Lawrence man held on $200,000 cash bail | Haverhill

HAVERHILL —  A Lawrence man who was arrested on Wednesday in the Westgate Plaza area and charged with trafficking fentanyl and cocaine with a combined street value of more than $13,000 was arraigned Thursday in Haverhill District Court.

Ruben Lara-Ramirez, 36, of 42 Union St., Apt. 2, was charged with conspiracy to violate drug laws, fentanyl trafficking and cocaine trafficking at his arraignment before Judge Stephen Abany.

The prosecutor, Assistant District Attorney Tom Sholds, asked the judge to set bail at $500,000 cash, citing the seriousness of the charges, which he said carry a significant prison sentence if Lara-Ramirez is convicted.

Sholds indicated that Lara-Ramirez could pose a flight risk, saying he was born in the Dominican Republic and has ties to family out-of-state.

A Spanish language translator assisted during the hearing.

Defense lawyer Timothy Connors suggested much lower bail, indicating Lara-Ramirez has lived in Lawrence for the past four years, has family in the Lawrence and Boston areas, and currently works as a taxi cab driver.

“He has no criminal record,” Connors added, saying Lara-Ramirez’ family could come up with as much as $10,000 cash for bail.

Abany set bail at $200,000 cash, saying he does not know whether Lara-Ramirez has a criminal record in the Dominican Republic.

He told Lara-Ramirez that he has the right to bail review in Salem Superior Court.

The judge also issued a 90-day warning, meaning if Lara-Ramirez is able to post bail and is released, he could be ordered held for up to 90 days without bail, if charged with another offense. 

Abany also ordered Lara-Ramirez to remain drug and alcohol free and submit to random screenings should he post bail.

A probable cause hearing via video conference was scheduled or April 10.

Haverhill police spokesman Capt. Robert Pistone said that on Wednesday at approximately 12:40 p.m., the Haverhill Police Narcotics Unit along with the Haverhill Police Department Gang Unit were conducting surveillance in the area of the Westgate Shopping Plaza when they observed a suspected drug transaction.

According to police, it has been a growing trend in recent years for drug buyers from New Hampshire and Maine to meet up with drug dealers from the Lawrence and Haverhill areas due to the lower drug prices and more potent drug product available.

Police said the Westgate Plaza area has many businesses as well as two hotels, and is a well documented location for illegal narcotics activity, including distribution and possession. 

According to a police report, police were conducting surveillance in this area on Wednesday and watched a 35-year-old Manchester, New Hampshire woman walk through the plaza’s parking lot as if she was looking for someone, then walk across Lowell Avenue to the CVS parking lot, where she got into the driver’s seat of a Hyundai Elantra with New Hampshire plates.

Police said a 36-year-old Manchester woman was sitting in the passenger seat and that the female driver then pulled into the Best Western Hotel parking lot, which is adjacent to the CVS lot.

Police said the woman then walked across Lowell Avenue again, and crossed the plaza’s parking lot towards the Burlington Coat Factory store, where she got into a Dodge Caravan with Massachusetts livery plates. The Caravan then exited the plaza’s lot and entered the CVS lot, where the woman got out. Police followed the Caravan onto Route 110 towards Methuen.

Police approached the Hyundai with badges and firearms displayed, and caught the driver with a small, twist bag of fentanyl in her hand, according to the report.

A search of the car turned up three more small, twist bags in the center console. The driver told police she bought four twist bags of fentanyl for $120 from the Caravan’s driver.

Also in the Hyundai was a backpack containing two digital scales and men’s clothing. The driver told police the backpack was owned by her boyfriend, who’d been arrested that morning in Manchester.

Police stopped the Caravan on Route 110 and questioned the driver, Lara-Ramirez, who said he did not speak English, so a Spanish speaking officer was called to assist in translating.

A search of the Caravan turned up 178 grams of fentanyl, 168 grams of cocaine and $2,658 in cash, which police seized as proceeds of the drug trade.

In addition to charging Lara-Ramirez, the two New Hampshire women will be charged with possession with intent to distribute a Class A drug and conspiracy to violate drug laws, police said.