Couple Arrested For Selling Coke Outside Home Depot

The Tewksbury Police Department's efforts to stop drug trafficking in town took another step forward Monday night with the arrests of a man and woman selling drugs out of their car in the parking lot of Home Depot.

Peter E. Surette IV, 27, of 19 Hancock Circle, Methuen, was arrested and charged with Distribution of a Class B Substance (Cocaine), Possession of a Class B substance (Cocaine), Possession of a Class A Substance (Heroin) and Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substance Act.  Jennifer E. LaFreniere, 23, of 183 State West Road, Westminster, was arrested and charged with Distribution of a Class B Substance (Cocaine) and Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substance Act.

According to Police Chief Timothy Sheehan, officers were conducting surveillance of the Home Depot parking lot when they saw a man and woman, later identified as Surette and LaFreniere, conducting a transaction with another individual. When officers stopped their vehicle, they learned that Surette and LaFreniere had sold cocaine from their motor vehicle.

Surette and LaFreniere were arrested. Additional cocaine and heroin were found on Surette after he was taken into custody. Both were scheduled to be arraigned at Lowell District Court on Dec. 4, 2012.

In recent months, surveillance operations targeting popular drug trafficking locations have lead to arrests in the Woburn Street area and in the Walmart parking lot.