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FALL RIVER — A judge has ordered the Bristol County District Attorney’s office to hand over all criminal cases it prosecuted that relied on a confidential informant who worked with the New Bedford Police Department. The judge ruled that a detective had engaged in “gross misconduct” by having a sexual relationship with the informant.
The informant, Carly Medeiros, was romantically and sexually involved with now-retired New Bedford police narcotics detective Jared Lucas, and also with two defendants in drug-trafficking cases, according to arguments filed in court. A third drug defendant’s case may also be affected by the order.
“A very short list was filed with the court, but the judge sealed it,” said Gregg Miliote, a spokesperson for Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn III, by email. He did not provide more detail on how many cases amount to a “very short list.”
The judge’s order, issued in May, was part of the 2019 drug case of Miguel Martinez. Bristol County Superior Court Judge Renee Dupuis dismissed Martinez’s case in June after allowing a motion to suppress the evidence obtained by New Bedford police through a search warrant. She ruled that Lucas’ “gross misconduct” with the informant had tainted the search-warrant process.
Martinez was indicted on charges of trafficking fentanyl and cocaine, and possession to distribute. He has a lengthy criminal record.
The Boston Globe first reported on the Martinez case dismissal, as well as Lucas’ misconduct in the drug case of Steven Ortiz; it described a “tawdry love triangle” between Lucas as detective, Medeiros as informant, and Ortiz as alleged drug dealer.
Counsel for Ortiz filed a motion to dismiss his charges in March due to “egregious misconduct,” citing Medeiros’ role as an informant and her relationship with Lucas, court records show.
His attorney argued Lucas used “sex as a weapon” with Medeiros to investigate Ortiz. Medeiros did not respond to questions.
The motion is pending, with a hearing scheduled for next month.
Last month, the Bristol DA’s office submitted its response to the judge’s order for the Martinez case, which called for all police reports and search warrants for cases in which Medeiros served as a confidential informant. It is unclear how many cases may be affected.
Per the court docket, the material the DA’s office provided is under court seal. Judge Dupuis wrote on Jun. 25: “The court has reviewed the Commonwealth’s response … I have determined that no further action need be taken. The response … is hereby sealed.”
Dupuis specified that counsel of another drug case be notified of her order to suppress evidence: a 2018 case against Rory A. Barrows, who was charged by New Bedford police with trafficking fentanyl, and ultimately found guilty.
Barrows’ attorney, Kathryn Blythe, earlier this month said she is in the early stages of reviewing his case and talking with Barrows to see what steps, if any, he may want to take to litigate the issue.
Blythe confirmed that Barrows’ case involved a search warrant and the use of a confidential informant by New Bedford police, but did not confirm the informant’s identity. She said Lucas’ name did not appear in initial reports.
The relationship between Lucas and Medeiros lasted at least seven years, court filings state. Lucas retired from the New Bedford Police Department in 2021.
New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira did not respond to questions or a request for comment.
“On the whole, the evidence indicates that Ms. Medeiros and Mr. Lucas engaged in mutual use of one another in order to achieve their goals,” wrote Dupuis in May. “It was gross misconduct for Mr. Lucas to have a sexual relationship with his informant … His disregard for police department policy regarding informants lacked the very integrity required for the search warrant process to maintain legitimacy.”
“Mr. Lucas deliberately withheld the true nature of his relationship with Ms. Medeiros and the fact that she was dating [Martinez] and trying to break off their relationship by getting him arrested,” the judge continued.
Dupuis concluded that Lucas’ misconduct, as well as Medeiros’ “lack of reliability” as an informant, would have negated any finding of probable cause for Martinez, and as a result, the evidence must be suppressed from the since-dismissed case.
The attorney representing Martinez, Brian Fahy, commended Dupuis’ decision.
“When due process rights are violated, not only are the basic fundamental rights of the accused trampled upon, but on a larger scale, the public trust in law enforcement is shattered,” said Fahy in a statement. “The decision was important not only to my client, but arguably more important in efforts to further deter unethical or wrongful actions by law enforcement in the future.”
Email Anastasia E. Lennon at alennon@newbedfordlight.org.
