Hyde Park Man Charged with Selling Heroin and Cocaine in Walpole

A Hyde Park man was arrested Monday and charged with distribution of heroin and cocaine after allegedly selling drugs to an undercover officer in Walpole.

A joint task force - the Norfolk County Police Anti-Crime (NORPAC) - including detectives from Walpole, Norwood and Canton arrested Reinaldo Ortiz, 28, of 60 Margaretta Drive, Hyde Park and charged him with two counts of heroin distribution and one count of cocaine distribution as well as two counts of violating the commonwealth’s school zone law.

Police were tipped off by a citizen, Thursday, June 14, who reported what they believed to be a drug transaction on Broadway in Norwood allegedly involving Ortiz, according to Walpole Police Deputy Chief John Carmichael.

"Officers Derek Wennerstrand and David Eysie, who were on patrol in the area, spotted Ortiz and stopped his car on Pendergast Circle [in Norwood]. They questioned Ortiz and searched his vehicle, but found no drugs inside. Ortiz was released and allowed to be on his way, but the Norwood Police Department continued to investigate him," Carmichael said in an email.

A couple of weeks later, Carmichael said, a detective of the NORPAC Task Force, who was working undercover in the area, met with Ortiz and allegedly arranged to purchase drugs from him. Over the course of the following weeks, the undercover detective allegedly purchased heroin and cocaine on one occasion, and heroin on another. Both alleged purchases took place in Walpole.

Officers from the task force arrested Ortiz Monday, July 9, in Canton on the drug charges.

Ortiz was booked at Walpole Police headquarters and will be arraigned at Wrentham District Court Tuesday morning.

The NORPAC task force serves the Norfolk County towns of Canton, Dedham, Foxborough, Medfield, Millis, Needham, Norfolk, Norwood, Plainville, Sharon, Stoughton, Walpole, Westwood, Wellesley and Wrentham. It has been in existence since 1987.