Lexus leads to drug bust

An investigation that began with a fracas on Dixon Street ended earlier this month when a local man was sentenced to 15 years in prison in United States District Court in Concord on federal drug charges.

James Holland Flanders, 30, formerly of Cotton Hill Road, whose criminal record includes prior convictions on drug and weapons charges, pled guilty to charges of conspiring and possessing more than 50-grams of cocaine with intent to distribute.

Captain Bill Clary of the Laconia Police said that Detective Chris Noyes pursued the investigation to a successful conclusion, but the department referred the case to the United States Attorney for prosecution in order to ensure a speedy outcome and stiff sentence.

According to the affidavit of special agent Mark Alford of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, on June 12, 2008, Laconia police were dispatched to Dixon Street, where four or five men, some reportedly armed, were engaged in a confrontation. A witness told police that he was at a friend's home when the men, Flanders among them, appeared demanding a motorcycle left there. One of the men drew a pistol and pointed it at his friend then hit him in the face with a beer bottle. Witnesses to the incident, said the men arrived and left in a green Lexus thought to be registered to Flanders, who was believed to be living in Northfield.

Northfield police found the car at 35 Summer Street, not far from the station, and noticed blood on the center console and back seat. The car, which was sought in connection with the assault, was brought to the impound lot at the Laconia Police Department.

Meanwhile, police were informed that if the victim of the assault identified his assailants, he would be killed. The same informants told police that there was a hidden compartment under the floor on the driver's side of the Lexus where drugs and cash were kept. When police searched the car on June 14, they found a large plastic bag containing crack cocaine and several bags of cocaine, along with stolen a nine millimeter handgun.

After searching the Lexus, police obtained recorded telephone conversations between Flanders and an inmate at the New Hampshire State Prison. On June 14, while police were searching the car, the inmate asked Flanders "what's up with the whip (the car)?" Flanders replied that "they came and grabbed it just because it was involved in an incident in Laconia. It is sitting in the impound lot right now. . . . Too many people know I wake up praying everyday that we just hurry up and get it back soon . . . because I mean obviously it's registered to somebody else but I'm gonna take the hit and I don't want to do that — no way." When the inmate asked Why? Nothing's there right?" Flanders answered "are you kidding me?"

When the two spoke again, Flanders remarked "we went to get our cards read the other day and she didn't see any big problems in our future. She just saw little things, she saw a little investigation and some questioning going on but she didn't see any jail time and that dude says she's always right on."