Two Men Arraigned On Charges Stemming From Woburn Drug Bust

WOBURN, MA -- Two men were arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court Monday for allegedly selling fentanyl to an undercover Massachusetts State Police officer in a Woburn hotel in January. Manuel Perez-Rosario, 43, of Lynn, pleaded not guilty to one count of trafficking over 10 grams of fentanyl and conspiracy to violate the Massachusetts controlled substance act, while Juan Santana-Almanzar, 48, of Worcester, pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Massachusetts controlled substance act.

Judge Kathe Tuttman set bail for Perez-Rosario at $250,000 cash and ordered the defendant, should he make bail, to wear a GPS monitoring bracelet. Judge Tuttman set bail for Santana-Almanzar at $2,000 cash and ordered him to wear a GPS monitoring bracelet and surrender his passport. The men are due back in court on June 13.

The joint investigation of Perez-Rosario by the Massachusetts State Police and the Middlesex District Attorney's office began in December. On January 18, 2018 at approximately 4:00 p.m. an undercover officer allegedly arranged to purchase fentanyl from Perez-Rosario in exchange for $56,000 in cash.

The Trooper allegedly escorted Perez-Rosario to a hotel room where the money was inspected and the drugs were exchanged. Perez-Rosario was taken into custody by the Massachusetts State Police without incident. Police recovered 812.67 grams of fentanyl with an approximate street value of $100,000.

While Perez-Rosario was meeting with the officer in the hotel room, police observed Santana-Almanzar, circling the parking lots in the vicinity of the hotel. Investigators subsequently stopped that vehicle and learned Santana-Almanzar was allegedly serving as a lookout.

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Patch file photo.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).