Numerous Arrests Made in Major Drug Sweep

Manchester and New Hampshire State Police drug enforcement teams, not unlike they did earlier this month, have rounded up a number of people from New Hampshire and Massachusetts on various warrants and other charges based on ongoing investigations into drug related activities.

The goal of the investigations, according Lt. Brian O’Keefe of the Manchester Police Department, was to “rid the city of street level dealers,” in an effort to improve quality of life in the city’s neighborhoods.

The operation began at just have noon on Sept. 24, 2015, on Old Wellington Road, where officers executed a search warrant against Mark Gray, 38, of Boston, MA, who was in his Mercedes Benz outside of a home when detectives arrived at the scene, according to O’Keefe.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Manchester Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. Click this link to find out how to get a name removed from a New Hampshire Patch police report.

“Gray was the target of the investigation, so both the Old Wellington Road address and his vehicle were the targets of the search warrant,” he said. “They made contact with Gray, who initially refused to exit the vehicle. He eventually exited but continued being non-compliant while attempting to reach for an item in his pants.”

Police Tased him and brought him to the ground although he allegedly remained uncooperative through the process.

Gray was charged with possession of a controlled drug (marijuana), sale/manufacture of controlled drug, resisting arrest and obstructing government operations. He alleged had nearly $6,000 in cash on his persons.

Police also arrested Errol Flynn, 42, of Manchester, on Valley Street on an active warrant for sale of a controlled drug (crack cocaine) and possession of a controlled drug. He was allegedly in possession of 7.5 grams of crack as well as marijuana at the time of his arrest.

Detectives moved to Granite Street where they observed a Subaru pull up to a home on the street. A passenger exited the vehicle, entered an apartment, and then come back out. Police stopped and arrested Dusty Frasca, 31, of Nashua, for possession of a controlled drug (heroin).

About 20 minutes later, police located another target of their investigations, Jon Artis, 27, of Lowell, MA, outside of the Econo Lodge on West Hancock Street. Detectives allegedly observed him involved in a “hand-to-hand drug transaction.” They attempted to stop Artis but he reportedly refused and ran down a flight of stairs.

“After a brief struggle, he was subdued after a department issued taser was deployed,” O’Keefe stated.

Artis was charged on a sale of a controlled drug warrant and resisting arrest/detention. Police also allege that he was in possession of 1.3 grams of heroin at the time of his arrest.

At around 6:15 p.m., the drug unit observed suspicious activity in the Elm Street Market Basket parking lot – two vehicle engaging in what they believed to be an illegal drug transaction. A Ford Taurus was later stopped and three people identified. One, Andrea Paquette, 27, of Windham, was arrested on a possession charge for allegedly having 9.2 grams of marijuana.

A little while later, near the area of Beech and Laurel streets, plainclothes officers reportedly observed two women engaging in another transaction. The stopped the vehicle and arrested Stephanie Beard, 27, of no fixed address, on a possession of a controlled drug charge (heroin) and an outstanding robbery warrant.

At about 8 p.m., on Wellington Road near I-93, officers stopped another vehicle they suspected of being involved in trafficking. Inside, they located Angel Alicea, 53, of Manchester, in the rear passenger seat, allegedly with cocaine. He was charged with possession.

The following individuals were arrested on previous warrants, Louise Mcilvar, 35, of Manchester, warrant-sale of a controlled drug; Jason Littlefield, 38, of Manchester, warrant-theft by deception; Reagan Gauthier, 34 of Manchester, warrant-sale of a controlled drug; Aaron Isthmian Smith (not pictured), 53, of Manchester, warrant-receiving stolen property; Jeremy Varnado, 36, of Manchester, warrant-receiving stolen property; Adam Gagnon, 37, of Manchester, warrant-sale of a controlled drug; and Lawrence Moore, 32, of Manchester, warrant-sale of a controlled drug, who is currently in NH State Prison.

According to O’Keefe, the officers and agencies involved in this latest effort “will be conducting more operations in the near future, so we can continue to fight the drug epidemic in New Hampshire.”

Caption: A composite of everyone arrested courtesy of Jeffrey Hastings/Frame of Mind Photography. FrameofMindPhoto.com.