Quincy man accused of cocaine trafficking denied bail after hearing

• Stephen Marsden was arrested on Friday, May 26, when police say he received a package from Puerto Rico containing 3 kilograms of cocaine.
• The arrest came after an extensive investigation launched in March.
• Search warrants on Marden's Quincy Point condominium and office space in Fall River returned drugs, drug paraphernalia and unlicensed firearms.
• Marden's defense requested he be released on $25,000 bail under conditions of GPS monitoring, probation and a curfew. Bail was denied.

QUINCY - A Quincy man charged with various drug trafficking and firearms offenses has been ordered held without bail after a dangerousness hearing in Quincy District Court.

Stephen Marsden, 35, of 100 Cove Way, was arrested on Friday, May 26. In her findings, Judge Mary A. Orfanello said Marsden's arrest resulted from an "extensive investigation into drug trafficking operations throughout the Commonwealth." She wrote that the evidence indicates he and at least one other person were receiving cocaine from Puerto Rico through the mail and distributing it throughout the Quincy, Worcester and Fall River areas.

In March, the United States Postal Service Inspection Service and the Norfolk County State Police Detective Unit launched an investigation upon detection of a suspicious parcel addressed to 100 Cove Way in Quincy Point, according to court documents. According to the arrest report, the package held 3 kilograms of cocaine.

Attorney Scott Gediman asked that Marsden be released on $25,000 bail on condition that he wear a GPS monitoring device, check in with probation and observe a curfew. In reply to the bail request, Orfanello noted that the street value of 3 kilograms of cocaine approaches $100,000. "So $25,000 wouldn't even come close if the court were inclined to set a bail," Orfanello said.

A search warrant executed on Marsden's apartment yielded five firearms, including two "ghost guns" without serial numbers. Law enforcement also seized 143 rounds of loose ammunition, scales, a money counter, five scanner radios, psilocybin mushrooms, THC products and 85 Xanax pills.

A second warrant executed on 7 Oregon St. in Fall River, office space that police say Marsden utilized in his drug trafficking activities, returned composite handguns, disassembled components of handguns, four "ghost guns," three extended high capacity magazines, two other firearm magazines and quantities of THC products.

About a dozen friends and family members attended the hearing in support of Marsden, including his wife, mother and grandmother. Marsden's uncle, Tom Cxypoliski, of Centerville, testified that his nephew always held a job and that he and his wife, Gina, are undergoing in vitro fertilization to start a family.

Cxpoliski told the court that Marsden's grandfather, who was instrumental in Marsden's upbringing in the absence of his biological father, died five years ago. According to his testimony, the grandfather was a licensed carrier who always had guns. Asked about the guns found in Marsden's apartment, "I do believe they were his grandfather's guns," Cxpoliski said.

Assistant District Attorney Perry Gans asked Cxpoliski if Marsden's grandfather owned any ghost guns, to which he said no.

Marsden's friend Jeff Leclair, of Pawtucket, also testified on Marsden's behalf. He said that they used to work together at night clubs setting up sound, light and video equipment. "He's a problem solver," LeClair said. "If something broke down, he'd figure it out and fix it."

LeClair told the court that Marsden also operated a microgreens business, in which Marsden grew produce hydroponically and sold it to local restaurants and markets. "It was automated," LeClair said. "He looked up how to do it, and he did it. He built the machines. Stephen is always building things."

Ganz asked that Marsden be found dangerous and held without bail. She said that the discovery of gun parts and composite guns point to their manufacture by Marsden. "There's reason to believe he's capable of producing these firearms," she said. "We heard from the witness he's a problem solver, great at figuring things out. Wouldn't that be convenient for him to figure out how to build these fire arms?"

Marsden will return to court for a probable cause hearing on June 22.

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Reach Peter Blandino at pblandino@patriotledger.com.