NASHUA – The fact Nashua police, in a Tuesday drug raid on Scripture Street, charged Seth Shackford with the offense of “acts prohibited – drug enterprise leader” is appropriate, a prosecutor said Wednesday, because Shackford is accused of conspiring with other people to conduct five drug transactions within about a 10-week period this summer.

Attorney Shawn Sweeney, who represented Shackford at his arraignment and bail hearing Wednesday, described the drug enterprise leader charge as “a sort of lofty title for these (alleged) series of transactions” his client is accused of conducting between June 17 and Aug. 27 in Nashua.

Sweeney supported his position by citing the fact Nashua police, in searching the 24 Scripture St. residence where Shackford and five other suspects were arrested, found “only user-level quantities of methamphetamine and some Suboxone strips,” and seized no cash nor property.

Shackford, 40, and Ryan Magro, 36, a resident of Dunstable, Massachusetts, appeared in Superior Court on Wednesday for arraignment and bail hearings on charges police filed upon taking them and four other alleged associates into custody following a three-month police investigation into Shackford’s alleged drug activities.

Arrested along with Shackford and Magro were Carol Jones, 55, of 24 Scripture St.; Jessica Jones, 35, of 22 Morgan St.; Kullawat Jaemsirikarn, 45, of 830 Lakeview Ave., Lowell, Massachusetts; and Richard Covino, 33, of no fixed address.

Carol Jones, Jessica Jones and Jaemsirikarn were released on bail and are scheduled for arraignment on Oct. 3 at Hillsborough County Superior Court-South.

Carol Jones was charged with one count of acts prohibited – maintaining a common nuisance, a Class B felony accusing her of keeping a dwelling where drug activity takes place.

Jessica Jones is charged with one count of sale of heroin, subsequent offense, a Class A felony.

Jaemsirikarn is charged with one count of possession of methamphetamine, a Class B felony.

Covino is charged with one count of possession of heroin, subsequent offense, a Class A felony. He was held without bail pending arraignment. Police said Covino was also found to have several pending active warrants for his arrest.

The prosecutor, Assistant County Attorney Brett Harpster, said Wednesday that although Shackford has little criminal history, “these are very serious allegations … we rarely see drug enterprise leader charges in this court.”

Harpster noted Shackford was arrested in January in Salem on felony drug-possession allegations, then allegedly failed to appear at a Rockingham County Superior Court hearing in connection with that case.

Judge Jacalyn Colburn set Shackford’s bail at $5,000 cash or surety.

Magro, meanwhile, is currently on federal supervision in a case based in Massachusetts, Harpster said Wednesday. He said Magro had served 12 years of a 15-year term in federal prison, at which time he was put on supervised release.

While Magro’s most recent arrest before Tuesday was on a drug-possession charge, Harpster said the fact he was still on supervised release at the time was the rationale behind his recommendation that Magro’s bail be set at $20,000 cash or surety.

Attorney Joe Fricano, who represented Magro at the hearing, told the court Magro had had 12 years of sobriety before he relapsed about 10 months ago.

He continues working with his parole officer, Fricano said, and has done stints in recovery houses and similar programs as part of that effort.

Colburn, after hearing the lawyers’ arguments, ordered Magro held on preventive detention, but said she would reconsider the order and possibly convert it to personal recognizance if Magro’s parole officer “is willing to support a (treatment and recovery) plan” and continue to supervise him.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256, dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com, or @Telegraph_DeanS.

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