WESTFIELD – A city man was stopped by police moments after he crossed the city’s border while returning from a shopping excursion in Holyoke and officers seized his purchases – 122 packets of heroin.
City police report that on Wednesday evening two detectives observed a man – Adam M. Lafreniere, 29, of 10 Washington St. – in a Main Street parking lot who was the subject of an ongoing narcotics investigation and observed him acting suspiciously before he got into a vehicle which arrived in the parking lot.
The detectives followed the 2005 Nissan Sentra and a check of the vehicle’s registration showed that it was owed by Christine M. Webb, 34, of 26 Williams St., Chester, who was the subject of an outstanding warrant.
The detectives followed the car, which stopped at an ATM before proceeding to a Holyoke housing complex where the detectives had previously followed other suspected narcotics offenders and waited while Lafreniere went inside for a time.
When he returned to the vehicle, the officers followed it back toward Westfield and arranged for a reception committee.
When the Sentra came down the hill from Holyoke, Officer Seth Florek was waiting in a marked cruiser, with Det. Sgt. Raymond Manos and Det. Daniel Gustafson, and stopped the vehicle.
Webb was found to be the operator of the car and was arrested on the warrant.
Lafreniere and another passenger, Samantha Mercedes Eades, 23, of 3 Freyer Road, Southampton, were removed from the vehicle and Lafreniere admitted that he was in possession of heroin.
“We knew what he was doing and he knew we knew what he was doing” so there was no point in dissembling, Manos said.
Lafreniere surrendered three bundles that were found to contain 122 heroin packets and said that he had given Eades a bundle.
Eades surrendered the bundle that she had concealed in her bra.
Lafreniere was arrested for possession of a Class A drug (a subsequent offense) and possession of a Class A drug with intent to distribute.
Eades was arrested for possession of a Class A drug.
Both were arraigned yesterday in Westfield District Court.
Lafreniere was held in lieu of $500 cash bail pending a Dec. 12 hearing while Eades was released on her personal recognizance pending a hearing on the same day.
If convicted, Lafreniere faces a possible sentence of state prison for not more than 10 years or jail for not more than two and a half years and/or a fine of at least $1,000 and not more than $10,000. He also would be liable for a drug analysis fee of at least $150.
Eades faces a possible two-year sentence and/or a fine of not more than $2,000.
