Police/Fire

10 More Accused Customers of Busted Brothel Ring Revealed, Including Cambridge Councilor

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The identities of 10 more men who allegedly bought sex through a local brothel ring that operated out of luxury apartments, including in Watertown, were revealed on Friday. One of the men, Paul Toner, is a Cambridge City Councilor, according to WBUR. The multi-state prostitution ring used apartment buildings in Watertown, Cambridge, Dedham Virginia and California, including Blvd & Bond apartments located in Arsenal Yards in Watertown. The 10 defendants revealed on Friday were: Toner, of Cambridge; James C. Cusack, of Concord; Anurag Bajpayee, of Cambridge; Jeffrey Henry, of Exeter, N.H.; Steven Riel of Laconia, N.H.; Howard Redmond, of Tewksbury; Frederick G. Rosenthal, of Marblehead; Timothy Ackerson, of Waltham; Matthew Ellis Fulton, of Belmont; and Nathaniel Welch, of Concord. Last week, the first dozen suspects were revealed.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Suspect Arrested After Taking Items from 2 Stores, Man Refused to Leave Nursing Facility

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. March 8: Police responded to Best Buy for a shoplifter. They got the man’s description and located the suspect near Hampton Inn & Suites. The man admitted to shoplifting from Best Buy and had two speakers in a bag. When he took the speaker he removed the “spider” anti-theft devices.

Police/Fire

Fallen Watertown Firefighter Remembered Eight Years After Dying in House Fire

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Watertown Fire DepartmentFirefighter Joseph Toscano, a 21-year veteran of the Watertown Fire Department, died on March 17, 2017 after collapsing during a fire. St. Patrick’s Day is a somber one for the Watertown Fire Department. Each year since 2017 Watertown Firefighters pay tribute to Joe Toscano, who lost his life fighting a fire on Merrifield Avenue. On Monday, current and former members of the Watertown Fire Department lined up on Bigelow Avenue, near the home where Toscano collapsed and died during a house fire.

Police/Fire

Registration for Middlesex Sheriff’s Youth Public Safety Academy Opens Soon

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The following announcement was provided by the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office:

Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian is pleased to announce registration for the 2025 Youth Public Safety Academy (YPSA) will open at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. YPSA is an educational and affordable summer program that is open to all children – ages 8-12 – living in Middlesex County (link to promotional video). Older children also have the opportunity to participate as a Counselor-in-Training. Held at the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office (MSO) Training Academy in Chelmsford, YPSA is comprised of five, one-week camps. Registration is $100 per child (per week) and includes transportation to and from designated bus stops; daily breakfast, lunch and snacks; and a graduation ceremony held each Friday.

Police/Fire

Names of a Dozen Accused Customers of Busted Brothel Ring Revealed at Court Hearing

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The identities of 12 of the men accused of being customers of an interstate prostitution ring which used apartments in buildings, including in Watertown and Cambridge, were released on Friday in Cambridge District Court. One of the apartment building used by the prostitution ring was Blvd & Bond apartments located in Arsenal Yards in Watertown. Other places used by the ring were located in Cambridge, Dedham, Virginia, and California. The accused were identified about 16 months after the bust of the high-end commercial sex ring which operated in Massachusetts and Virginia. At the hearing, Cambridge District Court Clerk Sharon Casey said she would file charges against all of them, according to a report by Boston 25 News.

Police/Fire

Watertown Firefighters Save Dog from Fire on Adams Street

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A fire that began in the kitchen of a multi-family home on Adams Street was extinguished by the Watertown Fire Department on Wednesday. The Fire Department responded to a call at 5:31 p.m. on March 5 after resident reported smoke alarms sounding and smoke coming from the upper floors. “The fire, which originated in a third-floor apartment kitchen, was quickly brought under control by responding crews,” said Watertown Fire Chief Ryan Nicholson. When they arrived, crews forced entry into the apartment and found a fire in the kitchen area, Nicholson said. Firefighters from Engine 1 advanced a hose line to extinguish the flames while other teams ventilated the structure and checked for further fire spread.