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A patrolling police officer spotted 21-year-old Sebastian Lopez Ortega, who had an active warrant for his arrest, on Tuesday, Jan. 10, according to the Salem Police Department. Ortega, who had previously failed to appear in court, was walking behind 135 Lafayette Street.
Ortega resisted arrest and ran away from the officer, tossing multiple plastic baggies that looked like they contained drugs as he ran. The officer caught up with the wanted man and was able to arrest him with some help from backup units.
The ditched baggies were collected and were found to contain drugs. The three baggies held:
- More than five grams of a white waxy rock material, consistent with crack cocaine
- More than 37 grams of a light brown powder, consistent with fentanyl
- More than five grams of a light blue powder, consistent with fentanyl that is pressed into pills and distributed as Percocet
Ortega was also carrying more than $500 in cash, likely obtained through drug deals, police said.
Ortega is charged with the following:
- Trafficking a class A substance, (fentanyl)
- Possession with intent to distribute a class B substance (crack cocaine)
- Resisting arrest
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