Island Resident Held Without Bail Following Cocaine Bust
David Creed •
An island resident was arrested last week and subsequently charged with drug trafficking after police discovered more than 60 grams of cocaine in his possession during a motor vehicle stop on Surfside Road. The arrest followed a tip from a confidential source that the suspect was traveling to Nantucket with an undisclosed amount of the substance to sell on the island.
Jorge Guzman, 31, of Nantucket, was arraigned in Nantucket District Court Monday morning on a Sept. 19th charge of trafficking cocaine in an amount greater than 36 grams but less than 100 grams. He had a not-guilty plea entered on his behalf and had his bail set at $25,000 cash, $250,000 surety.
But the arrest violated Guzman’s probation that he was serving on a 2024 charge of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. That led Nantucket District Court Judge James Sullivan to rule that Guzman should be considered a danger to the community. Judge Sullivan ordered Guzman to be held in custody and transported to the Barnstable House of Corrections, with a pretrial hearing date set for Oct. 6th.
According to the police report, NPD detective James Olson said the confidential source told him that Guzman was traveling back to the island at some point on Friday with an undisclosed amount of cocaine and the intention of selling it on Nantucket. Olson was able to confirm with the Steamship Authority that Guzman had a reservation on the 5:30 p.m. Hyannis to Nantucket ferry with his black 2025 Ford F150 that day.
A Massachusetts State Police trooper was able to confirm through license plate readers that the vehicle travelled over the Sagamore Bridge at 4:50 p.m. and down Route 132 in Hyannis at 4:56 p.m., while another trooper was able to confirm Guzman and the vehicle were at the Steamship Authority terminal in Hyannis at 5:24 p.m.
Olson wrote that at approximately 7:56 p.m., he and detective Keith Mansfield were in the area of the Steamship Authority’s terminal on Nantucket when they observed the Ford F150 drive past them. Olson eventually activated his emergency blue lights and initiated a motor vehicle stop at 10 Surfside Road.
Olson was able to identify the driver as Guzman during the stop and advised Guzman that the police had reasonable suspicion that Guzman possessed narcotics in the vehicle. Guzman allegedly told Olson that he didn't have narcotics in the vehicle and allowed police to search his car.
With the assistance of translation services via cell phone, Guzman was read the Nantucket Police Department’s consent to search form, which he signed. While searching under the rear seat of the truck, Olson and Mansfield located a first aid kit with a small manila envelope inside of it containing two clear plastic baggies, which contained a hard, white chunky substance consistent with cocaine.
Olson advised Guzman that he was under arrest for possession of cocaine. The substance has since been field tested at the police station, where Olson said it tested positive for being cocaine.
Both bags were weighed, with one weighing 31 grams and the second weighing 32 grams, for a total weight of 63 grams.