By Jim Clark

Last Friday, a police officer working in the Somerville Police Drug Unit observed a man who is known to police from prior narcotic related arrests riding his bicycle back to his residence on Flint St.

Officers set up surveillance in the area, and within twenty minutes, observations were made of a vehicle pulling in front of the residence.

Police noted that the operator of the vehicle was female, while a male passenger, later identified as Kristopher McNamara, was observed using his cell phone.

The resident was observed coming out of his house and walked into the rear passenger side seat of the vehicle. Within thirty seconds he exited the vehicle and began walking back towards his residence as the vehicle went down Rush Street towards Pearl Street.

Officers intercepted the resident for questioning and the vehicle was followed in order to question the occupants.

According to police, the resident threw a small object into his mouth and swallowed it, as he has been known by police to do in similar circumstances.

Officers asked him where he was coming from and he reportedly stated he was meeting a friend that he did not know the name of, and also stated he was meeting him to find work and talk about work. When it was pointed out that he was in and out of the vehicle within thirty seconds he did not respond.

The vehicle was stopped at the intersection of Washington St. and Mt. Vernon Street, and officers noticed that McNamara had his pants unzipped.

McNamara was ordered to step out of the vehicle was asked if he had anything on his person. McNamara reportedly stated he did not and that officers could search him and the vehicle.

McNamara immediately put his hands on top of the vehicle and pressed his groin area directly next to the car. This shielded his entire front area of his body from being frisked.

McNamara was asked to step away from the vehicle as he believed he may be concealing something. He then took two steps back and immediately upon starting the frisk, the officer felt an abnormal bulge near McNamara’s groin area.

An officer explained to McNamara that he knew he had drugs in his groin area and gave him an opportunity to remove the bag himself, which he declined.

When asked how much money was in the vehicle, McNamara reportedly replied, “My life savings, almost four thousand dollars.”

The officers walked McNamara to a private location behind a building to check what the bulge was. Immediately upon searching this area, a large sized clear glassine baggie containing other numerous baggies of an off-white rocklike substance and white powdered substance was observed, presumed to be crack cocaine and powdered cocaine, both a class B substance.

McNamara was placed under arrest on multiple charges of drug possession to distribute. McNamara’s monies, over five thousand dollars, was seized and will be subject to forfeiture.