40 in 4 weeks: Operation Granite Hammer strikes again, nets another 4 arrests

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MANCHESTER, NH – The Manchester Police Department’s Special Enforcement Division, along with the United States Drug Enforcement Agency- HIDTA Task Force and New Hampshire State Police Narcotics Investigation Unit conducted the fourth “Operation Granite Hammer” initiative on October 20, 2015.

Four arrests were made Tuesday, increasing the number of arrests from this initiative to approximately 40 arrests over the past four weeks, police said.

Bouchard
Bouchard

At 8:10 p.m. Tuesday a search warrant was executed at a Bremer Street apartment after an investigation revealed the sale of heroin and fentanyl allegedly taking place from there. Authorities located and arrested Jessica Bouchard, 31, of Manchester, and seized 183 grams of fentanyl, plus a loaded 9mm handgun. Bouchard was charged with sale of a controlled drug (fentanyl) and possession with intent to distribute-(fentanyl).

LaFrance
LaFrance

Bouchard’s alleged co-conspirator, Jason LaFrance, 45, was located at the New Hampshire probation/parole office, 60 Rogers St., a short time later. LaFrance jumped from a second story window in an attempt to elude police, but was caught after sustaining a serious, but non-life threatening leg injury. He was transported to the Elliot Hospital for treatment. LaFrance was charged with; sale of a controlled drug (fentanyl); possession with intent to =distribute (183 grams fentanyl); felonious use of a firearm; and armed career criminal. He was placed on a 72-hour hold for probation violations.

Duran
Duran

Earlier in the day detectives conducted a motor vehicle stop at 4:05 p.m. on Tuesday. Detectives observed a white Chevy Cavalier proceed into the Market Basket Parking lot from West Auburn Street and noticed a defective brake light. They pulled into the parking lot and watched a passenger, later identified as Jordan Duran, 38, no fixed address, engage in suspicious activity with a backseat passenger.

After police watched him exchange an unknown item with the unidentified passenger, Durand exited the vehicle and walked toward the front door. Detectives approached the man and identified themselves as police officers. They asked him to stop, but he refused their commands and he started to run away from the plain clothes detectives. Duran was caught a short distance from the store and apprehended without incident. Detectives located a hypodermic needle inside of his pocket, but the contents had been flushed out and were seeping through his jeans. He discarded the contents (heroin) before he was apprehended. No heroin remained inside of the hypodermic needle, so he was charged with resisting arrest and falsifying physical evidence. Both the female operator and rear seat passenger fled the scene while Duran was being arrested, so they were not identified.

Martinez
Martinez

In another Tuesday arrest, New Hampshire State Police Detectives arrested Ramon Martinez, 38, of Goffstown, for criminal threatening, simple assault and possession of a controlled drug (2 grams heroin and 5 grams marijuana). He was booked without incident. Further details of the arrest were not immediately available from State Police.

Duran, Martinez and Bouchard appeared in the 9th Circuit Court-Manchester on October 21, 2015. LaFrance will be arraigned as soon as he is medically cleared.


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About this Author

Carol Robidoux

PublisherManchester Ink Link

Longtime NH journalist and publisher of ManchesterInkLink.com. Loves R&B, German beer, and the Queen City!