Man pleads guilty to drug charges out of Lynn, sentenced to 3 years

SALEM – A day laborer who was caught twice peddling crack cocaine in Lynn during a two-month span last winter will serve three years in state prison before being placed on probation for another three years and he will lose his driving privileges for five years.Eddie Rucker, 26, of 70 Tennis Road, #2A, Mattapan, made his plea Friday in Salem Superior Court to two counts of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine before Judge David A. Lowy.The judge agreed to adopt the joint recommended sentence reached by Assistant District Attorney Michael Sheehan and defense lawyer Thomas Pierce.Sheehan told Lowy he was prepared to show at trial that the two charges against Rucker stem from two incidents in Lynn.On Jan. 9 at about 3:50 p.m., Rucker was stopped on Commercial Street while driving a 1999 Chevy Malibu for a motor vehicle infraction by State Trooper Nicholas Fiore.As Fiore approached the vehicle, he noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.The officer pat frisked Rucker and found six twists of crack cocaine in a clear bag in his sweat pants pocket along with cash.Then nearly a month later on Feb. 7 at 3:45 p.m., State Trooper James Farrell pulled over a vehicle on the Lynnway near the bridge for speeding. After smelling a strong odor of burnt marijuana, he searched the occupants and found 28 twists of crack cocaine on Rucker in his sweat pants. The cocaine analysis was 12.06 grams, according to Sheehan.The sentenced imposed will run simultaneously with a prison term Rucker is currently serving in Suffolk County.When Rucker is released he will be on probation for another three years at which time he is to be evaluated for substance abuse and treatment with counseling as deemed necessary, he is to remain drug free, including no marijuana, consent to random screenings and be employed or have five pending applications on file.Failure to comply with the conditions set could result in his probationary terms being violated and he could face at least a five-year penalty in state prison.Rucker was indicted by an Essex County grand jury last April.The judge agreed to credit Rucker the 23 days he has spent in jail awaiting trial on the case.