LOWELL — A federal investigation into attainable cyber crimes took an sudden flip early Tuesday morning when Homeland Safety brokers, assisted by the Lowell Police, allegedly uncovered a drug trafficking operation inside a house within the Belvidere neighborhood.
The Lowell Police stated in an incident report that they seized practically $135,000 in money, together with MDMA, cocaine, marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, and THC merchandise, resulting in the arrest of 28-year-old John Simers.
Particular brokers from the Homeland Safety Investigations Cyber Crime Unit, together with members of the Lowell Police, arrived at what the incident report states is 483 Butman Highway, Unit 1, shortly earlier than 6 a.m. to execute a knock-and-announce federal search warrant. The warrant was geared toward gathering pc tools and any digital storage media from the house.
Simers, who advised authorities he has lived on the location for roughly three years, answered the door and agreed to talk with regulation enforcement, in line with police.
As brokers searched the residence, they allegedly found a big stash of medication and money, prompting detectives with the Lowell Police Division Particular Investigations Part to become involved.
Police alleged uncovering practically 15 kilos of marijuana, 49 grams of cocaine, 398 grams of MDMA, 919 THC vape pens, 449 grams of THC oil, 293 containers of THC gummies, 554 psilocybin chocolate bars, and practically a pound of psilocybin mushrooms. As well as, police stated they discovered $110,000 in money inside a field in a bed room, bringing the entire quantity seized from the residence to $134,721, which is now tagged pending a civil forfeiture listening to.
Police stated additionally they recovered from the residence two unidentified substances — one purple/brown powder and two black brick-like objects — totaling practically 1,400 grams. Nonetheless, after testing, police stated neither substance was discovered to include any illicit substances.
Simers was positioned below arrest on the scene and faces a number of expenses, together with the highest cost within the indictment, trafficking in additional than 200 grams of MDMA, a criminal offense that courtroom paperwork state carries a compulsory minimal sentence of 12 years and as much as 20 years in jail. He was additionally charged with trafficking in 36 grams however lower than 100 grams of cocaine, together with two counts of possession with intent to distribute a Class C substance (psilocybin and THC), and possession with intent to distribute a Class D substance (marijuana).
Simers was arraigned on Wednesday in Lowell District Court docket earlier than Decide John Coffey, who set bail at $10,000 money. Simers posted bail the identical day and was ordered to give up his passport as a situation of his launch.
His lawyer, Robin Gagne, declined to remark in regards to the case.
The police report didn’t point out whether or not any pc tools was faraway from the residence as a part of the separate federal investigation.
Observe Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.
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