2 Charged In Drugs, Weapons Case: Tewksbury Police

TEWKSBURY, MA — Police recovered a large quantity of drugs and numerous weapons during a recent incident. Two people are now facing several charges.

Police responded to a call at St. Mary's Cemetery at 90 River Road on Sunday at 2:07 a.m.

Police found a Honda Civic parked and running at the back of the cemetery.

There was a man and a woman outside the vehicle. They entered the car as police approached.

Police spotted beer bottles on the ground. The man in the driver's seat, Luis De Jesus, 39, of Lawrence, smelled of alcohol.

De Jesus failed a field sobriety test, according to police. Police found he also had $3,130 in cash and brass knuckles.

While police were arresting De Jesus, the woman, Keishla Soto, 34, of Lowell, "became confrontational and refused to comply with officers," according to police. They attempted to stop her from reentering the car when she made physical contact with officers.

She was combative and her "behavior escalated and she engaged in physical contact with several officers" while being placed under arrest, police said.

Police then searched her belongings and found a gun in her purse and a loaded magazine on the ground. Neither Soto nor De Jesus had a license to carry a gun.

Police searched the car and found a bag filled with a white powdery substance that was later determined to be 35.9 grams of cocaine and 22.8 grams of crack cocaine, as well as a bag containing 125.9 grams of fentanyl.

Police also found a push dagger, 5.77 ounces of marijuana, 31 strips of Suboxone, 27 Adderall pills, and fake money.

De Jesus was charged with operating under the influence of liquor (second offense), trafficking in more than 10 grams of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute a class D drug, trafficking in more than 36 grams of cocaine, trafficking in more than 18 grams of cocaine, two counts of carrying a dangerous weapon (second offense), possession of a class B drug, and possession of an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle.

Soto was charged with four counts of assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, possession of a class B drug, possession of ammunition without an FID card, and carrying a firearm without a license.

They were both scheduled for arraignment in Lowell District Court on Monday.