Accused dealer pleads guilty to lesser charges

For The ItemSALEM – A Lynn man caught dealing heroin who pleaded guilty to reduced charges to avoid a trial received three years in prison with probation and lost his license for five years.Alexander Castillo, 19, of 37 Everett St., changed his plea to guilty Friday in Salem Superior Court to three counts of distribution of heroin before Judge Howard J. Whitehead.Castillo will serve three years in state prison before being placed on probation for another four years.Castillo had been charged with trafficking over 14 grams of heroin on each of the three charges. They each carry a minimum mandatory five years in state prison.The judge agreed to adopt the recommendation offered by the prosecutor and defense.Assistant District Attorney Karen H. Hopwood said she was prepared to show at trial that on three occasions Castillo sold heroin to a cooperating witness in 2006.On the afternoon of Oct. 24, Castillo sold two bags of heroin containing 19.8 grams were sold to a cooperating witness on New Castle Road with $1,200 of marked bills.Three days later, on Oct. 27 another two bags of heroin containing 19.6 grams were transacted for $1,400.Then on Nov. 7 Castillo negotiated another 19.7 grams of heroin for $1,400 on Goodridge Street before being arrested.In asking the judge to impose the recommended punishment, defense lawyer Salim Rodriguez Tabit told Whitehead that his client has a daughter and wants to get his life back in order, has a family support system and has been studying for his high school diploma while being held on bail in custody awaiting trial.He claimed Castillo was “assisting” in the drug transactions for his cousin, but quickly acknowledged that Castillo was certainly involved.Under the terms of his probationary period, Castillo agreed to get his General Equivalency Degree (GED,) get a full time job, receive drug and alcohol counseling and treatment as deemed necessary, refrain from all alcohol and drug use and consent to random screenings.The judge credited Castillo the 296 days he has spent in jail awaiting trial on his case.