SALEM — State and Salem police arrested a man Wednesday evening who was a suspect in a home invasion, and who was found carrying a knife and a large amount of cocaine.
Kenneth Gonzalez, 48, of Salem, was charged with accessory before the fact to home invasion, trafficking in cocaine, possession of a Class A narcotic with intent to distribute, possession of a knife in violation of a municipal ordinance, assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and giving a false name to police.
Officers arrived at 19 Palmer St. Wednesday to serve an arrest warrant for the home invasion charge and saw Gonzalez run into the building carrying an object. Gonzalez attempted to flee through a basement window and ran up a set of stairs, pushing a Salem detective out of the way, before being apprehended, state police said.
Police found a large knife and cocaine on Gonzalez. Near the basement window that Gonzalez had gone through, they found a bag containing more cocaine, bringing the total to approximately 448 grams, and cash in excess of $50,000, state police said.
As officers were searching the property and arresting Gonzalez, they said a man holding a pit bull on a leash shouted expletives at them and told them they were not welcome in the building. A group of neighbors and bystanders soon joined him and shouted verbal threats and expletives at the officers. More Salem police officers were dispatched to the scene to quell the crowd, state police said.
