Lawrence man charged with fentanyl trafficking

Source: Eagle-Tribune
Author: Dave Rogers

SALISBURY -- A Lawrence man charged with fentanyl trafficking was ordered held on $25,000 cash bail following his arraignment Friday in Newburyport District Court.

Farlyn Vizaury Ruiz, 35, was arrested earlier that day by local police following a lengthy investigation that began in November. In addition to the trafficking charge, Ruiz faces two counts of cocaine distribution and fentanyl distribution.

After booking Ruiz, biometric fingerprint data revealed the defendant was wanted out of Middlesex Superior Court for two counts of trafficking in heroin and cocaine from a 2010 case in Lowell.

At the time of his arrest in 2010, Ruiz provided a different name. Detectives have launched an additional investigation regarding his use of multiple aliases to evade detection from his previous criminal history dating back to 2010, according to local police.

"I would like to thank our law enforcement partners from the Newburyport Police Department and commend our officers and detectives for a diligent investigation," Salisbury police Chief Thomas Fowler said. "Fentanyl is a highly addictive and deadly narcotic that continues to impact our local families. By arresting the defendant, we are able to remove a significant source of dangerous drugs from our community."

Ruiz was arrested Friday about 11:15 a.m. at the Dunkin' Donuts on Toll Road after meeting an undercover officer there. The undercover officer bought $420 worth of drugs, five bags of fentanyl and one bag of cocaine. As Ruiz began backing out of the parking lot, several police blocked his exit, according to Salisbury police Sgt. Keith Forget's report.

Starting in November, local patrol officers and officers with the department's Criminal Investigations Division started an investigation regarding the routine distribution of narcotics to multiple locations within town. As a result of the investigation, officers performed numerous undercover purchases of fentanyl and cocaine from Ruiz in December.

Ruiz is due back in court on Feb. 2 for a pretrial hearing.