TEWKSBURY – Police Chief Ryan Columbus reports that the Tewksbury Police Department arrested two men on drug charges after officers stopped a vehicle that had been reported stolen.
RICHARD PAYNE, AGE 36, OF BEDFORD, was arrested and charged with:
- Use of a Motor Vehicle Without Authority
- Possession of a Class E Substance (Two Counts)
VANNAK CHEA, AGE 37, OF LOWELL, was arrested and charged with:
- Possession of a Class A Substance with Intent to Distribute (Subsequent Offense)
- Possession of a Class B Substance with Intent to Distribute (Subsequent Offense) (Two Counts)
- Possession of a Class E Substance with Intent to Distribute (Subsequent Offense)
On Tuesday, June 12, at approximately 8 p.m., a Tewksbury Police detective was monitoring traffic in the area of 95 Main St., when she noticed a vehicle that was reported stolen out of Carlisle.
The detective followed that vehicle into a parking lot at Motel 6, where she and other officers approached and stopped two occupants as they got out of the vehicle.
The driver, identified as PAYNE, was taken into custody for use of a motor vehicle without authority. A subsequent search of the vehicle located several tablets of prescription medication in the glove box of the vehicle.
A subsequent search of a passenger in the vehicle, identified as CHEA, located approximately 11 grams of crack cocaine in nine individual baggies, approximately two grams of Fentanyl in three individual baggies, 13 strips of Suboxone, nine tablets of Zubsolv, and 20 tablets of Gabapentin.
These are allegations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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