43°
Joan Ruiz, of Worcester, left Mario's Showplace in Webster with Carlos Marcano-Garcia, also of Worcester, around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, April 26, Webster Police said on Facebook.
One officer followed the vehicle, driven by Marcano-Garcia, as it turned onto Thompson Road. It was during that time that the officer noticed the car had an expired inspection sticker and pulled the vehicle over.
After stopping, another officer who arrived on scene saw Ruiz sitting in the passenger side as well as a plastic bag containing what appeared to be drugs in the front compartment, police said.
Officers escorted Marcano-Garcia out of the vehicle, but when they came back the bag was gone. Once Ruiz got out, they saw a "prominent bulge in the front of her pants," police said. The bulge turned out to be the same bag, which police did not specify exactly what was inside.
A third officer came to help search the car, which uncovered an amount of heroin and over $500 in cash in a backpack belonging to Ruiz. Overall, officers uncovered 24 grams of oxycodone, 5.8 grams of suspected fentanyl, and two grams of crack cocaine, according to police.
Officers later learned that Marcano-Garcia had a suspended drivers license and that Ruiz had an outstanding warrant for her arrest, police added. Both were taken into custody and booked at the Webster Police Department headquarters.
Marcano-Garcia, who was held on $50,040 cash bail, was charged with the following:
- Operating with a Suspended License
- Trafficking in Heroin/Morphine/Opium
- Possession of a Class A Substance
- Possession of a Class A Substance with the Intent to Distribute
- Possession of a Class B Substance with the Intent to Distribute
- Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substance Law
Ruiz, who was held on $10,040 cash bail, was charged with the following:
- Trafficking in Heroin/Morphine/Opium
- Possession of a Class A Substance
- Possession of a Class A Substance with the Intent to Distribute
- Possession of a Class B Substance with the Intent to Distribute
- Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substance Law
- Withholding Evidence from a Criminal Proceeding
Both were arraigned in Dudley District Court later that morning, police concluded.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Amherst and receive free news updates.
