Woman arrested after false report leads police to drug-related arrest behind church in Orange

ORANGE — On Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at approximately 12:33 a.m., Officer Kyle Johnson was dispatched to 54 West Myrtle Street after Shelburne Control received a report from a woman who said a suspicious man had knocked on her door and then walked behind her house. The caller identified herself as Stacy Dahl.

(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Personnel Narrative of Officer Johnson and Officer Starbard and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)

Officer Johnson stated that Officer Andrew Starbard arrived in the area approximately four minutes later and quickly determined that 54 West Myrtle Street does not exist. Officer Johnson said he arrived in the area of South Main Street, which intersects with West Myrtle Street, about two minutes after Officer Starbard.

Suspicious Vehicle Encounter

“As I was driving on South Main Street toward West Myrtle Street, I observed an older Subaru Legacy come off of East Myrtle Street and turn northbound on South Main Street,” Officer Johnson said. “The vehicle failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection and made the turn at a higher speed than normal. I accelerated to catch up to the vehicle. As I got close, the vehicle made an abrupt right turn onto Church Street without signaling. At this point, I believed the operator was attempting to elude me. I also found it to be suspicious that a vehicle would take this route (East Myrtle to South Main to Church).”

Officer Johnson said he turned onto Church Street about five seconds after the Subaru and did not see any tail lights.

Officer Johnson said he checked Central Congregational Church’s parking lot on Church Street and saw the vehicle, now with its lights off, pulling around the back of the church onto the grass.

“I observed there to be no registration plates on the vehicle,” Officer Johnson said. “I quickly pulled behind the vehicle and approached the driver’s side. I observed the female driver to be Jennel Robideau, who I recognized immediately from many prior interactions. I asked her what she was doing and she said she just got the car and was trying to drive it to her house. I asked her if it was stolen and she said it was not.”

According to police, Jennel L. Robideau, 34, is a resident of Cottage Street in Orange.

Questioning and Vehicle Background

Officer Johnson asked Robideau where her husband, Manny, was.

“She told me he was at home,” Officer Johnson said. “I had a suspicion that she and Manny were related to the suspicious person call we were originally dispatched to.”

Officer Johnson then asked Robideau why she was hiding behind the church.

“She initially said she was not hiding, but then admitted she didn’t want to ‘get yelled at for not having the plates on,’” Officer Johnson said. “I had her step to the back of the car and lean her back against it. Robideau handed me the title for the vehicle.”

Officer Johnson said the vehicle, which was last registered to Kenneth Melanson, had a cancelled Massachusetts registration and was uninsured.

“The title had Melanson’s and Robideau’s signature on the back signifying a transfer of ownership, but it was incomplete and contained no further information,” Officer Johnson said. “I asked her where she was coming from. Robideau said she was coming from 50 East Myrtle Street where the car was being looked at for mechanical issues. While I was speaking with Robideau, she reached into her pockets several times. Each time I told her to keep her hands out of her pockets.”

Narcotics Discovery and Probable Cause

Sergeant Jeremy Cole and Officer Andrew Starbard arrived on scene to assist at this time, according to Officer Johnson.

“Officer Starbard approached the open driver’s side door and looked into the vehicle from the outside,” Officer Johnson said. “He observed a glassine sandwich bag in the door pocket. Robideau has a well-known history of using/selling illegal narcotics.”

Officer Starbard stated that, beneath the baggie in the door pocket, he initially believed he saw a small rock of crack cocaine. He removed the glassine baggie and observed it to be a torn “corner baggie,” which, based on his training and experience, is commonly used to package crack cocaine. He later determined the object beneath it was a small crumpled piece of paper, not a crack rock.

As Officer Starbard examined the contents of the door pocket, Officer Johnson continued to monitor Robideau’s behavior nearby.

“Robideau began reaching into her pockets again,” Officer Johnson said. “I grabbed onto her left arm and placed it back onto the hood and told her again not to reach into her pockets. Robideau said, ‘I was trying to give you the foil that was in my pocket.’ Aluminum foil is something I have found narcotics users to commonly possess, particularly heroin users.”

