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Law enforcement seized more than 12 firearms, more than one kilogram of cocaine, hundreds of fentanyl pills, and heroin, officials said.
Evidence seized during the months-long investigation into drug trafficking in Mass. Hampden District Attorney’s Office
Twenty-eight people were arrested following a months-long drug trafficking investigation in Chicopee, Holyoke, and Springfield on Tuesday, prosecutors said.
In addition to the arrests, officials seized more than 12 firearms, more than one kilogram of cocaine, hundreds of fentanyl pills, and heroin, according to the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office.
Led by the FBI’s Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force with the Chicopee Police Department, the investigation was known as “Operation Pinky Promise,” named for the pink fentanyl pills the alleged dealers promised to buyers, the DA’s Office said in a press release.
Investigators allege that members of an alleged drug trafficking organization in Holyoke and Springfield received, stored, processed, packaged, transported, and distributed cocaine, crack cocaine, and fentanyl, the DA’s Office said.
In January, an undercover law enforcement officer carried out several controlled purchases of cocaine as investigators sought to identify additional suspects, supply sources, and trafficking locations, prosecutors said.
Throughout the investigation, officials used surveillance, confidential sources, controlled purchases, search warrants, and a wiretap, according to the DA’s Office.
“This investigation represents exactly what we can accomplish when federal, state and local law enforcement combine our resources, expertise and authority toward a common goal,” Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said in a statement.
Prosecutors have no indicated what specific charges those arrested will face.
The following people were arrested as part of the investigation, prosecutors announced:
- Manolin Fernandez Sr., 59, of Holyoke
- Manolin Fernandez Jr., 29, of Chicopee
- Simaris Velez-Ares, 35, of Holyoke
- Iesha Rodriguez, 32, of Springfield
- Devin Fernandez, 19, of Holyoke
- Luis Santiago, 62, of Holyoke
- Christine Santiago, 61, of Holyoke
- Jose Jimenez, 58, of Holyoke
- Zachary Weidman, 25 of Chicopee
- Chloe Natal, 24, of Chicopee
- Joshua Ribeiro, 25, of Chicopee
- Arianna Kelly, 27, of Chicopee
- Justin Ribeiro, 24, of Chicopee
- Ymanii Wright, 22 of Chicopee
- Jean Fernandez, 28, of Holyoke
- Radames Perez, 48, of Springfield
- Rafael Martinez, 43, Springfield
- Xavier Rodriguez, 22, of Springfield
- Raekwon Acevedo, 28, of Holyoke
- Scott Paul, 55, of Chicopee
- Michelle Lazarz, 64, of Chicopee
- Kyle Methot, 44, of Chicopee
- Thomas Byrnes, 48, of Chicopee
- Melissa Goulet, 43 of Chicopee
- Joshua Baumann, 38, of Holyoke
- Isriel Vargas, 27, of Chicopee
- Monique Lambert, 38, of Chicopee
- Jayce Mack, 29, of Springfield
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