LAWRENCE, Massachusetts — A man who came down to Lawrence from Maine to buy heroin had his 2-year-old twins in the back seat of his car during the transaction, police said.
Jeremiah Hollenbeck, 30, of Lebanon, Maine, was arrested at around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday and charged with possession of heroin, child endangerment and failure to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk in front of the New Balance factory on South Union Street.
The woman from whom he allegedly bought 10 grams of the drug for $300, Norma Perez, 52, of 100 Market St., was arrested and charged with distribution of heroin and possession of heroin.
Lawrence District Court Judge Holly Broadbent ordered Perez held at MCI-Framingham in lieu of $7,500 cash bail. Hollenbeck was held at Middleton jail in lieu of $500 cash bail. Their cases were continued until July 10.
A concerned citizen reported seeing what appeared to be a drug deal in a blue Volvo station wagon on Market Street, according to a report filed by Detective David Moynihan. Officers with the Street Narcotics Enforcement Unit saw Hollenbeck meet briefly with Perez, then return to his car, police said.
Hollenbeck then drove through the crosswalk in front of New Balance without stopping for pedestrians and took a right on Canal Street — which would have brought him to Interstate 495 and afforded him a quick trip back to his home, Moynihan noted in his report.
Police stopped Hollenbeck on Canal Street and recovered 10 grams of heroin, Moynihan wrote. Meanwhile, Capt. Roy Vasque and Detective Radames Gonzalez arrested Perez, who was walking on Canal Street.
Sitting between the twins, who were secured in car seats, was Jamie Eaton, 42, of Somersworth, N.H., according to Moynihan’s report. Eaton was arrested and charged with possession of heroin.
Police notified the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families as well as Maine social service authorities of the toddlers’ exposure to drug activity.
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