Worcester, Lynn Men Charged With Trafficking Fentanyl

WORCESTER, MA—Two men, one from Worcester, were arraigned on Friday on charges in connection with selling 800 grams of suspected fentanyl to an undercover Massachusetts State Trooper at a Woburn area hotel on Thursday.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan announced that Manuel Perez, 42, of Lynn, and Juan Santana-Almanzar, 52, of Worcester, were arraigned in Woburn District Court. Perez was charged with two counts of trafficking more than 10 grams of fentanyl and conspiracy to violate the Massachusetts controlled substance act. First Justice Marianne Hinkle of the Woburn District Court set bail at $250,000 cash and ordered the defendant, should he make bail, to wear a GPS monitoring bracelet. Judge Hinkle revoked the defendant’s bail on a pending case out of Somerville District Court.

Santana-Almanzar was charged with conspiracy to violate the Massachusetts controlled substance act. Judge Hinkle set bail at $7,500 cash and ordered the defendant, should he make bail, to wear a GPS monitoring bracelet.

“Part of my office’s multipronged approach to combating the opioid epidemic is enforcement, specifically targeting well-organized and large-scale drug enterprises,” said District Attorney Ryan in a statement. “The opioid epidemic, and its far-reaching effects are felt throughout every city and town in the Commonwealth. Cognizant of the inherent dangers of fentanyl, the collaborative investigation undertaken by state and local law enforcement officials that resulted in today’s arraignment, and 800 grams of suspected fentanyl being taken off of the streets and out of our communities, is an important part of that effort.”

In December, Massachusetts State Police Troopers assigned to the Special Investigations Unit of the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office began investigating the defendant, Perez, for the suspected distribution of fentanyl, according to the DA's office.

On Thursday around 4 p.m. an undercover officer allegedly arranged to purchase suspected fentanyl from Perez in exchange for $56,000 in cash. The trooper allegedly brought Perez to a hotel room where the money and drugs were exchanged.

While Perez was meeting with the officer in the hotel room, police saw Santana-Almanzar circling the parking lots in the vicinity of the hotel. Investigators found that Santana-Almanzar was allegedly serving as a lookout.

The next court date in these cases is February 16.

Photo via Middlesex County DA