Former New Bedford School Department supervisor charged with drug trafficking

NEW BEDFORD — A retired School Department employee has been charged with trafficking oxycodone in a criminal complaint issued this week, court records say.

Antonio F. Braz, 70, of 45 Pamela Drive, New Bedford, the retired New Bedford School Department maintenance supervisor, is charged with trafficking oxycodone and possession with intent to distribute Alprazolam, according to records in New Bedford District Court.

He is scheduled to be arraigned April 3 in New Bedford District Court, court records say.

The charges stem from a raid by the New Bedford Police Department’s narcotics unit, the Organized Crime Intelligence Bureau, on Jan. 2, where 389 oxycodone tabs, weighing 40 grams, 74 Alprazolam tabs and $38,326 in cash were seized, according to court documents.

Braz was the target of the search warrant and he was under investigation for distributing oxycodone from his home in the city’s West End, court records say. The warrant was obtained from New Bedford District Court.

Narcotics detectives conducted the search about 6:15 p.m. Jan. 2 and found Braz at the front door of his house upon arrival, court records say. He was immediately placed in handcuffs.

Police did not arrest Braz after the search was completed and instead said they were summonsing him into New Bedford District Court on charges of trafficking oxycodone and possession with intent to distribute Alprazolam.

A clerk’s magistrate hearing in January was continued and held March 14, and the criminal complaint was issued against Braz on Wednesday, according to court records.

Braz is represented by attorney Timothy Walsh of New Bedford, who could not be reached for comment Friday.

As a result of the search warrant, detectives found a woman in possession of one plastic bag of cocaine, court records said. Police said they intended to summons Keianna Soares, 31, into New Bedford District Court on a charge of possession of cocaine, court records say. The status of her case was not available on Friday.