Saugus man admits to dealing drugs, gets 5 years in prison

SALEM – A Saugus man who admitted dealing large amounts of OxyContin from his Stonecrest Drive home in 2009 is headed to state prison for five years and then will be on probation.Stephen John Spaziani, 52, of 2 Stonecrest Drive, changed his plea of innocent to guilty Monday morning in Salem Superior Court, pleading guilty to trafficking over 14 grams of opium as well as two counts of possession with the intent to distribute opium before Judge David A. Lowy.Spaziani was sentenced to serve five years in state prison to be followed by five years of probation at which time he will remain drug-free except for prescribed medications, consent to random substance abuse screenings, comply with mental health treatment as ordered and provide probation verification of prescription medications he is taking.The charges arise out of a state police investigation that began in June of 2009 and with the assistance of a confidential informant.On Aug. 27, the cooperating witness met up with Spaziani at the Kowloon parking lot in Saugus where they then drove to his home and $5,000 was turned over to Spaziani in exchange for 355 thirty-milligram OxyContin pills.Two weeks later on Sept. 10, another 150 eighty-milligram pills were sold for $5,100 from his home.Then on Sept. 24, Spaziani sold 450 eighty-milligram tablets for $15,300.Police moved in and arrested Spaziani at his residence and seized the $15,300 in his pocket, but no OxyContin pills were found on his person or in his home, according to reports. Authorities did, however, discover a key to a safety deposit box where reportedly between $8,000 and $9,000 was found at a bank in East Boston along with personal papers.The pills were derived by a supplier out of Florida, according to reports.All three transactions that occurred were recorded by State Police. The OxyContin pills transacted were tested at the state lab and determined to be a derivative of opium, the prosecutor said.Assistant District Attorney Kim Faitella emphasized to Feeley that the joint recommendation offered to the court was the result of “long and extensive negotiations” between her and the defense.Defense lawyer Henry B. Brennan Jr. pointed out that his client has had “long standing psychological issues, as well as recent physical issues” as he asked him to impose the agreed punishment, which Feeley adopted.Spaziani will serve his prison term at MCI Plymouth state prison, at the request of his attorney.Spaziani was indicted by an Essex County grand jury in October of 2009 and has been free on $50,000 cash bail since being arraigned.