Two Lawrence residents pleaded not guilty on drug charges Wednesday in Lawrence District Court following an investigation into a suspected fentanyl pill distribution network in the Lawrence and Methuen area
Police recovered more than 16 pounds of suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine pills, plus two guns, according to Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker and Lawrence Police Head of Department Capt. Michael McCarthy.
Thirty-six-year-old Vincent Cahalane was ordered held without bail, while 23-year-old Mariah Lasalle was ordered held on $5,000 cash bail. Cahalane was arrested and charged with numerous firearms offenses, as well as trafficking 200+ grams of Class A drugs, described as fentanyl; 200+ grams Class B drugs, described as cocaine, and an additional 200+ grams of Class B drugs, described as methamphetamine. Lasalle was charged with trafficking 10+ grams of Class A drugs, fentanyl, and 36+ grams Class B drugs, methamphetamine.
In May, members of the Essex County District Attorney’s office State Police Detective Unit began investigating the drug network. Cahalane and Lasalle were identified as targets and, on Wednesday morning, police simultaneously raided their respective apartments.
In Cahalane’s, investigators reported finding two firearms, ammunition, bags of white powder and more than 10,000 blue and orange pills believed to be fentanyl and methamphetamine. In Lasalle’s apartment, investigators located a smaller amount of blue and orange pills. All told, the suspected narcotics weighed 6-7 kilos.
Besides Essex County District Attorney’s office State Police Detective Unit, the investigation and raids were conducted by Massachusetts State Police Gang Unit, Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, detectives from the Lawrence Police Department and investigators from the federal Department of Homeland Security.