Dedham Man Said 'Go Ahead And Check' SUV, Police Found Heroin

DEDHAM, MA — A Dedham man admitted to selling drugs that were found after he told state troopers to go ahead and check his car during a traffic stop.

Manuel Rosario Herrera pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Boston earlier this month to possession of 100 grams or more of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine with intent to distribute. Sentencing is scheduled for June 6.

In late January 2016, the Drug Enforcement Agency began an investigation into a drug trafficking operation in Boston, Dedham, and Revere. That led to the execution of a series of search warrants in December of that year and surveillance on a Bussey Street home.

Court documents indicate that a state trooper was watching the home with Herrera left in an SUV with a small white plastic bag. The trooper stopped the car after observing the vehicle travel outside the travel lane of a highway onramp and nearly hit the curb.

During the stop, Herrera appeared nervous and stressed, according to court documents. After Herrera was asked to get out of his car, police found a wad of $2,000 in small bills consistent with drug sales on him during a pat frisk.

Herrera was then asked if he had any weapons in his car which he said he didn’t and replied, “go ahead and check.” Police didn’t find any weapons, but they found new sneakers, a wad of approximately 300 $100 bills, empty plastic bags that were consistent with drug distribution, and two cell phones in the passenger seat area. In the trunk was a plastic bag with what appeared to be heroin.

A motion to suppress evidence stemming from the stop was denied, with the exception of the $2,000.

Herrera is being held pending sentencing.

Image via Shutterstock