Three Worcester County Men Indicted on Federal Drug Charges in Operation Grand Slam, Reports U.S. Attorney

20 February 2006

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan, June W. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in New England, and Clinton Police Chief Mark Laverdure announced today that JOSE PARRA, age 30, of 7 Hilma Street, Worcester, MA, ARTURO NUNEZ, age 29, of 50 West Street, #1, Leominster, MA, and CARMELO FIGUEROA, age 28, of 62 Chocksett Road, Sterling, MA, were charged in three separate indictments with multiple federal drug charges as part of "Operation Grand Slam," a multi-agency investigation into the distribution of cocaine base throughout the northern part of Worcester County. Cocaine base is more commonly known as "crack cocaine."

The first indictment charges PARRA with three counts of distributing cocaine and three counts of distributing cocaine base in the communities of Clinton and Leominster, MA. At an earlier hearing, the government presented evidence that Parra, the owner of the Grand Slam Barber Shop in Clinton, MA, often negotiated the cocaine and crack cocaine transactions from his barber shop and would either deal the drugs at the barber shop or other nearby locations, including a parking lot at Clinton High School.

The second indictment charges NUNEZ with two counts of distributing cocaine base in Leominster, MA.

The third indictment charges FIGUEROA with conspiracy, two counts of distributing cocaine base and one count of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base in Sterling, MA.

If convicted on these charges, each defendant faces a minimum mandatory term of imprisonment of 10 years, and a maximum term of life, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a $4 million fine.

The prosecution is led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Casey of Sullivan's Worcester Office. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Task Force in Worcester, with the assistance of the Clinton Police Department and the North Worcester County Drug Task Force.

Source: prnewswire

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