Police: Lynn man received fake speaker with cocaine inside

LYNN – A judge ordered $100,000 cash bail for an Essex Avenue man who police said was mailed a fake stereo speaker with 200 grams of cocaine hidden inside.”Lynn Police located older, previously delivered packages in the master bedroom,” Massachusetts State Trooper Daniel Clemens wrote in a report. “These older packages contained similar, destroyed stereo parts, which are consistent with the most recent delivery.”Jose Figueroa, 28, of 15 Essex Ave. #1, was arrested and charged with trafficking in cocaine; and conspiracy to violate drug law; at 1:47 p.m. Wednesday. He pleaded not guilty to the charge Thursday in Lynn District Court.Lynn Police, Massachusetts State Police and the United States Postal Inspector Service have been investigating a suspected, large-scale drug-trafficking organization they referred to as “Edith” since July, according to court documents. The organization allegedly buys and distributes drugs and cash through the mail system, and police said they identified Figueroa as a suspect. (Police note on Figueroa’s booking sheet that the defendant’s mother is named Edith, and Figueroa has the name tattooed on his neck. Figueroa also has a tattoo saying “sometimes you need to let it go.”)A K9 unit at a North Reading postal facility identified a package containing drugs and addressed to Figueroa, according to police. Officers allegedly watched as postal workers delivered the package and Figueroa signed for it.Police subsequently arrested Figueroa and returned to the home with a search warrant.Police found the package contained a fake stereo speaker, inside of which 200 grams of cocaine was hidden, police reported. The cocaine was packaged so that the speaker had to be destroyed to remove the drugs, and police said similar destroyed stereo parts were found in the apartment.”This is significant because it is evidence that Figueroa received previous packages containing items, presumably cocaine,” Trooper Clemens wrote.Essex Assistant District Attorney Jacqueline Kaplan said the cocaine had a street value of approximately $8,000 to $10,000, and the charge carried a mandatory minimum sentence of 8 to 12 years in prison. She requested $1 million cash bail.Public defender Tom Pierce requested $5,000 cash bail.Judge Richard Mori ordered $100,000 cash bail, noting the defendant used an alias and that the case is to be indicted by the prosecution.Figueroa is scheduled to return to court Oct. 7.