34-year-old Dartmouth man pleads not guilty after arrest on drug trafficking and distribution charges

DARTMOUTH, MA- Detectives from the Dartmouth Police Department’s Community Impact Unit, working in collaboration with Massachusetts State Police Troopers assigned to the State Police Detective Unit, have concluded a weeks-long narcotics investigation that resulted in the arrest of a Dartmouth man on multiple drug charges.

According to police, the target of the investigation was identified as 34-year-old Jeremiah Cowart of Dartmouth. Following extensive investigative efforts, detectives obtained a search warrant for Cowart’s house located on Huntington Avenue in Dartmouth.

On the date of execution, Cowart was taken into custody by Dartmouth Police detectives after fleeing from his house and running into the wooded area behind the residence. The Southeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council SWAT Team made entry into and secured the target residence. The Dartmouth Police Department’s K-9 Unit and Drone Unit also provided assistance during the investigation and the execution of the search warrant. Detectives conducted a search, and the following items were recovered:

· Approximately 21 grams of suspected Fentanyl

· A bag containing suspected Oxycodone tablets weighing Approximately 6 grams

· $4,013 in cash

· Scales and packaging materials consistent with the distribution of illegal narcotics

· A hydraulic press used to compress powdered narcotics into a compressed state

As a result of the investigation and evidence recovered, Cowart was placed under arrest and will be charged with the following:

· Fentanyl, trafficking in more than 10 grams

· Drug, possess to distribute class A, subsequent offense

· Drug, possess to distribute class B, subsequent offense

Cowart was transported to Dartmouth Police Headquarters for booking and will be arraigned in New Bedford District Court. The lead investigator on the case was Dartmouth Police Detective Matthew Desrosiers.

According to court records, at Cowart’s arraignment Tuesday, he pled not guilty and was being held on bail.

Dartmouth Chief of Police Brain Levesque commended the collaborative efforts of both agencies involved in the investigation.