TEWKSBURY – Police Chief Ryan Columbus reports that the Tewksbury Police Department arrested and charged two people with trafficking fentanyl and other drug charges.
ANTHONY MALDONADO, AGE 33, OF LOWELL, was arrested and charged with:
- Trafficking Fentanyl
- Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class B Substance (Subsequent Offense)
- Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class D Substance (Subsequent Offense)
- Failure To Stop For Police
- Reckless Operation of a Motor Vehicle
- Failure to Yield
- Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Accident (Two Counts)
- Operating with a Suspended License (Subsequent Offense)
- Marked Lanes Violation
- Six Warrants
SAMANTHA JACKSON, AGE 26, OF STONEHAM, was arrested and charged with:
- Trafficking Fentanyl
- Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class B Substance
- Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class D Substance
- Two Warrants
On Thursday, Oct. 27, Tewksbury Police detectives were conducting surveillance when they observed a rented Nissan Altima in the parking lot of The Inn at Tewksbury on Highwood Drive and what they believed to be potential drug activity.
Officers attempted to stop the Altima after observing a traffic violation on Main Street, but after briefly stopping, the driver of the Altima accelerated away from police, who did not pursue the vehicle due to safety concerns.
The Altima crashed into another vehicle and a fire hydrant nearby, and police arrived just as a male and female fled from the vehicle. There were no reported injuries as a result of the crash.
A search supported by K-9 units and over a dozen Tewksbury officers and Lowell Police located the female, who was identified as JACKSON, hiding near a trash container nearby. JACKSON was wanted on two arrest warrants.
A subsequent authorized search of a hotel room at the Inn at Tewksbury which was rented by JACKSON led to the location of MALDONADO, who had been identified as the individual who fled from the Altima. MALDONADO was wanted on six arrest warrants.
MALDONADO was taken into custody as police saw signs of drug trafficking in plain sight inside the hotel room.
Police obtained a search warrant for the hotel room, and eventually located over $4,000 in cash, approximately 26 grams of Fentanyl, approximately 4 grams of crack cocaine, and over 2.5 pounds of marijuana inside the hotel room.
Two more people are expected to be charged in connection with this case.
MALDONADO and JACKSON will be arraigned Monday in Lowell District Court.
These are allegations. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.