Lynn drug suspect pleads guilty; sentenced to 5 years

SALEM – A Lynn landscaper who admitted peddling heroin last year in Lynn is headed to state prison for five years.Edwardo G. Rios, also known as Carlos Pena Diaz, 37, of 93 Lynnway, #1, Lynn, changed his plea of innocent to guilty Friday morning in Salem Superior Court to a charge of trafficking over 14 grams of heroin.Judge Timothy Q. Feeley sentenced Rios in accordance with an agreement reached by Assistant District Attorney Michael Patten and defense lawyer Stephen D. Judge.Patten stated that following an investigation police arrested Rios on Sept. 2 on a warrant on the Lynnway.Then police searched his home and after several hours noticed a wooded gate that led to a walkway on the side of building. Upon closer look, police discovered a patch of earth that was loose and found a plastic bag with 20 fingers of heroin, more than 14 grams.Authorities then informed Rios of their seizure and he responded by saying there were just 13 or 14 fingers, thus implicating himself to the contents of the heroin seized, said Patten.Rios was indicted by an Essex County grand jury in January of 2011. He will receive credit of 260 days toward his term of incarceration.