Taunton Man Arrested for Fentanyl After Using Phone While Driving

RAYNHAM (WBSM) — A Taunton man faces fentanyl trafficking charges after a Massachusetts State Police trooper allegedly caught him using his cell phone while driving.

According to state police, Trooper Paul Martin from the Middleboro barracks was patrolling Route 24 southbound on July 10 at around 8:45 a.m. when he saw the driver of a black Nissan using his phone while driving.

Trooper Martin conducted a traffic stop and approached the driver, identified as Joshua Bordes, 24, of Taunton. State police said Bordes was unable to produce a valid license or registration for the vehicle.

He opened the center console to look for the registration, and inside was a large stack of cash wrapped in a band, which state police said is a “common indicator of drug activity.”

Bordes was removed from the vehicle and detained in the rear of the trooper’s cruiser.

A database check revealed Bordes’ license was suspended and that there were two active warrants for his arrest. He was then placed under arrest and read his rights.

Trooper Martin called to have the vehicle towed to the barracks and it was swept by a drug-sniffing K9, and the dog indicated that there were narcotics in the rear passenger door. The interior was removed to reveal a “hide” in a void in the door in which Martin found four bags of fentanyl totaling about 40 grams.

In addition to the active warrants, Bordes was also arraigned in Taunton District Court on charges of trafficking in fentanyl, operating a vehicle with a suspended license, and operating a motor vehicle while holding an electronic device.