BRANDON I. HEARD
WESTFIELD – A city man who told city police he wouldn’t buy marijuana for a 16-year-old boy – but took his money anyway – has been arrested and arraigned for larceny.
A caller reported a disturbance on White Street at 4:20 p.m. Thursday and Officers Fabricio Ochoa and Bradley White arrived within minutes to find an altercation involving three male parties, one of them a 16-year-old boy.
Ochoa reports that the juvenile said that he had wanted to buy some marijuana and one of the involved men had introduced him to the other involved man who agreed to buy some for him.
However, he said, he gave the man, Brandon I. Heard, 32, of 9 Hanover St., Apt. B, Westfield, $50 to pay for the weed but Heard went into a residential building and did not return.
When the boy realized that he was not getting his marijuana, he held the man who had arranged the deal responsible and the disturbance ensued.
Police found that the middleman, Daniel T. Swearingen, 24, of 54 Loomis St., Westfield, was the subject of an outstanding warrant and he was arrested on that warrant.
Ochoa was able to speak with Heard and reports he said that “he took the money from the victim and purchased weed and alcohol for himself.”
Heard also said, Ochoa reports, “he is not a drug dealer and the victim should not be buying drugs at such a young age.” He also told Ochoa that he did not intend give the $50 back to the victim nor did he intend to give him anything in return for the money.
Heard was arrested for larceny from a person and was arraigned Friday in Westfield District Court. He was released on his personal recognizance pending a November 8 hearing.
