Police: Man with knife hid behind door before officers seized fentanyl from Lawrence apartment; machete was inside home | News

LAWRENCE — A 39-year-old man was hiding behind a bedroom door and holding a large kitchen knife when drug detectives located him in his Jackson Street apartment late Monday afternoon, police said. 

As Lawrence and state police detectives tried to get the man, Hector Rivera, to fully open the bedroom door, Rivera refused to show them his right hand “which he was hiding behind the door,” according to a report written by Lawrence Det. Rhadames Gonzalez. 

“Rivera immediately panicked, began to withdraw/retreat and was obviously planning a fight or flight situation,” Gonzalez wrote. “This caused us grave concern for our safety. As a result, we took measures to secure the male through the threshold of the door. Thereafter we discovered a large sheathed kitchen knife on the floor where (Rivera) had been hiding his right arm behind the door.”

Rivera was captured “after a brief struggle,” Gonzalez wrote.

After a search of both Rivera and the bedroom in the 200s block of Jackson Street, police recovered both fentanyl and cocaine, two cell phones, $604 cash, drug packaging items, the large kitchen knife and a machete, according to the report. 

The report indicates police obtained a warrant to search Rivera’s bedroom. 

Detectives had gone to the apartment as part of an ongoing investigation and acting on a tip that Rivera was in the apartment, police said. 

Rivera was arrested and charged with trafficking fentanyl (311 grams) and illegal possession of cocaine (2 grams) with intent to distribute. 

He was also wanted on an outstanding warrant from Dorchester District Court. 

The police report said that while Rivera was placed under arrest he was overheard speaking to someone in Spanish and saying, “Make sure you take care of my stuff for me. Make sure you put it away.” 

A complete report will appear in Wednesday’s print edition of The Eagle-Tribune and online at eagletribune.com.

Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter @EagleTribJill.