A Gove Street woman was caught in a major lie by Haverhill Police last week when officers caught her impersonating her sister during a traffic stop and subsequent drug arrest.
Twenty-seven-year-old Chantell Walsh was stopped by police on Haverhill’s Lafayette Street Aug. 8 by detectives looking to execute a search warrant for both her and her boyfriend, Erison Maldonado of Lawrence. Behind the wheel of a Jeep Cherokee with expired registration at the time of the stop, Walsh was driving with a suspended license.
During her interaction with Det. Jared Brady, Walsh gave her sister Celenia Aitcheson’s name and date of birth and a random social security number. Her boyfriend gave his brother’s name and date of birth.
While the traffic stop took place, other detectives executed a “no knock” search warrant at Walsh’s address—issued for the suspicion that Maldonado possessed a firearm—to find the real Celenia Aitcheson inside.
Once the home was searched, Brady returned to Walsh on Lafayette Street to fill her in.
Said the detective: “Chantel told me her name was Celenia Aitcheson. I told her that I had just come from 7 Gove St. and that I already talked to Celenia and that I knew she was Chantel. I explained to her that she had been under investigation for a while and I knew who both of them were.”
Walsh then confessed her true identity and she and Maldonado were arrested. A search of the vehicle yielded two glass crack pipes, along with Lactose powder and box of baking soda, which police said were “used as cutting agents to mix with drugs.” She also had a digital scale in her purse and two plastic bags of suspected fentanyl in her bra, police said. Assorted drug paraphernalia was seized from the apartment.
At arraignment before Haverhill District Court First Justice Stephen Abany, Walsh was charged with fentanyl possession with intent to distribute, driving with a suspended license and uninsured motor vehicle and disguise to obstruct justice, among other offenses. She was ordered held without bail and sent to a 28-day detox program ahead of her next court appearance in September.
Maldonado must answer to a conspiracy to violate drug laws charge and a disguise to obstruct justice charge.