Crime & Safety

Brookline Duo Attempt to Evade Police

Jay Guzzi and Brenda Stokes arrested on numerous warrants.

Two Brookline residents were arrested today on numerous outstanding warrants from last year and earlier this month, according to an arrest report.

Jay Guzzi, 48, of Brookline, was arrested on Feb. 24, on two warrants out of Brighton District Court for possession of a Class B drug and two Brookline District Court warrants for Chapter 90 offenses and one possession of a Class B drug from 2013 and earlier this month.

Brenda Stokes, 51, of Brookline, was arrested on Feb. 24, on three warrants out of Brookline District Court – on a malicious destruction of property over $250, a destruction and resisting arrest charge, and another for resisting arrest, all from 2013.

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According to a Brookline Police arrest report, at around 9:30 a.m., Brookline Police officers and detectives were sent to Orchard Road to arrest both Guzzi and Stokes on the warrants. Upon arrival, a sergeant was on the phone with a resident in the area who informed police that he believed that both of them were home at the time.

A perimeter was set up around the address and police personnel went to the front door and knocked but no one answered. A neighbor spoke with police and two who were in the back of the house reported hearing “voices and commotion coming from inside the house.” All the doors and windows were covered in black plastic tarp but an officer reported seeing a face come to the window and quickly look outside.

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Police at the front door of the home reportedly heard running around inside the house. The police knocked on the door and requested the residents to come to the door but they reportedly didn’t respond.

“While we were standing at the door, voices could be heard by officers present that were well known to us as that of Jay Guzzi and Brenda Stokes,” the reporting officer noted.

Police then heard furniture moving around as if to reinforce the door and made the decision to use forced entry to access the home.

The entire house was dark but police did hear at least one person running upstairs and a closed door. Additional units responded to the scene while officers reported hearing more running around and doors slamming inside the home.

Officers came upon a basement door, heard sounds, and demanded that the person come upstairs. The man, later identified as Guzzi, allegedly stated, “I’m coming up,” and came upstairs. He was cuffed and taken from the home.

Other police personnel searched other rooms for Stokes. They came upon a bedroom door that was locked and made “loud verbal commands” for the person to come out, demands that were reportedly ignored. The door was knocked down and police entered but didn’t see anything. A closet door next to the bedroom door was closed and police opened it but it was dark inside. They searched it and noticed blankets and clothes on the floor.

“It was then that (a detective) located a black female subject to be hiding huddled on the floor towards the very back of the closet,” the reporting officer alleged.

The woman allegedly refused to come out with her hands in view and instead, just sat in the closet, but was later pulled out.

The woman, Stokes, allegedly actively resisted being handcuffed, kicking officers but was later placed against a wall and cuffed. A resisting arrest charge was added to Stokes’ other charges, according to the report.

Editor’s note: The following story was derived from information supplied by the Brookline Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction.


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