Chelmsford Police: Heroin Trafficker Arrested At Walmart

CHELMSFORD, MA — A Lawrence heroin trafficker and another suspect were arrested during a bust at the Chelmsford Walmart Wednesday, according to police. The alleged trafficker, Juan Carlos Marinez-Santana, 29, faces a host of charges. The other suspect, Raeshawn Ferguson, 34, of Nashua, New Hampshire, was arrested on a warrant. Police said they seized 40 grams of heroin and 23 grams of cocaine.

The arrests were made shortly after 2 p.m. at the Walmart in the Drum Hill Shopping Center as officers conducted "targeted surveillance," according to Chelmsford Deputy Police Chief Dan Ahern. The officers noticed Marinez-Santana and another suspect acting suspiciously in the parking lot then enter the store.

"Officers observed MARINEZ-SANTANA exit the Walmart and immediately turn around and reenter the store upon seeing the police activity outside," Ahern said in a statement. "An officer then followed him into the store and saw him place multiple small plastic baggies containing a brown substance into his mouth. After a brief struggle, the officer was able to get MARINEZ-SANTANA to spit out one of the bags, and saw additional baggies inside his mouth. He eventually spit out the rest of the baggies, and was subsequently taken into custody."

Officers said they found $400 in cash and multiple phones in Marinez-Santana's pockets. A search of his vehicle turned up 40 grams of heroin and 23 grams of cocaine.

Marinez-Santana was charged with heroin trafficking, cocaine trafficking, resisting arrest, interfering with police, providing a false name to police and having a false motor vehicle document.

Ferguson had a warrant out of Lawrence District Court on a charge of being present where heroin is kept, police said.

Marinez-Santana and Ferguson were scheduled for arraignments Thursday in Lowell District Court.

Photo: Juan Carlos Marinez-Santana (top left), Raeshawn Ferguson (top right) and drugs and cash police said they seized following a bust at the Chelmsford Walmart January 17, 2018. (Credit: Chelmsford Police Department)