Lynn man involved in alleged chop shop gets 5 years for drugs

SALEM – A convicted felon who admitted dealing cocaine and heroin near an elementary school in Lynn last year received up to five years in state prison, but still has pending charges involving a “chop shop,” where stolen automobiles were being stripped.Alex Ramos, also known as Alejandro Ramos, 25, who last lived at 65 Gardiner St., Lynn, changed his plea of not guilty to guilty Tuesday afternoon in Salem Superior Court.He pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and heroin and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and heroin within a school zone.Ramos was sentenced to serve two years in prison on the cocaine and heroin charges and given another mandatory 2 and one-half to 3 years in prison for distribution of the illegal substances within 1,000 feet of an elementary school, which will commence after he serves the first term of incarceration. In essence, he will serve 4 and one-half to five years in state prison before he is eligible for parole.Assistant District Attorney Kristen R. Buxton said it was about 8:30 p.m., last Jan. 17 when Lynn Police Officers Raymond Guillermo and Paul Holey were on surveillance on Boston Street. They spotted a vehicle entering the parking lot at the 625 Boston St., Lil?Peach Grocerette, with a known female drug user at the wheel. Then Ramos, also known to police, arrived in his vehicle and the two entered the store.Police officers followed, believing there was a drug transaction in progress.Guillermo approached Ramos and he handed over 7 bags of heroin worth $140 on the street and another 13 bags of cocaine, valued at $500.Ramos said the woman put the drugs in his pocket, but she told police that she went there to buy a $20 bag from him, but only had $19 and he refused to sell her the drugs.The incident took place within 1,000 feet of the Sacred Heart Elementary School, Buxton told Lowy as she asked him to impose her recommended sentence.Defense lawyer Eric Jarosz in his pitch for a lesser punishment said Ramos was a lifelong resident of Lynn, graduated Lynn Classical High School, works as a carpenter and in shipping and receiving, has three children and strong family ties.He reminded Lowy that Ramos was “very cooperative” with police and did pull the drugs out of his pocket to give them to him as he asked him to sentence his client to 3 and one-half years in prison.But Lowy was not persuaded, noting Ramos had a nine page criminal record as he adopted Buxton?s sentence recommendation.The sentence imposed will run concurrent with a jail term Ramos is serving on a probation violation for a receiving a motor vehicle charge in 2002.Ramos was also involved in the stealing of a cache of guns from a Swampscott police officer?s home on Cherry Street in 2001.He still has pending charges in Superior Court involving a “chop shop” operation out of Lynn.That case pertains to his arrest on the afternoon of April 8 when Lynn Police Officer Robert Avery was on routine patrol and got word via LoJack vehicle recovery system that a stolen 2000 Honda Civic was in the area of Gardiner Street.Avery spotted the stolen vehicle parked in a garage adjacent to a home at 65 Gardiner St. The Honda reportedly had been already stripped of parts. When police arrived Ramos fled from the garage and was found hiding inside the Gardiner Street home. Following a brief struggle, he was placed into custody, but police encountered two aggressive pit bulls in the interim. One of them was eventually shot because police could not subdue the animal.Ramos has pleaded innocent to several charges in connection with that case. His next scheduled court date on that case is Feb. 13 for a preliminary trial motion.Also charged in connection with the “chop shop” case are Jorge Orozco, Jr., 24, Aneury Reyes Ozuna, 24, and Warlin Santiago, 24, all of Lynn.