A senior aide to Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, who has been mentioned as a potential contender in the 2028 election, was arrested Wednesday in connection with a large-scale cocaine trafficking operation that allegedly involved the state office building where he worked.
LaMar Cook, 45, who has served as deputy director of Healey’s western Massachusetts office since 2023, faces multiple serious charges, including trafficking more than 200 grams of cocaine, illegal possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition, according to Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni, as reported by The New York Post.
Investigators have tied the case to roughly 21 kilograms of cocaine, a substantial quantity suggesting an organized distribution network. Authorities said Cook’s arrest followed a Tuesday traffic stop, just days after a “controlled delivery operation” in which eight kilograms of cocaine were sent to the Springfield State Office Building, where Cook held his government role.
The investigation also linked Cook to 13 kilograms of cocaine previously seized at Hotel UMass in Amherst, where he had worked before joining the governor’s office. “Evidence collected during that earlier operation was consistent with the narcotics recovered during the most recent controlled delivery in Springfield,” Gulluni said, highlighting the scope and continuity of the alleged trafficking activity.
Cook pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Springfield District Court and was ordered held on $25,000 bail. On LinkedIn, he had described himself as “a key liaison between the state government and the western region of Massachusetts,” responsible for coordinating policy across four counties.
Following the arrest, Healey’s administration swiftly terminated Cook. “The governor’s office has been made aware of the arrest of an employee, LaMar Cook,” a spokesperson said in a statement to Boston 25 News. “The conduct that occurred here is unacceptable and represents a major breach of public trust. Mr. Cook has been terminated from his position effective immediately. This criminal investigation is ongoing, and our administration will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement.”
The arrest immediately became a political flashpoint, with Republican figures seeking to leverage the scandal ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial race. GOP candidate Mike Kennealy criticized the administration sharply, tweeting, “Healey has lost control of every aspect of her administration. When I am governor, we will clean up the mess that Maura Healey created.”
Former MBTA chief Brian Shortsleeve expressed similar concern. “A top aide to Gov. Maura Healey is a drug trafficker. This is beyond shocking,” Shortsleeve said. “This reflects not only on our governor and her leadership but on the integrity of our state government. Massachusetts deserves answers, and Gov. Healey owes an explanation.”
The scandal comes amid other heightened enforcement efforts in Massachusetts. Federal immigration authorities have launched a new wave of operations in the state, dubbed “Patriot 2.0,” aimed at cracking down on criminal illegal immigration, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed to WBUR in September. A DHS spokesperson stated, “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, no place is a safe haven for criminal illegal aliens. Those who break the law will be arrested, deported, and prevented from returning.”
Governor Healey responded to the DHS surge by calling it “more of the same” from the previous administration. “While they claim to target violent criminals, we’ve repeatedly seen workers in construction, healthcare, childcare, and agriculture swept up in these operations, removed from their communities, and separated from their families,” she said. She reaffirmed that Massachusetts is not a sanctuary state, emphasizing the state’s commitment to protecting lawful residents while condemning federal overreach.
As investigators continue to probe Cook’s alleged activities, questions about oversight, employee vetting, and administrative responsibility are likely to remain central to the story. With the 2026 gubernatorial election on the horizon, the arrest has added an unexpected political dimension to an already tense political climate in Massachusetts.
