Nashua Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Trafficking

             CONCORD - Manuel Perkins, 28, of Nashua, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, between June 4, 2019 and July 11, 2019, at the direction of agents, a cooperating individual arranged three purchases of approximately eight ounces of cocaine from Perkins. 

            On July 30, 2019, agents arrested Perkins on a warrant while he was driving to meet the cooperator for a prearranged sale of approximately eight ounces of cocaine.  A search incident to arrest revealed $1,331 on his person.  Law enforcement officers later searched Perkins’ vehicle pursuant to a search warrant and found over 221 grams of cocaine inside a backpack.

            Perkins is scheduled to be sentenced on June 1, 2021.

            “Cocaine is an illegal drug that seriously endangers the health of those who use it,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “The distribution of this drug detracts from the wellbeing of all of our citizen by undermining public safety. We are working with New Hampshire State Police, Homeland Security Investigations and all of the law enforcement agencies operating in New Hampshire to stop the sale of cocaine and other dangerous drugs.”

             “One of HSI’s highest priorities remains disrupting drug traffickers who continue to pump deadly narcotics into our communities.  Today’s guilty plea of Mr. Perkins underscores the importance of law enforcement partners working together in the fight against narcotics traffickers,” said William S. Walker, acting Special Agent In Charge, Homeland Investigations, Boston. “HSI, along with our New Hampshire law enforcement partners, remains steadfast in our commitment to aggressively investigate traffickers and their networks who peddle cocaine and other dangerous drugs throughout New England.”

             This matter was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the New Hampshire State Police.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joachim H. Barth.