Press Release  Two Men Indicted in Connection With Trafficking Heroin in Lawrence

Salem — Two men have been indicted in connection with allegedly trafficking large quantities of heroin into Lawrence, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

Angel Cruz, age 36, and Manuel Ogando, 42, both of Lawrence, were indicted Wednesday by an Essex County Grand Jury on the charges of Trafficking of Heroin and Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute (one count each). Cruz was indicted on four counts of trafficking heroin and Ogando was indicted on a single count.

The defendants will be arraigned on the charges in Essex Superior Court on Sept. 11, 2017.

The charges are the result of a joint investigation between State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, the State Police Transportation Drug Unit and the New England Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) into an alleged heroin trafficking organization they believed was responsible for distributing drugs in Lawrence. 

Authorities arrested Cruz and Ogando on April 3 in Lawrence. Authorities allege that on multiple occasions in March and April, Cruz facilitated sales that totaled approximately 200 grams of heroin by transporting the drugs in a taxi cab he drove. Ogando allegedly distributed the drugs on one occasion.

The AG’s Office has been working closely with its federal, state and local partners to combat illegal drug trafficking. AG Healey formed an internal task force to more aggressively combat the heroin and prescription drug abuse crisis in Massachusetts. The AG’s Office is using a multi-faceted approach that includes education for prescribers, pursuing illegal drug traffickers and pill mills, and expanding access to recovery and treatment programs.

This investigation is ongoing. These charges are allegations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Lynn Brennan of AG Healey’s Enterprise, Major and Cyber Crimes Division, with assistance from State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, the Massachusetts State Police Transportation Drug Unit (TDU), the New England Division of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Lawrence Police Department.

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