2:42 a.m. traffic stop results in arrest for possession of & intent to distribute heroin

LACONIA — City police charged a Merrimac Street man with possession of heroin and possession of heroin with intent to distribute after a traffic stop on Highland Street on July 9.

An officer stopped Michael Brown, 31, for failing to use his traffic signal after making a left turn from Fairview Street at 2:42 a.m. When the officer asked for his license and registration, he said the car wasn't his so he didn't know where the registration was. He said the car belonged to a friend who lived on Fairview Street.

The officer said he observed that Brown's pupils were constricted and unresponsive to his flashlight. He noted he appeared nervous.

A supervisor arrived and walked up to the passenger side the car. Affidavits said the sergeant noticed Brown's legs were shaking and he had sweat coming from his hairline. When the sergeant bent down to the car from the passenger side he said he saw a clear plastic baggie on Brown's right side and money in his pocket. He said Brown began to shuffle around in the seat.

Police affidavits said the sergeant told Brown to get out of the vehicle because he feared for a weapon and once he was out of the car, the sergeant noticed a plastic baggie with smaller baggies inside of it. The powder inside the small baggies were consistent with heroin.

Once Brown was handcuffed, police said they found a red cigarette box with $271 dollars and two clear plastic bags of brownish powder. The sergeant estimated the amount of heroin found was about 15 grams and said Brown had a total of $321 on him.

The powder field tested positive for heroin.

After his video appearance in the 4th Circuit Court, Laconia Division on July 10, Brown was held on $10,000 cash bail only. As of Friday afternoon, he was still incarcerated.