Lowell man pleads not guilty in Lynn drug deal case

SALEM – A man charged with receiving OxyCodone and illegal painkillers through a Federal Express package this summer remains free on $2,000 cash, after pleading innocent.Donald Pepper, Jr., 38, of 145 Gorham St., Lowell, entered pleaded not guilty Tuesday morning in Salem Superior Court to trafficking cocaine, possession with the intent to distribute Class C and Class E narcotics.Judge Howard J. Whitehead agreed to set the same bail amount as previously set in district court and continued the case to Feb. 5.On the afternoon of Aug. 22, authorities arrested Pepper after he allegedly signed for a package of illegal narcotics at an address on Walnut Street in Lynn.The package contained 26 grams of OxyCodone along with other illegal painkillers.Pepper is faces a minimum mandatory three years in state prison, if convicted on the drug trafficking charge.