SPRINGFIELD: Just about a year ago, Miguel Toledo was out in the fresh air at Armory Commons Park, just a short distance away from the police station.
He was arrested Aug. 7, 2014, after police observed Toledo, 58, dealing heroin at about 10:45 a.m. in the park. On Wednesday, Toledo was sentenced to seven years in state prison for possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
“It’s his first drug case, actually,” Assistant District Attorney Robert Schmidt told Hampden Superior Court Judge Mark Mason.
But, Schmidt noted that Toledo, of 34 Calhoun St., had served a state prison sentence of up to 10 years after pleading guilty to a large number of charges of indecent assault and battery on a child.
Mason adopted the agreed upon recommendation by Schmidt and defense lawyer Susan Hamilton for the seven year sentence on the heroin-related charges.
Schmidt said police had received calls from concerned citizens about drug activity in the park, with one caller describing a man named “Cuba” as a seller.
Police set up surveillance and saw a man matching the description appear to sell drugs to a customer.
A little while later, Toledo waved over Jesus Ramos, 33, of 10 Chesntut St., to a dumpster where it appeared he acted as lookout.
When police entered the park, Schmidt said, Ramos “started waving his arms and pointing out the officers.”
Toledo threw a black plastic bag in the dumpster which contained 150 packets of heroin.
Mason sentenced Ramos, the lookout, to two to 2½ years in state prison. He was prosecuted as a joint venture co-defendant of Toledo.
Ramos’ defense lawyer Anthony Bonavita said the involvement of Ramos, as the lookout, lasted two to three minutes.
