A 43-year-old, Manchester, Maine, man allegedly driving “erratically” in Methuen caught the attention of a State Police trooper Sunday and ultimately brought the seizure of suspected cocaine and heroin.
Trooper Matthew DeVito, assigned to the Troop A Community Action Team, was patrolling shortly after 10 p.m., Sunday, along Route 110 in Methuen. According to a report, he observed a black Chevrolet Silverado pass his cruiser erratically. DeVito followed the truck to Interstate 495 where the driver allegedly came close to a collision, prompting a traffic stop.
DeVito reported the driver, Nicholas Drayton, provided “inconsistencies in his story” and the officer said he spotted signs consistent with recent use of illegal narcotics.
While Drayton stepped out of his truck, DeVito said he observed a small amount of narcotics, later found to be heroin. A subsequent search of the vehicle also located a large plastic bag containing crack cocaine along with numerous smaller bags containing heroin. In total, troopers found approximately 85 grams of suspected heroin and 70 grams of suspected crack cocaine.
Drayton was arrested and charged with trafficking fentanyl/heroin, trafficking cocaine, a marked lanes violation and a hands-free violation.