Michael E. Johnson
YARMOUTH – Yarmouth Police report that on Friday at approximately 9 PM, Proactive Anti-Crime Unit Officer Christopher Vanness observed a suspicious gray 2002 Ford Explorer(MA Reg 3NA194) pulling into a secluded corner parking space of the Cape Cod Hospital employee lot facing the wooded area. The vehicle and its occupants were not employees of CCH and not authorized on the property.
Officer VanNess approached the Explorer’s open driver’s side window and found Michael Johnson in the driver’s seat with a rubber tubing band around his arm used for IV drug use, Lonnie Lewis was seated in the front seat with a plastic container cover in his lap with a line of white powder, and Catherine Beckwith was positioned in the rear, and leaning over the front center console between Johnson and Lewis.
All three subjects are illegal drug users and well-known to Cape Cod Law Enforcement.
Lonnie A. Lewis
During an initial check of the subjects and the vehicle Officer VanNess spotted a small approximately 1/2 gram knotted corner cut baggie containing tan powder on the floorboard of the vehicle. When Officer VanNess encountered Lewis, he actively resisted exiting the vehicle and continued to try to pull away and go towards the floor board while Officer VanNess was attempting to place him in handcuffs. Officer VanNess—who was alone—was able to get one handcuff on Lewis’s left arm, but his right arm was free and a second and larger knotted corner cut baggie containing tan powder fell on his seat where he just been seated. Lewis grabbed this knotted baggie and quickly put it in his mouth and swallowed it.
Back up Police Officers arrived and both Johnson and Beckwith were removed from the vehicle and placed in handcuffs. A pat frisk of Johnson found a corner cut baggie hidden in a sock containing approximately 2 grams of tan powder believed to be heroin.
All three were placed under arrest and transported to Yarmouth Police Department Headquarters.
Catherine L. Beckwith
Police Officers were concerned that Lewis had swallowed the knotted corner cut baggie of tan powder believed to be heroin mixed with deadly fentanyl and could lead to an overdose and death. The Yarmouth Fire Department was called to the booking room and Lewis was transported under guard by ambulance to Cape Cod Hospital.
A charcoal and a liquid laxative were ordered by medical personnel to assist Lewis in moving his bowels and evacuating the object.
Several hours later at approximately 5:00 AM, Lewis had a bowel movement and a knotted corner cut baggie was recovered from Lewis’s feces.
Lewis was discharged from the hospital and transported to YPD to complete the booking process.
The Bail Commissioner set the bail fee at $40 for each of the three defendants. All were eventually released after paying the $40 fee.
All exhibits seized, were secured in YPD evidence and are awaiting submission for analysis at the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab for processing.
Johnson’s vehicle was towed from the scene by Silver Cloud Towing.
All three defendants were arraigned in the Barnstable District Court yesterday and released to the community until their next court date on August 8, 2017.
Michael E. Johnson, 46, of South Yarmouth was charged with Possession of a Class A substance (heroin), and conspiracy to violate the controlled substance act.
Catherine L. Beckwith, 45, of Yarmouth was charged with Knowingly being present where heroin is kept and Conspiracy to violate the controlled substance act.
Lonnie A. Lewis, 35, of Hyannis was charged with Possession of a Class A substance (heroin), Possession of a Class A substance (fentanyl), Resisting arrest and Conspiracy to violate the controlled substance act.
Media release and mugshots furnished by Yarmouth Police
