26 Arrested, 77 Cited In Manchester, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Roundup

MANCHESTER, NH — A “joint enforcement day” in New Hampshire’s largest city by police and sheriff’s deputies led to dozens of arrests after hundreds of vehicle stops in the Queen City.

Manchester police and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies “saturated Downtown Manchester and other areas of the city,” pulling over 257 vehicles for “driving violations, various criminal offenses, as well as people with outstanding warrants,” Heather Hamel, a public information officer for the Manchester Police Department, said. The action, she said, was essentially a “no tolerance” initiative.

Along with the stops, 77 citations and summonses were issued and 26 arrests were made. Hamel said several of the people arrested were “already out on bail” or “failed to appear in court for scheduled hearings,” while others possessed “illegal drugs” or had outstanding warrants for drug charges. She said the department was also grateful to collaborate with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office on the effort.

“Their assistance is invaluable,” Hamel said. “We hope these operations send a strong message that local law enforcement has no tolerance for criminal behavior.”

Arrested on electronic bench warrants were Isaiah Knowles, 25, of Manchester; Thomas Aaron Blocker, 33, of Manchester; Meagan Couris, 40, of Manchester; Jonathan Petrocelli, 49, of Manchester; Brooke Callinan, 41, of Manchester; Gerald Burt, 60, of Manchester; David Shaw, 25, of Manchester; Benjamin Carton, 36 of Manchester; Alicia Armstrong, 34, of Manchester; Melissa Trillo, 43, of Manchester; and Patricia Watkins, 40, of Manchester. Two people, Shane Demers, 34, of Milford, and Dominic Teal, 25, of Manchester, were arrested on two electronic bench warrants.

Also arrested were Bairon L. Munoz Benitez, 36, of Manchester on a Hillsborough County Superior Court North capias warrant for nonappearance in court on an aggravated felonious sexual assault charge; George Theberge, 46, of Manchester on a Hillsborough County Superior Court North capias warrant for stalking; and Scott Steiger, 58 of Derry on a Hillsborough County Superior Court North capias warrant for drug possession.

Benny Ranes, 47, of Manchester was picked up on a warrant for felony second-degree assault-strangulation and domestic violence-simple assault charges, while Travis Thompson, 34 of Greenville was arrested on a violation of probation charge.

James Deng, 41, of Manchester was arrested on an electronic bench warrant and a possession of a controlled drug charge. Keith Lafond, 35, of Hooksett, and Lindsey Poisson, 34, of Manchester were arrested on a Hillsborough County warrant and a possession of a controlled drug charge.

Eriberto Claudio, 56, of Manchester was charged with felony habitual offender. Jonathan Santiago Torres, 38 of Manchester, and Alexander Jose Vasquez Valerio, 26 of Manchester were arrested on operating without a license charges while Joseph Thibeault, 29, of Portsmouth was charged with driving after suspension. A 51-year-old man from Boscawen was taken into protective custody.

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