YARMOUTH – On Thursday, October 15, 2026, at approximately 7:00 p.m., Yarmouth Police Detective Nicholas Ambrosini, who was assigned to the department’s Narcotics Detective Unit, was on patrol near the Townhouse News Convenience store when he observed a newer model white Jeep Compass with Massachusetts plates.
(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Personnel Narrative of Detective Nicholas Ambrosini and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live which is strictly a business entity.)
According to Detective Ambrosini, the Yarmouth Police Department’s Narcotics Detective Unit is a plainclothes assignment that operates in unmarked vehicles, which handles all drug-related crimes from street level to the execution of search warrants.
Detective Ambrosini said he saw Joseph Tinkham, 44, of Long Pond Drive in Yarmouth, sitting in the Jeep’s front seat.
“I am familiar with Tinkham,” Detective Ambrosini said. “I know Tinkham to be a Level 3 sex offender and know him to have past convictions for carrying a dangerous weapon as well as 94C [i.e., drug-related] violations.”
According to the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board, Tinkham is a Level 3 sex offender whose registry profile lists 11 convictions for rape and abuse of a child, all with a conviction date of May 22, 2009.
Detective Ambrosini said he got behind the Jeep as it traveled down Forest Road toward Long Pond Drive.
“The vehicle then made a left turn onto Swift Brook Road,” Detective Ambrosini said. “Once the vehicle reached the end of Swift Brook Road, it made a right turn onto Winding Brook Road. The operator failed to signal while making the right turn.”
Detective Ambrosini activated his cruiser’s blue emergency lights and pulled the Jeep over for the turn signal violation. He then approached the passenger side of the vehicle.
“Upon approaching, I illuminated the front passenger area with my flashlight,” Detective Ambrosini said. “In doing so, I observed Tinkham frantically moving his hands around in his waist area and towards the left side of his body. Tinkham was making these movements very fast and in an excited manner.”
Detective Ambrosini said that as he continued to move closer, Tinkham again quickly reached toward the left side of his body.
“Fearing Tinkham may be reaching for a weapon, I attempted to open the door and remove Tinkham,” Detective Ambrosini said. “The door was locked. Tinkham continued to move around the front seat in an excited manner.”
Detective Ambrosini said he ordered Tinkham numerous times to keep his hands on his knees.
“I also Told Tinkham to open the door and step out. Tinkham continued to argue while refusing to open the door,” Detective Ambrosini said.
At around this time, Officer Jesse Mabe, who had arrived on scene to assist, saw a folding knife clipped to Tinkham’s right front pocket.
“At one point, Tinkham sat up and bladed his body towards the left side and appeared to be reaching for something,” Detective Ambrosini said. “Fearing Tinkham may be reaching for a weapon, I drew my pistol while keeping it pointed down towards the ground in front of me and ordered Tinkham to stop reaching. Tinkham then opened the door and stepped out.”
When Tinkham exited the vehicle, Detective Ambrosini said that Officer Mabe retrieved the folding knife that was clipped to Tinkham’s front right pocket.
“Tinkham was placed in handcuffs and escorted to the cruiser, away from the car,” Detective Ambrosini said.
Detective Ambrosini said he then conducted a pat frisk of Tinkham.
“Upon emptying his front hooded sweatshirt pocket, I located a small green rubber capsule. I am familiar with this type of capsule and know it to be used by drug users to store illegal narcotics,” Detective Ambrosini said. Later adding, “I shook the capsule and could hear a substance inside consistent with a powdery substance.”
Detective Ambrosini said that, based on his training and experience, he knew that the capsule contained illegal narcotics.
“I then placed the capsule on the ground and continued my pat frisk,” Detective Ambrosini said. “Officer Mabe observed the capsule on the ground and stated something to the effect of ‘That’s drugs in there.’ Tinkham then verbally confirmed that there was a little bit of drugs in there.”
The officers then opened the capsule and found a white, rocklike substance they believed to be crack cocaine.
“Also located on Tinkham’s person were two iPhone-style cell phones both on and working and $195.00 in the following denominations, (nine) $20.00 bills, (one) $10.00 bill and (one) $5.00 bill,” Detective Ambrosini said.
Detective Ambrosini said he then read Tinkham his Miranda rights off a card he carries on his person.
