Crime & Safety
Officer Spots Drug Deal By Chance; Peabody Man 1 of 2 Arrested
A 33-year-old Peabody man was one of two arrested in Salem after police broke up a drug deal Thursday afternoon.
Salem police arrested two men (one from Peabody, one from Beverly) and broke up a drug deal in their city Thursday afternoon thanks to an officer who just happened to be passing by at the right time, reports the Salem News.
Matthew Penney, 33, of 7 Hunt St., Peabody, and Lawrence Kline, 25, of 510 Hale St., Beverly, were taken into custody in the parking lot of on Washington Street in Salem for multiple drug violations.
The Salem News reports officers found more than 100 pills on Penney, including OxyContin, oxymorphone and alprazolam, and some methadone.
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He was charged with seven counts of drug possession (Class B, C and E) with intent to distribute, a drug violation in a school zone and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
Police said Penney backed his car up into an officer at the scene before he was arrested, but there were no injuries.
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Kline was only charged on possession of a Class B drug, according to the Salem News.
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