Man Faces Meth Dealing Charge

CONCORD, NH – Cocaine possession, theft of a rental vehicle, willful concealment, warrants, and default or breach of bail conditions. Those are just some of the charges issued against Michael Gruette during the last three years. Now, he faces another charge.

Police arrested Gruette, 38, of Ridge Road in Center Barnstead, was arrested on April 29, 2016, for felony sale of controlled drugs-methamphetamine.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Concord 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.

Gruette was served with the paper work at the Merrimack County House of Corrections and refused bail.

• Click here to sign up for morning newsletters and breaking news alerts from New Hampshire Patch sites.

According to a court affidavit, on March 23, two detectives – one undercover, with a cooperating individual – lined up a drug transaction for $200 worth of methamphetamine, reportedly with Gurette. The detective and the cooperating individual met with Gurette at the Holiday Inn on North Main Street and then drove to the McDonald’s Restaurant on South Main Street “to meet up with Gruette’s supplier,” according to the affidavit.

The vehicle – a black Ford Focus – was reportedly registered to Steven Ridgeway, an alleged suspect of car break-ins and other incidents in recent months.

“Gruette identified the occupants of the vehicle as his source, and exited (the detective’s) vehicle and met with the subjects in the Focus,” the detective stated in the affidavit.

Gruette allegedly returned to the vehicle with a clear plastic bag of meth and handed it to the cooperating individual. The cooperating individual finalized the transaction by reportedly handing Gruette $200 of previously photocopied currency, according to the report.

The detective later field tested the drug and it was presumptive positive for methamphetamine.

A warrant was filed on April 27, and Gruette was arrested two days later.