Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking

             CONCORD - Adam W. Gagnon, 43, of Manchester, pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

             According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 30, 2020, Manchester police detectives received information that Gagnon would be travelling to Lawrence, Massachusetts in an Uber to pick up a significant quantity of fentanyl for distribution. There were several outstanding warrants for Gagnon’s arrest.  Detectives observed Gagnon travel to Lawrence in an Uber, enter a building for approximately 10 minutes and get into another Uber to head northbound.  Detectives stopped the vehicle, arrested Gagnon on the warrants, and observed a cellophane wrapped package at Gagnon’s feet. The Uber driver consented to a search of the vehicle and the package was seized.  A lab later confirmed the package contained over 480 grams of fentanyl.          

            Gagnon is scheduled to be sentenced on May 28, 2021.

            “Those who bring large quantities of fentanyl into New Hampshire are endangering public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “In order to protect our communities, Operation S.O.S. is targeting the fentanyl dealers who are distributing this deadly drug in Hillsborough County.  I am grateful to the Manchester Police Department for their successful efforts to prevent this significant quantity of fentanyl from being sold on the streets of Manchester.”          

             This matter was investigated by the Manchester Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joachim H. Barth.

             This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.).  In July of 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the District of New Hampshire and nine other federal districts.  The goal of S.O.S. is to combat the large number of overdoses and deaths associated with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.   In New Hampshire, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is focusing its efforts on prosecuting synthetic opioid trafficking cases arising in Hillsborough County, which includes Manchester and Nashua.