MANCHESTER, NH – The arrest of a city man in connection with a gun incident on Hanover Street last week led to a drug investigation, the arrest yesterday of six other people and the confiscation of more than $6,000 in cash along with crack cocaine and fentanyl.
Rafael Pamphile, 34, of 461 Maple St., Apt. 1, was arrested July 21 on felony charges of criminal threatening, reckless conduct and being an armed career criminal. He was convicted in 2009 and 2020 on drug offenses and in 2019 of reckless conduct, all in Hillsborough County Superior Court Northern District.
The most recent charges were in connection with an incident on July 16, 2021, that happened about 8 a.m. outside 332 Hanover St. Police were notified of the incident by the landlord who also forwarded them a video recording of it.
Detectives viewed the video in which they say Pamphile is seen arguing with Darren Benton, 44, of 172 Merrimack St. The two men appear readied to fight but Pamphile turns towards his girlfriend, Teghan Farwell, 32, who is standing on the back stairs. Police said he runs to Farwell, grabs a black handgun from her and quickly approaches Benton who flees. Pamphile chases after Benton, the gun pointed at him until the two men are off camera. A witness told police at that point he heard a gunshot and saw Pamphile returning, the gun still in his left hand.
As a result of that incident, members of the Special Enforcement Division (SED) on July 22 conducted a drug investigation into the distribution of crack cocaine and fentanyl from apartment 4 at 332 Hanover St. Investigators obtained a search warrant for evidence of drug dealing and on Thursday SWAT and SED searched the apartment.
As a result, 10 people were detained and six arrested on various charges.
They included:
- Manuel Jones, 24, possession with intent to distribute a controlled drug;
- Amy Potter, 33, possession of a controlled drug and a warrant for failure to appear;
- Wayne Bello, 45, an electronic bench warrant;
- Jennifer Sennott, 23, electronic bench warrant;
- Shaban Calvert, 37, possession of a controlled drug, and
- Abygail Medugno, 29, resisting arrest/detention.
Police, in searching the apartment, recovered $6,238 in cash, 12 grams of crack cocaine and 10.4 grams of fentanyl.
Pamphile was arraigned Friday in Superior Court. Judge David Anderson ordered him preventatively detained (held without bail) because his release would pose a danger to the community “based on the violent nature of the alleged conduct: pointing a gun at an individual, pursuing that individual with the gun pointed, and then eventually firing the gun off screen.”
Anderson also noted Pamphile is a felon who cannot legally possess a gun.
The judge did not set an evidentiary hearing (further bail hearing) but said the defendant could request one if after reviewing the video of the encounter, his attorney concludes the video doesn’t support police’s account of what is shown on the video.
Anyone with more information regarding this incident is asked to call the Manchester Police Department at (603) 668-8711.
