Gov. Healey aide fired after cocaine arrest was previously charged in 2001 shooting
LaMar Cook, the aide for the governor fired this week after his arrest on cocaine trafficking charges , was arrested in 2001 in connection with a shooting in Springfield.
Then 21, Cook and two other men were arrested after they rolled up in a car and emerged with handguns and shot at another group of people standing on a front porch, leaving one person with a surface injury, according to police records obtained by The Republican.
Cook and the two others were charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, discharging a handgun within 500 feet of a dwelling and unlicensed possession of a firearm, the police report and newspaper clippings show.
The men pleaded not guilty to the charges; Cook was ordered held on $10,000 bail, a newspaper clipping from April 24, 2001, shows.
Records of the incident, however, do not appear in the Springfield District Court system. The disposition of the case is unknown.
Most criminal records can be sealed eventually through an administrative process after a waiting period, or by a judge without waiting, according to the state's website.
Cook, 45, now faces charges after officials say 8 kilograms of cocaine, or about 18 pounds, were delivered to him at a state government building on Dwight Street in Springfield on Saturday.
That's in addition to 13 kilograms, or about 29 pounds, delivered to a hotel at the University of Massachusetts Amherst earlier this month that investigators linked to Cook — for a total of 46 pounds.
On Thursday, Gov. Maura Healey spoke with reporters after a press conference, and she insisted that Cook "underwent a thorough background check" before he was appointed deputy director for the governor's regional office in Springfield in 2023.
"He's been terminated," Healey said. "He was immediately terminated. And that's all I can say right now. As you know, it's subject to a criminal investigation."
Asked by a MassLive reporter about Cook's appointment despite no public policy experience, Healey deferred to the open investigation.
"I'm not going to comment on this right now. I can't. It's subject to criminal investigation," Healey said.
An attorney for Cook declined to comment about the 2001 incident on Thursday. After Cook's arraignment on Wednesday, Attorney Kedar Ismail said that he's "looking forward to clearing [Cook's] name."
'Devastating blow to the community'
On Thursday, Springfield community members were processing the news of Cook's arrest and the serious charges he faces.
"It's an unfortunate turn of events, especially if there is merit to the charges," said Bishop Talbert Swan, a leader of the national Church of God in Christ and president of the Springfield chapter of the NAACP. "It would be a devastating blow to the community that someone held in high esteem would engage in behavior that is detrimental to the community at large."
Swan emphasized that Cook is innocent until proven guilty and said, "I would urge people to let the process play out in the court and not rush to judgment."
Tony Cignoli, a Springfield-based government relations consultant and contractor, said that members of the city's Black and activist communities are "taking this news very hard."
"This is difficult news to hear in the community for those who knew him well and knew him as a community activist," Cignoli said. "And some are waiting to see what happens out of this investigation, but it seems pretty damning the information that has been released by the Massachusetts State Police."
He commended Healey for taking decisive action with Cook this week.
"Knowing the governor, for her to fire him that quickly, this is not just the governor, this is a former attorney general of Massachusetts; she has pretty good legal instincts," Cignoli said.
The news of Cook's arrest has made waves overseas, with associates in Scotland asking him on Thursday about the situation. "This has made international news," Cignoli said.
Before joining the governor's leadership team, Cook worked as the director of the University of Massachusetts Amherst's on-campus hotel.
Cook previously told MassLive in 2023 that his background included more than 20 years in hospitality and management.
He also ran unsuccessfully for Springfield City Council in 2015 and for School Committee in 2017.
Swan said that when it comes to political appointments, "experience and qualifications are not weighed as heavily as they should be."
"If that's the case here, it wouldn't be the first time that that has happened," Swan said.
"I wouldn't fault Mr. Cook for his selection to the [governor's aide] position," Swan said. "That's a process of vetting that should've been done by the governor's office. I know persons who serve in those types of positions across the Commonwealth and nation often times are beneficiaries of being connected to certain persons and not always about those who are best qualified for the job."
What are Cook's charges?
Cook pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to four counts: trafficking in 200 grams or more of cocaine, carrying a gun and ammunition without a license, and driving without a license.
He earned $115,668 annually as deputy director, a liaison role between the Healey administration and the residents, leaders and municipalities of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties.
An investigation into Cook stemmed from two seizures by law enforcement earlier this month, according to Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni.
On Oct. 10, investigators intercepted and searched two suspicious packages at Hotel UMass in Amherst that were found to contain about 13 kilograms, or about 28 pounds, of suspected cocaine.
Then, the Massachusetts State Police in Springfield intercepted a package containing cocaine on Saturday. A trooper then posed as a delivery worker to hand over the parcel to Cook, who was at the building waiting for it.
The government building at 436 Dwight St., often referred to as "the little State House," is home to several state offices, including the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and the secretary of the commonwealth's western division.
Cook was arrested during a traffic stop late Tuesday night in Springfield. He appeared in court wearing a varsity-style jacket and handcuffs. He is being held at the Hampden County House of Correction.
At Wednesday's arraignment, Cook was ordered held pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for Friday morning.
If released after Friday's hearing, Cook must satisfy a $25,000 bond set on Wednesday by Judge William Rota.
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