BRAINTREE POLICE DEPARTMENT
NEWS RELEASE
282 Union Street (781) 843-1212
Braintree, Massachusetts 02184 FAX (781) 794-8698
Contact Person: Deputy Chef Russell Jenkins (781) 794-8629
Release Date: October 11, 2011
www.braintreepd.org
rjenkins@braintreema.gov
All of the charges contained in this news release are merely accusations and all defendants
are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Drunken Driving Arrest
Jeffrey M. Beresford, 30, of Quincy was arrested early Friday morning, October 7th after
allegedly forcing a police cruiser to pull to the right to avoid a head on crash. Detective Charles
Paris was traveling southbound on Quincy Avenue shortly before 3:30AM when he observed a
vehicle traveling northbound veer into his lane and then take up the entire left lane of the
southbound road. Detective Paris had to pull all the way over to the curb to avoid a collision and
then turned around and stopped Beresford a short distance away. Upon approaching Beresford,
Detective Paris made observations of possible intoxication and asked him to perform several
sobriety tests. Beresford performed one test and then refused to continue. He was placed under
arrest and charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation of a motor
vehicle and failure to keep within marked lanes.
Dorchester Woman Arrested in Check Cashing Scheme
Denise Muhammad, 55, of Dorchester was arrested on Wednesday evening, October 5th after
allegedly attempting to cash a stolen check at the Citizen’s Bank inside the Grove Street Stop
and Shop. Police were called after Muhammad presented a check for $2470 made out on a
personal checking account in the name of a South Boston man. The bank compared “his”
signature with the signature on file and saw that they did not match. Muhammad made a
statement to Officer John McNamara that did not appear to be credible. The owner of the check
was called and confirmed that his home was broken into and a check stolen. Muhammad was
placed under arrest and charged with receiving stolen property, forgery and passing a forged
document.
2
Quincy Man Arrested with Numerous False ID’s
Craig Leaf, 30, of Quincy was arrested on Monday afternoon, October 10th after allegedly using
a false ID to make a purchase at Staples on Grossman Drive. Police were called after employees
suspected that Leaf used false identification while filling out a credit application. Leaf exited the
store carrying a backpack and was stopped in the parking lot by responding officers. Leaf
initially gave officers a false name, but officers later learned his true name and that he had
several outstanding arrest warrants. His backpack was searched and found to contain several
New York and Massachusetts driver’s licenses in various names, but with his photograph on all
of them. The backpack also contained other forms of identification and a check book in the
name of a Hingham man and a New York driver’s license with the Hingham man’s information,
but Leaf’s photograph. There were also several electronic items, including an Apple iPad, Dell
mini laptop and two cell phones, and six gift cards in the backpack. A Staples employee
informed officers that Leaf attempted to open a line of credit with the store using what was later
determined to be a fraudulent New York driver’s license and then appeared to get nervous and
stated he was going to step outside and have a cigarette. Upon exiting the store, Leaf appeared
to be walking away and that is when the police stopped him. Leaf was charged with eight counts
of possession of false Registry of Motor Vehicles documents, two counts of forgery, two counts
of identity theft, and single counts of uttering a false document, receiving stolen property over
$250 and receiving stolen property under $250. The warrants were for similar offenses.