SPRINGFIELD, MA — Members of the Springfield Police Firearms Investigation Unit and Hampden County Sheriff’s Department arrested three suspects and seized a trafficking weight of cocaine and an illegal firearm on Wednesday.
The arrests occurred at approximately 11 a.m. following a weeks-long narcotics and illegal firearms investigation.
Detectives observed Dean Banks driving a vehicle in the Cedar Street area Wednesday morning.
Banks was seen making a suspected drug deal on the 300 block of Dickinson Street.
Detectives detained the suspected buyer, later identified as Scott Taylor, and recovered six bags of cocaine.
Taylor was placed under arrest.
Detectives attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Banks’ vehicle near Hickory Street and Hancock Street.
Banks refused to stop and sped away.
Around 11:25 a.m., officers received information that the suspect vehicle was parked on Athol Street and the occupants had abandoned the car and ran from the area.
Detectives located Leon Jenkins, a passenger in the vehicle, on the 800 block of Liberty Street and placed him under arrest.
Banks was located in the area of Van Horn Park and placed under arrest.
Detectives applied for and were granted a warrant to Banks’ home on the 0-100 block of Cedar Street.
Around 2:30 p.m., detectives executed the search warrant on Cedar Street.
With the assistance of K-9 Flexx, detectives located an illegal firearm, more than 100 grams of powder and crack cocaine, loose ammunition, a taser and nearly $5,000 in cash.
Dean Banks, 41, of Springfield is charged with convicted felon in possession of a firearm, firearm violation with two prior violent/drug crimes, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony – subsequent offense (two counts), improper storage of a firearm, possession of a firearm without an FID card – subsequent offense (two counts), possession of ammunition without an FID card, cocaine trafficking 100 grams or more, conspiracy to violate drug law, distribution of a class B drug, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of a property damage crash and failure to submit for law enforcement.
Leon Jenkins, 43, of Springfield is charged with distribution of a class B drug and conspiracy to violate drug law.
Scott Taylor, 41, of Springfield is charged with possession with the intent to distribute a class B drug.
