MALDEN OFFICER FACES DRUG-CONSPIRACY CHARGES

Veteran Detective Tied To Cocaine Theft

Federal agents and State Police officers were huddled in unmarked
cars, waiting for a drug deal to go down outside the Malden Medical
Center on the day before Christmas last year, when they were caught by
surprise as a familiar figure slammed his undercover cruiser into the
suspected dealer's car.

Malden Police Detective David Jordan, who had worked with the US Drug
Enforcement Administration and the Massachusetts State Police to bust
drug dealers in the past, allegedly blocked the dealer's car with his
police-issued Honda while another man fled into the woods with 3
kilograms of cocaine valued at $84,000.

On Thursday night, nearly five months later, Jordan was arrested and
charged with conspiring with three other men to steal the cocaine,
after one of his alleged accomplices began cooperating with
authorities.

Yesterday, Jordan, 43, of Stoneham, an 18-year veteran of the Malden
Police Department, was brought into US District Court in Boston in
handcuffs, along with Jon Minotti, 37, and Francis Muolo, 39, also of
Stoneham, and Anthony Bucci, 41, of North Reading. All four are
charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine, and were
ordered held pending hearings next week on whether they should remain
jailed without bail until trial. If convicted, they face a mandatory
minimum sentence of five years in prison.

Boston attorney Thomas Drechsler, who is representing Jordan, said the
detective denies being involved in illegal activity. "He was working
at all times and performing his job as a Malden investigator," said
Drechsler.

The lawyer described Jordan as a highly decorated officer, noting that
he gained a reputation for integrity in 1996 when he went to the FBI
after a Somerville gangster, Kevin "Mucka" McCormack, who was awaiting
trial for attempted murder, allegedly tried to bribe him. Jordan
reported the overture to the FBI, which led to McCormack's indictment
for bribery. A federal judge eventually dismissed the charges against
McCormack, who was killed in 1999.

Malden Police Chief Kenneth A. Coye, who placed Jordan on
administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of the court case,
said yesterday, "This comes as a great shock. David has the right to a
trial, and he has the right to the presumption of innocence on his
side. But if these allegations are correct, he has dishonored all of
us."

The DEA and State Police had been tapping the cellphone of Carlos Ruiz
of Peabody, as part of a lengthy investigation into a North
Shore-based cocaine ring, when they heard him making arrangements to
deliver 3 kilograms of cocaine to Minotti, who had brokered the deal
on behalf of Bucci, according to court records.

According to an affidavit filed in court yesterday by DEA Special
Agent Mark Tully, Jordan disrupted the drug deal by smashing his car
into Ruiz's vehicle. Minotti fled into the woods with the cocaine.
Ruiz was later intercepted on his cellphone complaining to an
associate that he'd been ripped off in a scheme that involved a police
officer.

Later, Jordan told DEA agents that Minotti was an informant and had
arranged for Jordan to seize the drugs from Ruiz on Dec. 24, but
Jordan was unable to make the bust because an unidentified Mexican or
Dominican man had fled into the woods with the drugs, the affidavit
says.

According to the affidavit, Minotti agreed to cooperate with law
enforcement after he was confronted by investigators, and on Wednesday
secretly recorded a meeting at a Malden ice skating rink with Jordan,
who said, "You can't [expletive] tell [police] that I was involved . .
. you better not be a rat on me."

Yesterday, Malden's police chief refused to comment on whether Minotti
had been an informant for Jordan. However, Coye said Jordan was
working on Christmas Eve but didn't file a report about the incident
involving drugs.

Coye said he first learned of the allegations against Jordan on
Thursday night when a DEA agent told him they were going to arrest the
detective. Jordan, who was off duty at the time, was called to the
State Police barracks at Wellington Circle in Medford and arrested.

"We really didn't see this coming," said Coye, noting that there are
generally "indicators" when an officer is involved in corrupt
activity. But there were none with Jordan, he said.

A native of Malden and a stand-out high school athlete in hockey and
baseball, Jordan had been a detective for 10 years and moonlighted as
a handyman, "banging nails," according to the chief.

"There was no lavish lifestyle, no evidence of drugs or gambling
issues," Coye said. "So it's very strange."