Merrimack Valley

October anti-drug surge results in 156 arrests

By Jim Patten
jpatten@eagletribune.com
Published: November 10, 2009

Cocaine with a street value of $5.4 million was confiscated during a surge of drug sweeps last month focusing mainly on Lawrence, Methuen, Haverhill and Lynn, Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett announced yesterday.

Local, state and federal authorities also arrested 156 suspects and confiscated 38 grams of heroin, 4 to 7 pounds of marijuana, five motor vehicles and six firearms.

"We launched this collaborative sweep to target street drug sales in Essex County, and to reduce the troubling level of violent crimes being committed in our cities," Blodgett said in a statement.

"Where there are drugs, there are firearms and acts of violence. We will vigorously pursue and prosecute dealers who would sell drugs to our children, and will continue to work with every local, state and federal agency to ensure the safety of our citizens."

Of the 156 people arrested, 75 were charged with drug distribution or trafficking.

"An important part of the mission of the State Police is the ability to flood targeted areas with large numbers of personnel to assist our local partners and the district attorney," Col. Mark F. Delaney, superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, said in the statement.

"Our Essex County surge achieved that goal — to take lawbreakers, and the weapons and vehicles they use and the drugs they sell, off the streets."

Methuen police Chief Katherine Lavigne said, "Utilizing these agencies to combat the drug problem within the city is the equivalent of increasing our manpower, which during the budget cuts we are experiencing would be impossible otherwise."

Among the highlights of the monthlong activity:

In North Andover, a suspected local drug kingpin, who authorities said ran his operation out of an apartment in the Royal Crest Estates, was arrested along with six customers and runners after agents allegedly caught him with more than 100 pounds of cocaine.

Rancis Osiris Santana, 31, of 36 Royal Crest Drive, was arrested at his North Andover apartment on Oct. 9 with boxes full of cocaine bricks — just three hours after receiving the shipment. Drug Enforcement Administration officials said the 54 kilograms of cocaine came from California via Mexico — specifically from the La Familia cartel.

Santana faces charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

Agents described Santana, known only as "Osiris" to his customers, as "a large scale, multi-kilogram cocaine dealer in the North of Boston area."

They also arrested six of his alleged customers and runners, including Ronnely Santana, 20, of 55R Portland St., Lawrence, who the U.S. attorney's office confirmed is Santana's younger brother.

The others were identified as Jaime "El Playe" Lorenzo, 36, of Providence, R.I.; Juan Nova, 57, of Jamaica Plain; Angel Morales, 39, of Everett; Manuel Alejandro Paniagua Reynoso, 22, of Jamaica Plain;, and Sara Vega, 27, of Lowell.

On Oct. 20 and 21 in an operation that spanned Haverhill and Southern New Hampshire, six men were arrested on cocaine trafficking and weapons charges.

Those arrested and their charges were:

Efrain Crespo, 32, 131 Grove St., Haverhill, trafficking cocaine over 28 grams, possession of a firearm/ammunition, and on warrants for cocaine trafficking.

Hector Milette, 29, 34 Grand Ave., Haverhill, trafficking cocaine over 28 grams.

Eric Gonzalez, 30, 34 Grand Ave., Haverhill, trafficking cocaine over 28 grams, multiple warrants on charges of cocaine trafficking.

Alejandro Cruz, 55, 17 Loring St., Lawrence, trafficking cocaine over 28 grams, multiple warrants on charges of trafficking cocaine.

Joseph Hurley, 27, 94 Keeley St., Haverhill, multiple New Hampshire warrants on charges of cocaine trafficking and firearms charges.

Michael Marini, 34, 1 Kimberly Road, Kingston, N.H., New Hampshire warrants on charges of cocaine trafficking.

Lawrence police Chief John Romero said "drugs fuel most of the crime that takes place in Lawrence, and this sweep will certainly impact crime in the city."

Haverhill police Chief Alan DeNaro said, "We are thrilled at the success of this partnership. It seriously impacted the community in a very positive way, and we have every intention of collaborating further with these other agencies."