Press Release  Twelve Individuals Charged As a Result of Lawrence Drug Trafficking Operation Takedown

LAWRENCE — Twelve individuals have been arrested and arraigned as a result of a joint state, local and federal takedown which recovered over 4 kilograms of suspected fentanyl and several firearms, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

The charges are the result of an investigation by AG Healey’s New England Fentanyl Strike Force including Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team North (CINRET-North), State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s Manchester District Office (DEA-MDO), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Salem, New Hampshire Police Department, with assistance from the Lawrence Police Department.

On Thursday, authorities executed a search warrant at a stash house in Lawrence and seized approximately 4 ½ kilograms in suspected fentanyl, five handguns, one rifle, seven large-capacity magazines, and ammunition.

The following individuals have been charged in connection with the drug trafficking operation:

Jordany Miguel Romero, age 34, of Lawrence

Trafficking in fentanyl, 200g or more (1 count)

Possession of firearm during a felony (6 counts)

Possession of firearm without FID card (6 counts)

Improper storage of a firearm (6 counts)

Possession of ammunition without FID card (1 count)

Possession of a large capacity feeding device (7 counts)

Jorge Luis Guzman Alvarez, age 27, of Lawrence

Trafficking in fentanyl, 200g or more (1 count)

Possession of firearm during a felony (6 counts)

Possession of firearm without FID card (6 counts)

Improper storage of a firearm (6 counts)

Possession of ammunition without FID card (1 count)

Possession of a large capacity feeding device (7 counts)

Modesto Reyes Alvarez, age 33, of Lawrence

Trafficking in fentanyl, 200g or more (1 count)

Possession of firearm during a felony (6 counts)

Possession of firearm without FID card (6 counts)

Improper storage of a firearm (6 counts)

Possession of ammunition without FID card (1 count)

Possession of a large capacity feeding device (7 counts)

Wilton Manuel Vittini Gonzalez, age 27, of Lawrence

Trafficking in fentanyl, 200g or more (1 count)

Possession of firearm during a felony (6 counts)

Possession of firearm without FID card (6 counts)

Improper storage of a firearm (6 counts)

Possession of ammunition without FID card (1 count)

Possession of a large capacity feeding device (7 counts)

Osiris Alexander Rodriguez Guzman, age 28, of Lawrence

Trafficking in fentanyl, 200g or more (1 count)

Possession of firearm during a felony (6 counts)

Possession of firearm without FID card (6 counts)

Improper storage of a firearm (6 counts)

Possession of ammunition without FID card (1 count)

Possession of a large capacity feeding device (7 counts)

Eduardo Alvarez Rodriguez, age 28, of Lawrence

Trafficking in fentanyl, 200g or more (1 count)

Possession of firearm during a felony (6 counts)

Possession of firearm without FID card (6 counts)

Improper storage of a firearm (6 counts)

Possession of ammunition without FID card (1 count)

Possession of a large capacity feeding device (7 counts)

Freddy Antonio Baez Nova, age 39, of Lawrence

Trafficking in fentanyl, 200g or more (1 count)

Possession of firearm during a felony (6 counts)

Possession of firearm without FID card (6 counts)

Improper storage of a firearm (6 counts)

Possession of ammunition without FID card (1 count)

Possession of a large capacity feeding device (7 counts)

Luis Alfredo Lara Ruiz, age 28, of Lawrence

Trafficking in fentanyl, 200g or more (1 count)

Possession of firearm during a felony (6 counts)

Possession of firearm without FID card (6 counts)

Improper storage of a firearm (6 counts)

Possession of ammunition without FID card (1 count)

Possession of a large capacity feeding device (7 counts)

Angel Sebastian Guerrero Sanquintin, age 26, of Lawrence

Trafficking in fentanyl, 200g or more (1 count)

Possession of firearm during a felony (6 counts)

Possession of firearm without FID card (6 counts)

Improper storage of a firearm (6 counts)

Possession of ammunition without FID card (1 count)

Possession of a large capacity feeding device (7 counts)

Julio Calderon-Colon, age 40, of Lawrence

Trafficking in fentanyl, 200g or more (1 count)

Possession of firearm during a felony (6 counts)

Possession of firearm without FID card (6 counts)

Improper storage of a firearm (6 counts)

Possession of ammunition without FID card (1 count)

Possession of a large capacity feeding device (7 counts)

Henry Alexander Guerrero, age 30, of Lawrence

Trafficking in fentanyl, 200g or more (1 count)

Possession of firearm during a felony (6 counts)

Possession of firearm without FID card (6 counts)

Improper storage of a firearm (6 counts)

Possession of ammunition without FID card (1 count)

Possession of a large capacity feeding device (7 counts)

Manuel Alejandro Lara Ruiz, age 31, of Lawrence

Trafficking in fentanyl, 36g or more (3 counts)

Trafficking in fentanyl, 100g or more (2 counts)

Trafficking in fentanyl, 200g or more (1 count)

Possession of firearm during a felony (6 counts)

Possession of firearm without FID card (6 counts)

Improper storage of a firearm (6 counts)

Possession of ammunition without FID card (1 count)

Possession of a large capacity feeding device (7 counts)

Each of the defendants was arraigned in Lawrence District Court on Friday and held without bail pending a further hearing on May 2, 2022.  These charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

AG Healey’s Office has prioritized combatting the opioid crisis and has been working closely with federal, state and local partners to fight illegal drug trafficking throughout New England. The AG’s New England Fentanyl Strike Force was created in 2016 using a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services Anti-Heroin Task Force and has since been strengthened with a nearly $3 million grant in 2018, a $2.6 million grant in 2019, and a $3.8 million grant in 2021, which have expanded ongoing multistate and cross-jurisdictional investigations. Since its launch, the Strike Force has seized more than 400 kilograms of heroin and fentanyl including tens of thousands of opioid pills and millions of dollars in cash and arrested more than 530 suspects.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorneys General Jennifer Kirshenbaum and Christina Ronan of AG Healey’s Enterprise, Major and Cyber Crimes Division.

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