N.H. couple held without bail after drug arraignments  | North Of Boston

AMESBURY – A rusted rear license plate landed two New Hampshire residents in jail over the weekend and resulted in the seizure of 40 grams of heroin and 28 grams of heroin.

Brittany N. Quint, 33, 55 Atkinson St., Dover, and Richard P. Pike, 51, no fixed address, Farmington, were arraigned Monday in Newburyport District Court on charges of heroin trafficking, fentanyl trafficking and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Both were ordered held without bail after failing to meet conditions of release imposed after being arraigned in Lawrence District Court on similar charges yet to be resolved. On the new charges, both were ordered held on $25,000 cash bail. They are due back in Newburyport District Court on May 23 for pretrial hearings.

On Saturday about 12:30 a.m., state Trooper Stephen Durant drove behind a car driven by Pike on Interstate 495 and noticed that rust covered the numbers and letters of his license plate, according to Essex County prosecutor Michelle Rowland.

Durant pulled Pike over along the Amesbury section of the three-lane highway and asked for his license and registration. As he was doing so, Durant noticed a glass pipe near Quint’s left leg. When Durant returned to his cruiser, he learned there were warrants for the arrests of both people.

With the assistance of Trooper Patrick McCrave, Pike and Quint were searched. Inside Pike’s pants police found a straw with brown residue, knives and razor blades, according to a police report. The troopers also found several sticks of heroin and fentanyl inside the car.

Rowland said troopers found 40 grams of heroin with a street value of up to $4,000 and 28 grams of fentanyl valued at $2,800. She also said Pike had driven Quint to Lawrence to buy drugs and in return would be given two sticks of fentanyl or heroin as payment.

A check of Pike’s New Hampshire criminal record showed activity dating back 33 years and a 15-month jail sentence for possessing/receiving stolen firearms in 1997. He has also been convicted of theft, simple assault and other charges.

Quint’s attorney asked Judge Peter Doyle not to hold Quint without bail on the old charges and to set bail at $250 on the new charges. She argued that Quint was of limited means with a job that wouldn’t allow her to post such a high bail.

Pike’s attorney also asked Doyle not to revoke his release on the Lawrence District Court charges and to impose a lower bail. She argued that Pike has a serious back condition, his wife was undergoing cancer treatment and that he needed to take care of her.

Doyle took about 10 seconds to deny their release and agreed to the bail amount requested by Rowland.

The street value of fentanyl depends largely on where it is purchased and who is selling it, according to current and retired police officers.

In Lawrence, an ounce of fentanyl sells for about $40. But a drug dealer in Seabrook can get up to $100 for the same amount. Dealers often buy heroin or fentanyl in Lawrence and then drive up to Maine where they can sell it for an inflated price, police said.

Staff writer Dave Rogers can be reached at drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.