“Tinkham stated he understood his rights,” Detective Ambrosini said. “Tinkham then stated that all he had on him was that little bit of crack. Nothing else was located on Tinkham.”
Tinkham was then advised that he was under arrest for possession of a Class B substance. Tinkham was then placed in the rear of a cruiser for transport while the officers conducted an inventory of his vehicle.
“Upon checking the general area in the car where Tinkham was seated, a backpack was located on the floor of the front passenger area,” Detective Ambrosini said. “A search of the backpack was conducted. Inside the backpack, officers located a small black digital scale and a clear zip lock bag containing eight clear foldable sandwich bags. Tinkham advised the backpack was his and asked that we bring it to the station.”
Detective Ambrosini said he again explained to the driver why she had been pulled over.
“[The driver] apologized for not using her signal and stated she wasn’t familiar with the area,” Detective Ambrosini said. “[She] was given a verbal warning and advised she was free to go.”
Tinkham was then transported to the Yarmouth Police Department for booking.
“After the booking process, I advised Tinkham that I have a passive alerting narcotics dog and that I was going to bring him into the booking room to sniff the air emanating off his person,” Detective Ambrosini said. “Tinkham stated okay and mentioned how much he loves dogs. I returned to my cruiser and conducted preliminary procedures with K-9 Gauge.”
Detective Ambrosini then brought K-9 Gauge into the booking room and directed to the area where Tinkham was standing.
“K-9 Gauge then conducted a sniff of the air emanating off Tinkham’s person,” Detective Ambrosini said. “K-9 Gauge then indicated to the presence of narcotics on Tinkham’s person.”
Detective Ambrosini then asked Tinkham to remove his sneakers. After Tinkham complied, the detective shook the shoes, and a small black sock rolled into a ball fell out.
“Upon further examination of the black sock, it contained a small clear knotted foldable sandwich bag with a white rocklike substance inside,” Detective Ambrosini said. “Based on my training and experience, I knew this bag to contain crack cocaine. Also inside the black sock was a small clear knotted foldable sandwich bag containing an off-white powder. Based on my training and experience, I knew this bag to contain fentanyl.”
Detective Ambrosini said Tinkham was then escorted into the bathroom in the booking room for a further inspection of his person.
“Tinkham was asked to remove his pants. Tinkham kept his sweatshirt on,” Detective Ambrosini said. “Tinkham was then asked to lower his under ware and squat down. No other drugs were located. I asked Tinkham if the sock located in his sneaker was in his crotch area earlier and he stated yes. Tinkham was then placed in a cell to await court/bail.”
Detective Ambrosini said that the clear, knotted, foldable sandwich bag recovered from Tinkham’s sneaker which contained a white rocklike substance had an actual gross weight of 13.42 grams. He said a sample of the substance tested positive for cocaine base using a TruNarc device.
The second bag of the same type, which was also recovered from Tinkham’s sneakers and contained an off-white powder, had an actual gross weight of 3.84 grams, the detective said. A sample of that substance tested positive for fentanyl using the TruNarc device. The green rubber capsule located on Tinkham’s person had an actual gross weight of 0.31 grams. A sample of the substance inside tested positive for cocaine base using the TruNarc device.
“Based on my training and experience, I am aware of the fact that digital scales, sandwich bags and multiple cell phones are utilized by individuals selling drugs,” Detective Ambrosini said. “During my career, I have been involved in numerous drug investigations where similar types of digital scales, sandwich bags, and multiple cell phones were seized and utilized.”
Detective Ambrosini said that in most of these investigations, the sandwich bags were recovered near other drug paraphernalia, illegal drugs and money rather than in the kitchen, where they would typically be kept.
“Furthermore, based on my training and experience, I recognize that the quantities of crack cocaine and fentanyl in combination with the U.S. Currency, scale, sandwich bags and multiple cell phones is consistent with distribution rather than personal use,” Detective Ambrosini explained. “Based on this knowledge, the U.S. Currency from Tinkham ($195.00) was seized as proceeds derived from the distribution of crack cocaine and fentanyl.”
Joseph M. Tinkham, 44, of 430 Long Pond Drive, Yarmouth, was charged with the following:
- Possess to Distribute Class A Drug (fentanyl)
- Possess to Distribute Class B Drug (crack cocaine)
Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story took place in October, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to obtain the court documents. FOIAs are time-consuming.
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