New Hampshire

Feds charge 25 in multi-state drug ring involving Mass., N.H., and R.I. – The Boston Globe

Published

1 month ago

December 7, 2024

Feds charge 25 in multi-state drug ring involving Mass., N.H., and R.I. – The Boston Globe

An investigation into a drug trafficking ring allegedly led by a Leominster man, who filled custom orders taken by telephone and delivered fentanyl and cocaine in socks hidden in engine compartments, has netted charges against 25 people, including a dozen from Boston, federal prosecutors said Friday.

The ring raked in an estimated $20,000 a day distributing the narcotics throughout Boston, across Eastern Massachusetts, and into Rhode Island, acting US Attorney Joshua S. Levy’s office said in a statement.

Yulial Cueo-Reynoso, 33, whose street name was “Sonny,” paid people to maintain stash houses and to distribute the drugs, the statement said.

Levy’s statement names 19 of the 25 charged, they range in age from 22 to 43 and include three women. Twelve are from Boston, two from Leominster, and the rest are from Barnstable, Brookline, Lawrence, Manchester, N.H., and North Smithfield, R.I. Six others remain at large.

Federal agents began their investigation in March 2022 and seized more than 2.3 kilograms of fentanyl, 12 kilograms of a fentanyl/cocaine mix, 300 grams of cocaine, six guns, and $400,000, the statement said.

Investigators set up undercover drug buys and intercepted communications.

In one of the calls, Denly Soto-Tejeda, 25, of Manchester, N.H., allegedly remarked on the deadliness of their product. “Those people like the stuff that kills them,” he allegedly said.

Levy’s statement said the “takedown” of the ring “dismantled a sophisticated and large-scale drug trafficking organization operating in plain sight.”

“We allege that these defendants exploited addiction for personal profit and with full knowledge of that the drugs they were peddling could be lethal,” Levy said in the statement.”

Prosecutors allege that the organization used “a color-coding system to differentiate between the drugs” it was selling and frequently hid the drugs in socks that were stashed in engine compartments of delivery vehicles.

Stephen Belleau, the DEA’s acting special agent in charge of the New England field division, pledged his agency’s continued dedication to identifying and prosecuting those who distribute “deadly drugs in order to profit.”

Cueo-Reynoso and Soto-Tejeda have been arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, along with the following: Yordania Abel Rivera, 33, of Leominster; from Boston, Jorge Vizcaino, 24; Rafael Concepcion 34; Alinson Joel Ortiz Arias, 32; Axel Brea Baez, 25; Yeiron Vizcaino 28; Alberto Gonzalez, 36; Mariela Cuello Reynoso, 30; Elisbania Tejeda-Soto, 25; Rubert Adrian Jimenez, 24; Adrian Suncar-Gonzalez, 38; Johangel Mejia-Hernandez, 22; Francisco Tavarez Contreras, 43.

Also, Anthony Cuoco, 43, of Barnstable; Santo Franco-Sanchez, 42, of Brookline; Luis Guerrero, 25, of Lawrence; Carlos Abel Rivera, 34, of North Smithfield, R.I.. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Tonya Alanez can be reached at tonya.alanez@globe.com. Follow her @talanez.

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New Hampshire

Why are the New Hampshire Ice Castles so blue?

Published

4 hours ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Why are the New Hampshire Ice Castles so blue? – CBS Boston

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The Ice Castles in North Woodstock, New Hampshire are set to open this weekend, inviting visitors to enter a world of frosty enchantment. WBZ-TV’s Jacob Wycoff reports.

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New Hampshire

New Hampshire Ice Castles get unexpected boost from Mother Nature

Published

12 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Press Room

New Hampshire Ice Castles get unexpected boost from Mother Nature

NORTH WOODSTOCK, NH – The Ice Castles in North Woodstock, New Hampshire, are set to open this weekend, inviting visitors to enter a world of frosty enchantment.

Why are the Ice Castles blue?

With towering ice walls, sparkling tunnels and glowing sculptures, the Ice Castles are a true winter masterpiece. As crews put the finishing touches on the attraction ahead of Friday’s opening, this year marks one of the attraction’s earliest starts on record.

What makes New Hampshire’s Ice Castles unique is their distinct blue hue, a result of the pristine water sourced from nearby rivers. This natural element enhances the beauty of the castle, which gleams a cool blue under daylight. But it’s after dark when the castles truly transform, illuminated by thousands of LED lights embedded in the ice, creating a magical, glowing spectacle.

At night, LED lights embedded in the ice turn New Hampshire’s Ice Castles into a glowing spectacle.

CBS Boston

What does it take to build the Ice Castles?

Crafting this frozen wonder is no easy feat. The process begins as early as October, with a dedicated team of artists and builders meticulously constructing the castles by hand. They use millions of icicles grown and frozen on-site, working tirelessly to bring the vision to life.

“Mother Nature is 100% the main architect,” said Luke Ely, assistant manager for Ice Castles New Hampshire. “We pretty much do a dance with her the entire season to get what we have today.”

This year’s early-season cold weather provided an unexpected boost, allowing the team to get ahead of schedule for Friday’s opening.

Reflecting on the allure of ice, Ely added, “You don’t see it in this medium too much. Most of the time, winter is kind of like looked at as a harsh, negative, just-get-through-it kind of time time, and ice is the main factor in all that. And being able to do something with it that’s more beautiful and graceful, I thing, draws a lot folks.”

The Ice Castles in New Hampshire aim to remain open through April, weather permitting. Visitors are encouraged to experience this seasonal wonder before Mother Nature decides to reclaim her icy masterpiece.

Jacob Wycoff

Jacob Wycoff is a meteorologist at WBZ-TV and will contribute to weekend morning newscasts. Jacob is a member of the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society.

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New Hampshire

Two hospitalized after ambulance crashes in New Hampshire

Published

20 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Press Room

Two hospitalized after ambulance crashes in New Hampshire

Two people who were inside an ambulance had to be taken to the hospital when the emergency vehicle crashed Monday evening.

Firefighters responded to the crash on Old Candia Road just before 7:00 p.m.

First responders arrived to find that the driver of the ambulance was not responsive and another person inside the ambulance also needed medical treatment. Both were transported to the Elliot Hospital.

Candia firefighters say one occupant has been discharged from the emergency department while the other has been admitted to the hospital in stable condition.

An initial investigation determined the driver suffered a medical emergency while it was returning to the station, veered into the opposite lane of travel, hitting several small trees and a traffic sign before crashing into a water-filled ditch.

The ambulance passenger was able to exit the crashed vehicle and helped to treat the driver until additional medical units arrived on the scene.

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