Alleged Concord Drug Dealer Arrested in Bow

BOW, NH — A local man with a number of arrests already under his belt was busted again, this time on a driving charge that eventually allegedly led to an ounce of drugs, according to police. James Chestnut, 21, of Redington Road in Concord, was arrested at 10:03 a.m. on Oct. 16, 2016, and charged with possession of a controlled/narcotic drug with intent to distribute and possession of a controlled drug, both felonies, as well as operating after suspension and possession of drugs in a motor vehicle.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Bow Police Department and Concord District Court. It does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the name removal request process for NH Patch police reports.

An officer reportedly saw a vehicle pull out of the Hampton Inn parking lot with an expired inspection sticker and he pulled the vehicle over and made contact with the driver, later identified as Chestnut.

According to the officer, Chestnut allegedly stated that he left his license was inside a hotel room but when he tried to pull on the glove box to get the registration, it was locked, and he pulled the handle right off it. When asked if he was staying at the hotel, he stated that he just dropped his sister off. When asked why his license would be in the room, he reportedly said he didn’t know.

“I asked him who the car belong to,” the officer alleged. “He stated that it belonged to his step-mother, ‘Buffy.’ I asked what her last name was so I could look up the registration. He stated that he didn’t know her name. I thought that was odd.”

Chestnut reportedly gave the officer his name and dispatch reported that he had a suspended license from September 2014 and was convicted last month of operation after revocation out of Franklin District Court. Five days before, according to the report, he was arrested for driving after suspension and was reportedly uncooperative but later, was bailed out. The officer called state police for backup and after some back and forth about previous driving convictions, Chestnut agreed to step out of the car, according to the report, and was arrested.

After a state trooper showed up and he was being handcuffed, the officer informed Chestnut that the car was being towed and would be inventoried, and he allegedly “became upset and started yelling at (the officer).” Chestnut allegedly stated that the officer couldn’t search the car but the officer countered that it was department policy to inventory the vehicle before it was towed. Chestnut allegedly continued to yell and swear, according to the affidavit.

During the inventory, the officer allegedly found a plastic bag with a hard white substance in that that he believed to be a controlled drug. He stopped the inventory and impounded the vehicle while also requesting a search warrant, according to the report.

Chestnut allegedly continued to yell and started hitting his head on the cruiser partition and was advised to stop but he reportedly continued to complained that the entire situation was unfair and that the officer was stalking him, according to the affidavit.

Chestnut requested bail and it was set at $7,000 cash due to active warrants in Concord. The bag of the alleged substance weighed about 32 grams, according to the report, so an intent charge was added.

Concord warrant

Chestnut was wanted on a Concord warrant for conspiracy-sale of controlled drugs, a felony, and breach of bail, after an alleged incident on Sept. 15, 2016, allegedly involving Arianna Beaulieu.

According to a report, a detective texted Beaulieu on Sept. 14, requesting to purchase methamphetamine the next day. The pair allegedly exchanged several additional texts and agreed to a $325 price for an eight ball, according to an affidavit.

The next day, Beaulieu allegedly texted the detective, “I already talked to the dude so you should be all set,” according to the affidavit. They reportedly agreed to meet up around 1:30 p.m.

At about 1:40 p.m., the detective drove to a parking lot on Manchester Street near an apartment complex and he texted Beaulieu that he was there. A Jeep then pulled up behind the detective’s vehicle and Chestnut was allegedly in the passenger seat, according to the affidavit.

Beaulieu then reportedly got into the passenger seat of the detective’s vehicle, took the cash, left the vehicle, went to speak with Chestnut, who reportedly leaned down toward his lap and then handed Beaulieu a plastic bag. The driver did not look at anyone during the transaction, according to the report. She then came back to the detective’s car and allegedly gave him the bag. Inside the bag was a substance that field tested positive to be meth, according to the reports.

Surveillance units followed the Jeep and later, identified Chestnut as the passenger, according to the report.

Chestnut was previously arrested on Sept. 8, and released on $250 cash bail. On Sept. 21, a warrant was issued against him for the conspiracy charge and a breach of bail charge.

Previous charges

Chestnut has been arrested a number of times in the Concord area, according to reports on Patch.

The Sept. 8, arrest was on a bench warrant. On Sept. 5, of this year, driving while intoxicated, disobeying a police officer, driving after revocation or suspension, and two bench warrants. He was arrested on a bench warrant for hindering apprehension out of Franklin District Court on June 19. In May, he was arrested for driving after revocation or suspension, disobeying an officer, and a bench warrant for nonappearance in Concord District Court, issued on May 16, on a controlled drug acts prohibited charge. Back in January 2015, he was arrested for a bunch warrant for nonpayment of a fine as well as two criminal threatening charges. In February 2014, he was arrested on an unlawful possession of alcohol charge.