Crime & Safety

38 Arrested In 'Devil's Highway' Merrimack Valley Drug Bust

Most of those arrested are from Lawrence, which U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling called a hub for drug distribution across New England.

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Agents said they seized 14 kilograms of fentanyl, 29 kilograms of cocaine, four firearms, and body armor.
Agents said they seized 14 kilograms of fentanyl, 29 kilograms of cocaine, four firearms, and body armor. (Jenna Fisher/Patch)

LAWRENCE, MA — Thirty-eight people in Lawrence and surrounding communities were arrested and charged with federal drug offenses following a 10-week multi-agency investigation in the Merrimack Valley the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney's office announced Monday. The "Devil’s Highway" investigation, involving more than two dozen law enforcement agencies, focused on drug distribution in Lawrence and drug trafficking between Lawrence and New Hampshire. Another dozen people face state charges, according to the release.

Authorities seized 14 kilograms of fentanyl, 29 kilograms of cocaine, four firearms and body armor over the course of the summer operation, they said. The majority of criminal charges resulted from weekly sweeps in Lawrence that targeted individuals distributing opioids, according to the release. The charges include distribution of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, possession with the intent to distribute, and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute.

“Operation Devil’s Highway was tremendously successful in targeting street-level drug trafficking in Lawrence, which is a hub of illegal drug distribution for all of New England,” said Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling in a statement.

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“This kind of operation can only succeed with the full commitment of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, coupled with realistic planning to target the most prolific drug distributors. This will not be the last time we target drug dealers in Lawrence or their customers from points north.”

New Hampshire has one of the highest rates of opioid overdose death in the country, with a 2017 age-adjusted rate of 34 deaths per 100,000 people.

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In addition to 27 Lawrence residents, authorities arrested two North Andover residents, three Metheun residents, one Boston resident, one Revere resident, two Haverhill residents and two further afield: one New York resident and one Dominican Republic resident.

"Everyone arrested this summer allegedly exploited Lawrence as their drug-trafficking hub, bringing perilous opioids like fentanyl and heroin - in addition to cocaine and marijuana - to neighborhoods across New England,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, special agent in charge of the FBI Boston Division.

Those defendants are:

  • Jason Medlen, 32, of Methuen, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
  • Louis Delvecchio, 51, of Methuen, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
  • Santos Obispo Guerrera Lara, 35, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
  • Douglas “Sunny” Grasso, 34, of Lawrence, charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
  • Brian Brae, 35, of Lawrence, charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
  • Enel Alfredo Mendez-Aquino, 29, of Lawrence, charged with distribution of fentanyl and cocaine;
  • Jorge Alexander Andujar Romero, 29, of Lawrence, charged with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
  • Edward Jesis Mar Carmona Ortiz, 42, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
  • Steven de Jesus de Leon Trinidad, 22, of Lawrence, charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute a heroine/fentanyl mix;
  • Luis Felix Franco Herrera, 21, of Lawrence, charged with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
  • Jose Rodriquez-Walker, 32, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
  • Johanny Mejia-Nunez, 43, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
  • Ronyel Pena, 18, of Lawrence, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl;
  • Joe Martinez, 24, of Lawrence, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl;
  • Ysrael Nunez, 37, of Lawrence, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; and aiding and abetting;
  • William Cabrera, 30, of Lawrence, charged with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute heroin; and possession with intent to distribute heroin and oxycodone;
  • Oscar Guadalupe Martinez, 37, of North Andover, charged with conspiracy with intent to distribute and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 1 kilogram or more of heroin;
  • Stiven Torres Martinez, 21, of North Andover, charged with conspiracy with intent to distribute and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 1 kilogram or more of heroin;
  • Jason Jimenez, 24, of Bronx, New York, charged with possession with intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl;
  • Milton Elias Lara, 42, of Lawrence, charged with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
  • Alexsander Padro, 28, of Methuen, charged with distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
  • John Mena, 24, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 10 grams or more of acryl fentanyl, a controlled substance analogue;
  • Yunior Darismir Prandys Torres, 22, of Lawrence, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute a controlled substance, to wit, fentanyl;
  • Juan Perez Diaz, 22, of Lawrence, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute a controlled substance, to wit, fentanyl;
  • Jose Ventura, 37, of Lawrence, charged with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of fentanyl;
  • Leisy Baez-Zapata, 21, of Lawrence, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; and aiding and abetting;
  • Erick Alberto Paulino Amador, 28, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl;
  • Bernardito Carvajal, 28, of Haverhill, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
  • Alfredo Rivera, 31, of Haverhill, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
  • Julio Esthil-Cifre, 30, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
  • Edgar Castro, 45, of Revere, charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine;
  • Julio Ortiz-Chaparro, 47, of Boston, charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine;
  • Crishanty Aybar Arias, 22, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
  • Cesar Lara Castillo, 36, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I controlled substance; false representation of social security number, and aggravated identity theft;
  • Santiago Rubel Guerrero Tejeda, 22, of Bani, Dominican Republic, charged with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl;
  • Jesus Maria Aybar Franco, 34, of Lawrence, charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
  • Marino Amador Baez, 34, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; and
  • Willin Arias-Castillo, 35, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl.

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