Daronte Branch, age 25, of 6 Chase St., Nashua

NASHUA – His arrest this week on felony charges accusing him of possessing and selling heroin or fentanyl brings to six the number of times Nashua resident Daronte Branch has been arrested on drug-related offenses since 2017.

Branch, 25, of 6 Chase St., was initially charged with one count of sale of heroin or fentanyl, a special felony, when he was taken into custody on a warrant Monday evening, according to police.

But upon further investigation, police added two more special felony charges of sale of heroin or fentanyl, along with one count of possession of heroin or fentanyl, a Class A felony.

Police didn’t specify Branch’s bail status, saying only that he will be arraigned at a later date, which, according to his case summary, is June 24 in Hillsborough County Superior Court South.

Whether he was held, released on bail or given personal recognizance bail isn’t clear, but the fact the arraignment is scheduled nearly six weeks out indicates he was released either on bail or personal recognizance.

As for Monday’s arrest, members of the police departments Problem Oriented Policing (POP) Unit took Branch into custody about 4:30 p.m.

Members of the department’s Narcotics Intelligence Division had been investigating Branch since January, police said, based on information they received alleging Branch was “selling illicit narcotics within” Nashua.

The investigation led to the issuance of the search warrant, and ultimately, Branch’s arrest.

The arrest comes just over two months after Branch was arrested and charged with three drug-related offenses in early March. According to his case file, he was released on personal recognizance bail and is next due for a dispositional hearing on July 8.

Other case summaries on file show that Branch was arrested twice in 2020. On May 22, he was charged with three special-felony counts alleging either possession or sale of drugs.

In September, he was charged with two offenses related to alleged drug offenses. Both those cases appear to be ongoing.

Police remind residents who may have any information on illegal drug activity to call the department’s Narcotics Hotline at 594-3597.

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