Second gun arrest in less than three weeks made in West Roxbury

Detectives investigating drug sales in Mattapan and Dorchester followed a West Roxbury man back to his home turf, then arrested him in the Star Market parking lot on gun, drug and motor-vehicle charges, Boston Police report.

Police say drug-unit detectives from District B-3 yesterday afternoon spotted James Cooper, 36, in a car somewhere in their district - which covers Mattapan and Dorchester - hosting numerous people in his car and making "hand-to-hand exchanges that officers knew from their training and experience to be drug transactions."

Police say the officers, who knew Cooper's license had been revoked, then followed him back to West Roxbury. When he pulled into the Star parking lot at 75 Spring St. and go out, police say, the officers arrested him, initially on a charge of operating after revocation.

A pat frisk that led officers to a plastic bag containing "crack cocaine, cocaine, and oxycodone pills (all packaged for sale)", which led to additional charges of possession of Class B drugs with intent to distribute, police say.

And a search of the car uncovered "a loaded Rossi Interarms .38 Special revolver inside a sock in the driver’s side door panel," which turned out to have been stolen in Brockton, which meant charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of a loaded firearm, and being a level-3 armed career criminal (which could lead to higher penalties for the other firearms charges) as well as receiving stolen property.

On Dec. 19, police arrested another man on gun charges during an active investigation into gang activity along Centre Street near Lagrange.

Innocent, etc.