The arrest of a Lawrence man led investigators to find a cache of drugs and guns hidden inside "an alarmed trap wall closet," federal authorities in Massachusetts said Monday.
The office of U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foley said the discovery was made after 33-year-old Leury Then Rosario, a Dominican national living in Lawrence, was arrested Feb. 25.
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Authorities executed search warrants at Rosario's home and at "a multiservice business with an empty retail counter in the front room" he was alleged to use as a stash location.
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In a back room of that business, two large "casino-style poker tables" and video poker machines were found, authorities said. They added that two large, locked boxes containing items associated with the processing and production of drugs were found in a basement storage room.
"According to court documents, a small remote control with an extendable antenna was also allegedly found. When law enforcement actuated the remote control, an audible alarm sounded and a trap wall within the storage area opened – revealing a hidden closet," Foley's office wrote in a press release.
Authorities said the compartment contained more than 16 kilograms of counterfeit controlled substance pills, cocaine, more than four kilograms of fentanyl, a pill press to counterfeit Percoet, Xanax, Adderall and others; three semi-automatic handguns, two "ghost" guns, ammunition and more.
Rosario was charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and methamphetamine, prosecutors said. If convicted, he faces 10 years to life in prison, five years to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million.
"The alleged discovery of this defendant's hidden trap wall concealing a stockpile of narcotics and weapons lays bare the dangerous reality of drug trafficking today: fentanyl and methamphetamine are flooding our communities, protected by deadly firepower," Foley said in a statement. "Drug traffickers are adapting, but so are we. This office, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to dismantle these criminal networks piece by piece, ensuring those who peddle poison in our communities face the full force of justice."
"This arrest, the second successful operation in as many weeks, is a culmination of a complex investigation by local, state and federal partners," Massachusetts State Police Col. Geoffrey Noble said in a statement shared by the U.S. Attorney's Office. "Their results and the decision to prosecute these offenses reinforce our shared belief that criminal gangs, illegal guns and illicit drugs have no place in Massachusetts. We remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our communities."
Rosario is due in court for a hearing on March 7. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.
