INSTRUCTOR CHARGED WITH COCAINE TRAFFICKING

Police and school officials said yesterday they do not believe a part-time
teacher at Greater New Bedford Regional Voc-Tech sold drugs to students --
or on school grounds -- but cannot rule it out until an investigation is
complete.

Eugene DeSouza, 43, an adult education instructor and substitute teacher at
the school, was arrested on drug trafficking charges with his wife, Linda,
39, a home health aide, at their Martelle Street home in Acushnet Saturday
night after police found more than $50,000 worth of cocaine in the house.

The arrests and raid followed a three-month probe by police from the two
communities.

The couple were arraigned in 3rd District Court yesterday and held on
$25,000 cash bail.

"There is nothing that we know of at this point that indicates he sold
drugs at the school or to students," said New Bedford Lt. Melvin Wotton,
head of the Police Department's narcotics unit. "We don't have any evidence
at this time that was going on."

But school officials said they are taking the charges seriously and are
conducting an internal investigation.

Mr. DeSouza was teaching at the night school, but that program ended a few
weeks ago, said Luis Lopes, program coordinator at the school.

Mr. DeSouza -- who had no contract with the school -- is no longer employed
at the school and no longer will be a substitute teacher, Mr. Lopes said.

Jeffrey E. Riley, school superintendent and director, said in a prepared
statement that Mr. DeSouza was hired as a substitute on an "as-needed
basis."

"During that time there has been no indication of any activities requiring
disciplinary actions. However, Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech High School
administration takes these charges very seriously. In addition to the New
Bedford and Acushnet police departments' investigations, the administration
has initiated its own internal investigation," Mr. Riley said, noting that
the probe is continuing.

Although there was no evidence that the suspects sold drugs at the school,
one investigator said Mr. DeSouza tried to blame students for drugs found
at the house.

"For him to try to put the blame on the kids, that was pretty low," said
New Bedford Detective Paul Oliveira, who investigated the case with
Acushnet Detective Thomas Carreau.

The couple's home -- bought 11 years ago -- is along a dirt road in a quiet
part of town, Acushnet Chief Michael Poitras said.

"If four cars come in at night, that's unusual," he said.

But the seizure of nearly a pound of cocaine from the house illustrates
that drug dealing can occur anywhere and is not just a city problem, Chief
Poitras said.

"They may live here and move the drugs elsewhere. That seems to be a
recurring theme," the chief said.