Taunton Man Arrested After Gang Violence Investigation

TAUNTON, MA — A 23-year-old man has been arrested in connection with violent activity among feuding groups in Brockton, Taunton and Boston, according to the State Police. Samael Mathiew, 23, of Taunton, was arrested on several firearms and narcotics charges on Tuesday. According to police, he is a known firearms offender linked to violence in the local area.

Police say that troopers from the Massachusetts gang unit conducted several hours of surveillance at a certain location in Taunton after learning that he had a probation violation warrant. They saw Mathiewleave in a vehicle driven by another person, and when that vehicle stopped at a gas station, troopers arrested him, discovering large amounts of narcotics and cash on his person, according to the State Police.

After executing a search warrant at Mathiew's apartment in Taunton, they also found two loaded Smith & Wesson 9 mm handguns, ammunition and three magazines, two of which were high-capacity, according to police. They also found drugs including 26 suboxone strips, 65 grams of marijuana, 32 grams of suspected fentanyl, 40 oxycodone pills, nearly $2,100 and drug paraphernalia such as scales, cutting agents and packaging materials, state police say.

Mathiew was charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, two counts of unlawful possession of a feeding device, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, unlawful possession of ammunition, trafficking fentanyl, possession of oxycodone, suboxone and marijuana. He was also arrested on a warrant relating to firearm, ammunition, receiving stolen property and resisting arrest charges.

Mathiew's arrest was a result of a coordinated effort by the State Police, Brockton police and the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office through the Project Safe Neighborhood program.