Police make 3rd prescription pill bust arrest
NASHUA – A third Nashua resident was arrested in connection to the largest prescription drug bust in the city’s history.
Nashua police narcotics intelligence division and uniform officers arrested Amanda Patton, 28, of 108 Pine St., around 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, and charged her with illegally possessing about 7,000 prescription pills, police said.
The pills are only a small a portion of the $2.5 million in prescription pills and pharmacy equipment stolen from a Massachusetts warehouse three years ago.
Patton is facing a slew of felony charges including two counts of unlawful sale of Klonopin, two counts for the unlawful sale of Xanax, and one count each of the possession of Klonopin with intent to distribute and possession of Xanax with the intent to distribute, police said.
Police found the pills Patton was allegedly in possession of after pills were purchased from her and after executing a search warrant at her home, police said.
Police seized more than 322,000 prescription pills with an estimated street value of $500,000 from 9 Burritt St. after being called there Tuesday, Oct. 27, following a report of a man having a heart attack.
Andreas Antoniou, 38, died from that heart attack, and a week later, on Nov. 3, police arrested the home’s owner, Tam Mitchell, 32, and charged him with possession of a controlled drug with intent to sell, second offense, and falsifying physical evidence. Police also arrested Mitchell’s girlfriend, Cora White, 23, who also lives at 9 Burritt St., and charged her with providing false information to police.
The pills are mostly anti-anxiety and pain medications. Klonopin, also known as Clonazepam, is an anti-seizure medication. Xanax is an anxiety and panic disorder medication.
Nashua police Lt. Scott Hammond said police are still investigating Patton’s role. He said she was never in possession of the 322,000 pills at 9 Burritt St. and was not involved in the original Massachusetts burglary. The roughly 7,000 pills she did have came from that warehouse though, Hammond said.
“We know the drugs are one in the same. They came from the same lot of drugs. I can’t say for sure how she obtained them,” he said.
The seizure at 9 Burritt St. is the largest drug bust in Nashua history. Investigators believe it’s the largest seizure of prescription pills in New Hampshire and perhaps New England history as well.
The investigation began because first responders spotted evidence of drug use when they arrived to help Antoniou. Antoniou was Mitchell’s partner, police said.
The 322,000 pills are believed to be about one-third of the pills taken in Nov. 4, 2006, from a 400,000-square-foot AmerisourceBergen Corp. warehouse in Methuen, Mass. Police there believe they are close to cracking that case. They have teamed with FBI agents, Massachusetts State Police troopers and officers from Londonderry and Derry since 2006.
Patton is being held at Hillsborough County House of Corrections on $100,000 cash or surety bail. Each charge is punishable by up to seven years in prison plus fines, police said.
Mitchell was released on cash and personal recognizance bail pending an arraignment at Nashua District Court. He’s facing up to seven years in prison plus fines for one charge of falsifying evidence and up to 15 years in prison plus fines for one charge of possession of a controlled drug with intent to distribute.
Police are continuing to investigate and ask that anyone with information call the Narcotics Hotline at 594-3597 or submit a tip via the department’s Web site, nashuapd.com.
“We’re continuing to investigate. We know there are a lot more of these pills out there,” Hammond said.
Joseph G. Cote can be reached at 594-6415 or jcote@nasuatelegraph.com.
