Welcome to Arrest Stories. A Massachusetts state official earning over one hundred fifteen thousand dollars annually was arrested on drug trafficking charges after police intercepted cocaine packages addressed to his workplace. Here's what may have happened.
On October tenth, investigators intercepted and searched two suspicious packages at Hotel UMass in Amherst containing suspected cocaine. Officials seized about thirteen kilograms of cocaine from these packages during the initial investigation.
The case expanded when Massachusetts State Police intercepted a cocaine delivery to a state office building in Springfield. Police seized roughly seventeen pounds of cocaine that had been addressed to the Springfield State Office Building where forty-five-year-old LaMar Cook worked as deputy director of Governor Healey's Western Massachusetts office.
Cook had worked in the Healey administration since twenty twenty-three, earning a base salary of ninety-eight thousand seven hundred eighty-eight dollars with total compensation reaching one hundred fifteen thousand six hundred sixty-eight dollars annually. State payroll records indicate Cook had been paid ninety-six thousand five hundred sixty-four dollars by the time of his arrest in October twenty twenty-four.
On October twenty-eighth, Cook was arrested during a traffic stop on charges including unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition. Cook appeared for a hearing handcuffed and shackled at the ankles. He was immediately terminated for cause following his arrest.
Officials called the situation "unacceptable and represents a major breach of the public trust." One official stated that Cook "underwent a complete background check" and emphasized "Taxpayer dollars should never go to an individual who engaged in this type of outrageous criminal activity."
Adding controversy to the case, the state's Human Resources Division erroneously paid Cook thirty-one thousand four hundred thirty-eight dollars in unused vacation pay after his termination. The payment covered more than five hundred hours of accrued leave. Officials called the payout "ridiculous" and confirmed they are "working to get that back."
Court records related to previous charges against Cook from two thousand one were ordered sealed and the outcome remains unknown.
All suspects presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Do not take this report as factual, always verify facts. Thanks for watching Arrest Stories.