Crime

Feds Arrest Three, Including Two Haverhill Men, for Alleged Attempted Child Sex Trafficking

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Two Haverhill men are among three scheduled to appear in federal court Monday for alleged attempted sex trafficking of a child at a Manchester, N.H., hotel

New Hampshire U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young’s office said late Saturday that 42-year-old Arthur Picanco and 38-year-old Ozeias Luiz Guilherme, both of Haverhill, and 46-year-old Stacey Ray Lancaster of Hudson, N.H., were arrested and taken into federal custody. They are scheduled to be arraigned separately beginning at 1 p.m., Monday. Young’s office said the three were charged by criminal complaint “as a result of a proactive federal and local law enforcement action” as part of Project Safe Childhood. U.S. Homeland Security led the investigation with help from the Manchester Police Department, New Hampshire Attorney General’s office and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Crime

Judge Orders Lawrence Man, 26, Held; Connected with Tuesday Assault on Haverhill Police

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One of two people connected with Tuesday’s apparent assault on Haverhill police officers and a related gun firing was arraigned in District Court on an older warrant related to alleged store thefts. According to Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker’s office, 26-year-old Christopher Roque-Joaquin of Lawrence was arrested sometime following a 11:38 a.m., incident at McDonalds restaurant on Main Street in Haverhill and an ensuing chase that ended in Lawrence. Tucker’s spokesman Michael Keefe-Feldman said Tuesday Haverhill police officers approached two people in a car at the restaurant as part of an investigation, reporting, “After officers approached the vehicle, the driver backed up into multiple police vehicles, struck an officer then proceeded to drive forward at other officers. A Haverhill officer then discharged his firearm.”

Tucker’s office confirmed Roque-Joaquin was the person taken to the hospital with injuries, but did not specify the cause of the injuries. It also was not immediately spelled out whether the prior alleged thefts were the focus of Tuesday’s initial police investigation, but did report the “car chase incident remains under investigation.”

Concerning the prior alleged thefts, Keefe-Feldman said, Roque-Joaquin allegedly “stole cases of Red Bull from a Market Basket grocery store on two occasions and was thwarted during a third attempt.” He was charged with two counts of larceny under $1,200 and attempting to commit a crime.

Crime

Haverhill Police Officer Fires Gun After Being Struck by Two Suspects; Police Later Arrest Injured Person

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A Haverhill police officer fired his gun late this morning after, the district attorney’s office says, two people in a vehicle backed into police cars and struck a patrolman outside the Main Street McDonald’s restaurant in Haverhill. It was unclear Tuesday night whether the weapon’s discharge is related to injuries that resulted in the fleeing driver later being taken to an area hospital. Michael Keefe-Feldman, spokesman for Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker told WHAV by email that Haverhill police officers were in the midst of an investigation at 11:38, Tuesday morning at McDonald’s involving two individuals in a vehicle there. “After officers approached the vehicle, the driver backed up into multiple police vehicles, struck an officer then proceeded to drive forward at other officers.  A Haverhill officer then discharged his firearm,” said Keefe-Feldman. He said the people in the car fled and were “pursued by Haverhill and, later, Lawrence officers into Lawrence where it was ultimately abandoned by both occupants.

Crime

Methuen Man, Previously Convicted of Drug Crimes, Pleads Guilty to U.S. Return After Deportation

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A 55-year-old Methuen man, already convicted of drug crimes in the state, pleaded guilty last week in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Santos Guzman pleaded guilty to illegal reentry before U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper, who scheduled sentencing for next Feb. 12. Guzman was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2021. Guzman, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, entered the U.S. on an unknown date and location and was convicted in 2019 on two state drug trafficking charges.

Crime

Methuen Police Arrest Lawrence Man, Seize Gun, Ammunition, Fentanyl, Cocaine and Cash

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Methuen Police Department has arrested and charged a Lawrence man this week with drug trafficking and gun violations following a four-month investigation involving the Methuen Police Street Crimes Unit and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Cross Border Initiative. Methuen Police Chief Scott J. McNamara said 36-year-old Kelvin Alvarez Pimental, was charged with trafficking in more than 36 grams of fentanyl, distribution of a class A drug, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, distribution of a class B drug, possession of a firearm and ammunition without a firearms identification card and improper storage of a firearm. “This case underscores our commitment to addressing and combating narcotics distribution networks that threaten the well-being of our residents,” McNamara said. Beginning in June, the Methuen Police Street Crimes Unit, in response to community complaints, initiated surveillance and investigations on suspected narcotics trafficking around Oakland Avenue and surrounding areas. A joint investigation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Cross Border Initiative resulted in a search warrant being served at Alvarez Pimental’s Lawrence home Oct.

Crime

Police Charge Plaistow, N.H., Man with 11 Counts of Being a Felon with Firearms After Search

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A 33-year-old Plaistow, N.H., man faces charges of being a convicted felon in possession of a dangerous weapon after police said they conducted searches at two locations and seized “several dozen firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition, firearms accessories and other dangerous weapons.”

Plaistow Police Chief John J. Santoro said in a release Tuesday the seizure on Oct. 24 provided evidence needed to obtain a warrant for the arrest of Jonathan Balamotis. Balamotis was arrested and charged with 11 counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a dangerous weapon and bail jumping. He is being held at the Rockingham County Jail in Brentwood pending a probable cause hearing. The chief said searches took place at homes at 37 Crane Crossing Road and 29A Pollard Road in Plaistow.

Crime

Driver in Fatal Methuen Crash Pleads Not Guilty to All Charges, DA Names Two Who Died

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A driver was arraigned Monday in connection with Saturday’s fatal crash on Interstate 495 in Methuen and the names of the two deceased were released. Twenty-six-year-old Katrina Nguyen of Lawrence is scheduled to return for a virtual court pretrial hearing on Nov. 26 after pleading not guilty on all charges before Lawrence District Court Judge Mark A. Sullivan. Bail was set bail at $200,000. District Attorney Paul F. Tucker’s office said Massachusetts State Police troopers and Methuen Fire responded to a call Saturday, shortly after 6 a.m., and found people trapped in a heavily-damaged 2015 Ford F-250 pickup truck.

Crime

Methuen and Lawrence Men Among Those Indicted on Fentanyl Drug Trafficking in N.H.

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Men from Methuen and Lawrence were among 14 people indicted by a federal grand jury and 11 arrested recently in connection with a Lawrence-based group trafficking fentanyl in New Hampshire. New Hampshire U.S Attorney Jane Young said Friday police arrested the 12 men and two women between Oct. 23 and 31 in New Hampshire and Massachusetts on charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Those indicted include Franly Herrera-Herrera, age 24, of Methuen; Jose Herrera, 22, Daniel Mendez Ubri, 25, Wayestar Concepcion, 55, Andri Pimental Arias, 21, and Alexander German, 27, all of Lawrence; Yoefferman Robles Soto, 22, of Boston; Joseph Post, 36, of Billerica; Bruce Wells, 36, and Brexton Boudle, 41, both of Colebrook, N.H.; Michael Savard, 39, of Strafford, N.H.; Trenton Murphy, 26, of Kittery, Maine; Jade Markham, 27, of Concord, N.H.; and Hope Cassin, 33, of Pembroke, N.H.

Young’s office said Herrera-Herrera and Robles Soto face a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence.