Possession of a firearm in commission of a felony
  18. Armed career criminal, Level 1
  19. Armed career criminal, Level 1
  20. Armed career criminal, Level 1 

Boston Police officers acting in an undercover capacity purchased drugs from Mr. Clarke in the area of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard and near Mr. Clarke’s Ellington Street home on multiple occasions during April 2021. During the course of the investigation, prosecutors learned that earlier in 2021, Mr. Clarke allegedly made the decision to sell drugs primarily in the area of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard. During the execution of a search warrant at Mr. Clarke’s home, police located three firearms, a stolen ballistics vest and all of the equipment needed to package drugs for street level distribution.


ROBERT LEWIS, 56, of Boston

  1. Distribution of Class A substance, subsequent offense
  2. Trafficking in Fentanyl over 10 grams
  3. Trafficking in Cocaine over 18 grams
  4. Possession of a Class B (methamphetamine) with intent to distribute
  5. Trafficking in Fentanyl and Heroin over 100 grams
  6. Trafficking in Methamphetamine 18-36 grams
  7. Possession of a class B substance (cocaine) with intent to distribute
  8. Habitual offender

Boston Police officers arrested Mr. Lewis in the area of Massachusetts Avenue and Washington Street on March 18, 2021, after witnessing an alleged drug transaction. Following his arraignment in the Central Division of Boston Municipal Court, he was released on $2,500 bail. He was arrested again in the area of Atkinson Street on April 3, 2021, after officers observed him take part in multiple alleged drug transactions. At his arraignment in the Roxbury Division of the Boston Municipal Court, a judge set Mr. Lewis’ bail at $10,000 and allowed a motion by prosecutors to revoke bail in his pending case.


This week’s indictments move the cases against Mr. Candelario, Mr. Clarke and Mr. Lewis from the municipal courts to the appropriate court of jurisdiction, Suffolk Superior Court, where they each face the potential of lengthy state prison sentences if convicted. Superior Court arraignment dates have not yet been scheduled.