STURBRIDGE — On Friday, May 29, 2026, at approximately 1:00 a.m., Officer Brandon Hill of the Sturbridge Police Department was conducting proactive traffic enforcement and random registration checks on Main Street when he observed a red Toyota Corolla with Massachusetts plates traveling eastbound.
(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Statement of Facts of Officer Brandon Hill and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)
“A registration query revealed the vehicle was operating with an expired Massachusetts inspection sticker. Based on this observed civil motor vehicle violation, I conducted a lawful motor vehicle stop and notified dispatch,” Officer Hill said. “Upon making contact with the operator, later identified as Kayla Martinez, I observed in plain view a blue glass pipe containing suspected residue and a balled-up piece of copper wire commonly used in the consumption of narcotics.”
According to police, Kayla L. Martinez, 28, is a resident of Holland, MA.
“Based on my training, experience, and the plain-view observations, I developed probable cause to believe the vehicle contained controlled substances and drug paraphernalia,” Officer Hill said. “A subsequent probable cause search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of multiple items of drug paraphernalia, suspected heroin residue, suspected fentanyl, glass pipes with residue, cut straws, plastic baggies with residue, and additional narcotics-related items located throughout the passenger compartment and inside a fanny pack within Kayla’s immediate area of control.”
He said the suspected fentanyl was found in a clear plastic bag containing a powdery substance, and the suspected heroin residue recovered in folded foil. Heroin and fentanyl are classified as Class A substances under Massachusetts law.
All items were seized as evidence and submitted for laboratory analysis.
Officer Hill said Martinez was determined not to be under the influence, so roadside assessments for possible impairment were not conducted.
Officer Hill said Martinez was issued a criminal citation and summoned to Dudley District Court on a charge of possession of a Class A substance. She was also cited for not having a valid inspection sticker.
Martinez’s arraignment is scheduled for July 16, 2026, in Dudley District Court.
Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story took place in May, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to obtain the court documents. FOIAs are time-consuming.
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