Officer Johnson stated that, based on Robideau’s history of narcotics use, the used glassine corner bag found in the driver’s-side door, her admission to having foil in her pocket, and her repeated reaching into her pockets, he developed probable cause to believe she was in possession of illegal narcotics. He then began searching her jacket pockets.

“As I searched Robideau’s left pockets, she reached her right hand into her right pocket and pulled her hand out in a fist, which made me believe she was concealing something inside her hand,” Officer Johnson said. “I grabbed onto her right wrist and told her to open her hand. She quickly transferred the item to her left hand and began crushing it. White powder and chunks began falling onto the trunk of the vehicle. She managed to pull her hand back and drop a larger white chunk onto the ground. This chalky, white substance was consistent with crack cocaine.”

Arrest and Miranda Warning

Officer Starbard stated, “I then assisted Officer Johnson with placing Jennel into handcuffs as she was actively trying to destroy the crack cocaine she had on her person. I then read Jennel her Miranda Rights and she stated she understood them and was willing to talk with us. I asked Jennel why she had called 911 in an effort to divert the police. Jennel adamantly denied my accusation. I recalled at least two prior incidents were the Orange Police Department has suspected Jennel of placing a false call to Shelburne Control to divert the police away from a particular area of town. One of said calls I even listened to the recording and confirmed it to be her voice. At the time, we did not feel we had enough evidence to charge Jennel because her phone number was appearing as anonymous at Shelburne Control.”

According to Officer Starbard and Officer Johnson, the prior false reports were made on November 29 and November 30, 2023, during periods when police were surveilling Jennel Robideau and her husband, Manny. In both cases, the calls came from an untraceable number, described suspicious individuals at non-existent addresses, and were placed anonymously by a woman whose voice they believed matched Robideau’s.

Search of Vehicle and Canine Alert

Officer Johnson stated that, after completing his search, he located additional suspected crack cocaine in Robideau’s right pocket, along with a piece of aluminum foil containing a partially burnt brown substance consistent with heroin. He said Robideau was then secured in the back of Officer Starbard’s cruiser. Officer Johnson reported that he and Officer Starbard searched the vehicle for narcotics. While they found abundant evidence of narcotics use, no additional narcotics were located. Officer Johnson deployed Zeus, his narcotics-certified canine, who alerted on the driver’s side door and the top of the trunk, indicating the presence of cocaine. Sergeant Cole then inventoried the vehicle in accordance with department policy before it was towed by Dale’s Towing.

Alleged Confirmation of False Call

Following the vehicle search and Robideau’s placement in the cruiser, Officer Starbard took steps to further investigate the origin of the initial call to dispatch.

Officer Starbard continued, “Prior to transporting Jennel to the Orange Police station, I called Shelburne Control and asked Dispatcher AJ Bona to play the recording of the call. Dispatcher Bona obliged and it was clearly Jennel’s voice in my opinion. Dispatcher Bona stated that the call came through the business line and not 911.”

Robideau was then transported to the Orange Police Department, where Officer Johnson said she was afforded all applicable rights and allowed to make several phone calls.

Officer Starbard concluded, “During booking, I confirmed with Jennel that she understood her rights that I had already read to her and asked again if she was willing to talk with me. Jennel stated she still understood and was still willing to speak with me. I questioned Jennel and she eventually admitted to calling the Orange Police Department’s business line and then spoke with a dispatcher. When you call the police business line and don’t get a response, the call is forwarded to Shelburne Control.”

Booking and Charges

Robideau’s bail was set at $10,000.

“She was not able to produce bail and was transported to the Franklin County House of Correction at approximately 3:22 a.m.,” Officer Johnson said. “The suspected crack cocaine, suspected heroin, and the empty glassine corner bag were seized for evidence. They were entered into property at the station. The narcotics will be tested at the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab.”

Robideau was charged with:

1. Fail to Stop/Yield
2. Unregistered Motor Vehicle
3. Uninsured Motor Vehicle
4. Possession of a Class B Drug (Crack-Cocaine)
5. Possession of a Class A Drug (Heroin)
6. Withhold Evidence from Criminal Proceedings
7. False/Silent 911 Call

Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story was from earlier this month, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to get the court documents for the incident. FOIAs are time consuming.

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