Four-month undercover operation yields kilo of heroin

BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com) -- A four-month investigation that included more than a dozen undercover drug buys culminated over the weekend in the seizure of a handgun, ammunition, more than a kilogram of heroin, and more than $3,000 in cash, authorities said Wednesday.

Jean Carlos Orfil Arias Tejada, 24, of Brighton, Enyer Osiel Martinez-Avalos, 23, of Revere, and Rafael Maysonet-Pagan, 24, of Revere, were arraigned Tuesday. All three were charged with 13 counts of distribution of a Class A substance, two counts of trafficking in a Class A substance, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition.

Tejada and Martinez-Avalos are additionally charged with possession of a fraudulent Registry of Motor Vehicles document for Massachusetts driver's licenses with fraudulent names.

Bail was set at $25,000 for Maysonet-Pagan and $75,000 for Martinez-Avalos and Tejeda. The latter two defendants were also held on an immigration detainer sought by ICE officials.

According to police, undercover authorities bought drugs from Tejada and Martinez-Avalos on 13 different occasions throughout the summer. Authorities then arranged to buy 40 grams of heroin from them on Oct. 11.

Once the deal was arranged, officers moved in to arrest Martinez-Avalos and Maysonet-Pagan who had just completed a drug sale to undercover troopers on Sumner Street.

Officers executed search warrants at Martinez-Avalos' residence on Thornton Street and Tejada's residence on North Beacon Street.

During the search of Martinez-Avalos' home, authorities seized about 44 grams of heroin, a device used to press heroin into a compact form, five rounds of .38 caliber ammunition, and scales, baggies, and other items consistent with drug distribution.

The warrant at Tejada's home yielded just over $3,000 in cash. Tejada was home at the time of the search and was placed under arrest after undercover officers called the number they used to make the drug purchases and his phone rang.

As a result of the search warrant and pursuant interviews with the suspects, investigators developed additional evidence that the trio had an additional kilogram of heroin at a third location - a "stash house" on Beach Street in Revere.

Authorities executed a search warrant at the Beach Street apartment and found an air mattress, a small table, and a suitcase containing a kilogram of heroin, a large number of small baggies containing heroin and a scale, and a .38 Amadeo Rossi revolver.

The three suspects will return to court on Nov. 15.

Cox Media Group