Juan Rosario, 43, of 260 Haverhill Street, Lawrence, guilty of trafficking cocaine over 200 grams. The verdict followed a one-day trial on Wednesday.
Essex Assistant District Attorney Michel Hickey said that on April 3, 2007, an Immigration/Customs agent in Puerto Rico had seized a picture which contained a kilo of cocaine in the hollowed out frame.The package had been sent from the Dominican Republic, and had a final destination in Lawrence. That discovery prompted a call to the Essex County Drug Task Force assigned to the office of Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett.On April 4, 2007, investigators attempted to deliver the package to the Lawrence address, but a woman there refused to accept it because she did not know the addressee, Alfredo Ortega.Investigators then telephoned the number that appeared on the package and spoke to a person claiming to be Alfredo Ortega. They made arrangements to deliver the package to him later that day.Surveillance of the Lawrence address was set up, and agents posing as FedEx employees arrived to deliver the package. The defendant, who was driving a gold Camry, was seen driving back and forth on Lowell Street. After he spotted the delivery truck parked in front of the address, Rosario stopped his car and ran to the truck.Police arrested Rosario after he signed for and received the package.
Essex Assistant District Attorney Michel Hickey said that on April 3, 2007, an Immigration/Customs agent in Puerto Rico had seized a picture which contained a kilo of cocaine in the hollowed out frame.The package had been sent from the Dominican Republic, and had a final destination in Lawrence. That discovery prompted a call to the Essex County Drug Task Force assigned to the office of Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett.On April 4, 2007, investigators attempted to deliver the package to the Lawrence address, but a woman there refused to accept it because she did not know the addressee, Alfredo Ortega.Investigators then telephoned the number that appeared on the package and spoke to a person claiming to be Alfredo Ortega. They made arrangements to deliver the package to him later that day.Surveillance of the Lawrence address was set up, and agents posing as FedEx employees arrived to deliver the package. The defendant, who was driving a gold Camry, was seen driving back and forth on Lowell Street. After he spotted the delivery truck parked in front of the address, Rosario stopped his car and ran to the truck.Police arrested Rosario after he signed for and received the package.
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