Man sentenced to 7 years on drug charges

SALEM – An Allston man who was caught with more than one-quarter kilo of cocaine from a stash house on Harris Street in Peabody and additional cocaine on his person when stopped in Beverly in 2009 received seven years in state prison.Hansel Martinez, 37, last known address of 29 Everett St., Allston, pleaded guilty Thursday afternoon in Salem Superior Court to two counts of trafficking over 28 grams of cocaine before Judge Howard J. Whitehead.Martinez had been initially been charged with trafficking over 200 grams of cocaine, but that was reduced down to 28 grams, sparing him a mandatory 15-year state prison term. The sentence was the result of a plea concession between Assistant District Attorney James P. Gubitose and defense lawyer Stephen D. Judge.Martinez and his co-conspirator, Edison Carrasco, 22, were arrested Dec. 10, 2009 following an investigation by Peabody Police detectives, State Police and Boston Police.After receiving information, police followed Martinez’s movements from Lawrence and then observed him complete a drug deal in Beverly. He was then followed to 10 Harris St. in Peabody, where he left the apartment with Carrasco and was stopped by police a short time later.Authorities seized a key to the Harris Street home from Martinez along with more than an ounce of cocaine from his person.A few hours later, police executed a search warrant at the Harris Street address, where they discovered approximately 280 grams, over one-quarter of a kilo, of cocaine, hidden along with a grinder and scale with Martinez’s fingerprints on both, police said.Authorities believe they used a second-floor apartment at the Harris Street location as a stash house.Martinez has been held in custody in lieu of bail since his arrest and will receive credit for that time awaiting trial towards his term of incarceration.Carrasco pleaded to his role in the operation earlier this year and received three years in state prison for his involvement and is then expected to be deported back to his native Dominican Republic.