Members of the Martha’s Vineyard Drug Task Force arrested Luke Depriest, 32, of Oak Bluffs on drug charges, following a search of his house on Thursday, December 8.
The Edgartown District Court issued a search warrant authorizing police to search Mr. Depriest’s house at 249 County Avenue. When police entered the house at about 10 pm that evening, they found Mr. Depriest seated on a couch in front of a small table and took him into custody.
Officer Jeff Trudel, with his K-9 partner Buster, searched the residence. The specially trained dog alerted to the presence of drugs in three different locations, according to the police report. One of those locations was the small table where Mr. Depriest was sitting.
“I located Depriest’s Masschusetts ID on this table,” wrote Oak Bluffs detective Nick Curelli in his police report. “I also observed three remote controls to the TV and other audio visual devices. I opened the battery compartments to the remotes and located a plastic glassine baggy containing several white pills.”
Police seized 22 pills, later identified as the prescription narcotic Percocet. They also located the prescription narcotic suboxone, and a ledger they believed to be a record of drug customers, along with their contact information.
Also arrested on December 8 was John Black, 31, of Edgartown. He approached Mr. Depriest’s house just as police arrived. According to the police report, he told police he came to purchase one or two Percocet pills, and expected to pay $50 each. He was arrested on a charge of conspiracy to violate drug laws.
Mr. Depriest was arraigned In Edgartown District Court on a charge of possession with intent to distribute Percocet, and conspiracy to violate drug laws. He was also charged under a separate statue for his second offense of distributing the prescription narcotic.
In May 2010, Mr. Depriest was arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute Percocet. The court continued the case without a finding for one year.
Mr. Depriest has two other matters pending in Edgartown District Court. He was arrested with his brother Joseph in January. Both were charged with cultivating marijuana in the basement of their home. He was arrested again in June on a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.