NH AG, DEA announce six arrests related to fentanyl, other charges

CONCORD, N.H. – On Thursday, New Hampshire deputy attorney general Jane E. Young and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration special agent-in-charge Brian D. Boyle announced that six individuals were arrested as a result of a multi-month, joint cross-border drug trafficking investigation.

Search warrants were executed on Thursday in Haverhill and Lawrence, Mass. As well as Bedford and Ashford, N.H.

Authorities arrested the following suspects related to the warrants.

• Brian Rutherford, age 22, of Bedford, N.H. was arrested on a charge of alleged conspiracy to possess a controlled drug (fentanyl) with intent to sell. Mr. Rutherford will be arraigned on Friday, June 28, 2019, in Rockingham County Superior Court at 1:00 p.m.
• Mackenzie Ramos, age 25, of Amherst, N.H. was arrested for alleged possession of a controlled drug (fentanyl) with intent to sell. Ms. Ramos will be arraigned on Friday, June 28, 2019, in Rockingham County Superior Court at 1:00 p.m.
• Samantha Bidwell, age 30, of Ashland N.H. was arrested on a charge of alleged possession of a controlled drug (fentanyl) with the intent to sell. Ms. Bidwell will be arraigned on Friday, June 28, 2019, in Grafton County Superior Court at 9:00 a.m.
• Ramon Rivera Muniz, age 31, of Haverhill, Mass. was arrested on two outstanding warrants from Hillsborough County-North for a parole violation and a pending charge of alleged possession of a controlled drug (fentanyl) with intent to distribute.
• Valeria Vanessa Cartagena Toro, age 24, of Haverhill, Mass. was arrested on a charge of alleged conspiracy to sell a controlled drug (fentanyl).
• Jonathan Betancourt age 29, of Lawrence, Mass. was arrested on four counts of alleged sale of a controlled drug (fentanyl).

Muniz, Cartagena Toro and Betancourt are being held in Massachusetts at the Middleton House of Correction pending extradition.

The charges resulting from this investigation will be prosecuted by, Senior Assistant Attorney General Danielle Sakowski and Assistant Attorney General Jesse O’Neill.

The charges and allegations are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Anyone noticing an inaccuracy or with additional information related to these charges is invited to email the editor at robidouxnews@gmail.com