Drug bust at Westminster residence uncovers cocaine trafficking operation, Suboxone, gabapentin, $6,200 cash under bed, & fireworks

WESTMINSTER — On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at approximately 1:48 p.m., Detective David Leblanc of the Westminster Police Department, who is also a member of the North Worcester County Drug Task Force (NWCDTF), was one of 19 detectives with the NWCDTF and the Massachusetts State Police Gang Unit who executed a search warrant at 115 East Road in Westminster.

(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Personnel Narrative of Detective Leblanc and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)

“I am the affiant of the search warrant,” Officer Leblanc said. “The target of the search warrant is Justin Wagner.”

According to police, Justin M. Wagner, 43, is a resident of 115 East Road, Westminster, MA.

Officer Leblanc stated that detectives with the NWCDTF conducted a months-long investigation into Wagner, during which he repeatedly sold cocaine to undercover officers, ultimately leading to probable cause for a search warrant.

“During this time, surveillance was conducted with detectives from the NWCDTF,” Officer Leblanc said of the investigation. “Also, these same members and I conducted controlled buys with Wagner to purchase cocaine. With the controlled buys as well as a motor vehicle stop following a meet up with Wagner and locating illegal drugs in the vehicle, this led to a search warrant through Gardner District Court for Wagner’s residence located at 115 East Road, Westminster, Mass.”  (A “controlled buy” transpires when a covert law enforcement operative clandestinely acquires contraband—most often narcotics—from an individual under suspicion of criminal activity).

“Detectives and I conducted a briefing at an undisclosed location for the execution of this search warrant at 1:00 p.m.,” Det. Leblanc said. “Shortly after this brief, all members went to their respective locations for surveillance as Wagner wasn’t home during this time.”

Det. Leblanc noted that every detective participating in the search warrant execution was wearing their department-issued ballistic vests, marked with “POLICE” on both the front and back, and had their badges visible.

“At approximately 1:48 p.m., detectives observed Wagner operating Massachusetts registration [# redacted], a 2012 Cadillac CTS color white toward 115 East Road,” Officer Leblanc said. “As Wagner pulled into the driveway, we converged on his vehicle. Wagner was still in the car when we approached and told him to get out of the car and he was placed into handcuffs while we executed the search warrant.”

Officer Leblanc said he stayed with Wagner while the other members of the NWCDTF and Mass State Police executed the knock and announce, and announced “Police search warrant!” while utilizing the house key from Wagner to open the door.

“I told Wagner he was being detained and read him his Miranda warnings from a card I carry on my person,” Officer Leblanc said. “Wagner said he understood and said he would speak with me. I showed Wagner the search warrant. The only other person inside of the area of the search warrant was Andrew Doucette DOB [redacted]. Both Wagner and Doucette were advised of their Miranda warnings again on body camera.” Doucette is 67 years old, according to police.

According to Officer Leblanc, the K9 officers sent their dogs around Wagner’s Cadillac and inside his house.

“K9 Rocky of the Gardner Police Department did indicate a change in behavior in the vehicle in the area of the center console,” Officer Leblanc said. “K9 Cody of the Lunenburg Police Department indicated a change in behavior in the closet of Wagner’s bedroom. While speaking with Wagner, he did say there was going to be illegal drugs in the vehicle and in his room.”

Officer Leblanc said that when he searched Wagner, he found one $100 bill in his front left pocket.

In Wagner’s vehicle, the detectives located the following:

• A white, chunky, rock-like substance that Detective Eric Smith of the Templeton Police Department, based on his training and experience, identified as suspected crack cocaine
• A ledger on the passenger floor
• Wagner’s wallet, which had $39.00 cash in it
• $50.00 cash in the center console
• One 8 mg strip of Suboxone in the center console

In Wagner’s closet, Detective Daniel Minichello of the Fitchburg Police Department located the following:

• Two clear, glassine (i.e. plastic) baggies with a white powdery substance, which Detective Minichello, based on his training and experience, identified as suspected cocaine
• A large, loose, rock-like substance that Detective Minichello, based on his training and experience, identified as suspected cocaine
• Light brown/white flaky substance believed to be cocaine
• Two scales with residue on them
• $528 in cash in a satchel
• Loose crumbs of a hard, white substance which appeared to be crack cocaine
• 56 Gabapentin pills: 46 orange capsules and 10 white pills
• $110 cash in a glass jar
• Container full of Suboxone strips, specifically:
  • Eleven 8 mg white and blue Suboxone strips
  • Twelve 4 mg square Suboxone strips
  • Twenty-six 8 mg Suboxone strips
• Twenty light red pills which will be tested at a drug lab

On the left side of Wagner’s bed Detective Ryan Coates of the Garnder Police Department located:

• Loose US currency and a Suboxone strip. The money amounted to $47.00.

Under the bed, Detective Coates located:

• A large amount of US currency amounting to $6,200

In the downstairs garage area, Detective Smith located:

• White powder with light green/tan flaky substance. “This will be sent to the lab for testing,” Det. Leblanc said.

On the nightstand next to Wagner’s bed, Det Minichello located:

• White chunky substance appearing to be crack cocaine

In a file folder next to Wagner’s bed, Det, Minichello located:

• US currency amounting to $150.00

Wagner was placed under arrest and transported to the Westminster Police Department to complete the booking process.

“During this process, I learned he was having difficulty breathing and the ambulance was called to evaluate him,” Officer Leblanc said. “After the evaluation, Officer Porpora went with the ambulance to Heywood Hospital. Wagner was admitted for pneumonia and placed on oxygen.”

Officer Leblanc added that Detective Dave Gordon of the Fitchburg Police Department located a box of fireworks in the garage that were transported to the station for disposal by the Mass State Police Bomb Squad.

“The bomb squad was notified and responded to the station,” Officer Leblanc said. “At approximately 8:45 p.m., these fireworks were detonated and rendered safe/inactive.”

The suspected cocaine seized from Wagner’s residence was weighed at the station, totaling approximately 22.5 grams.

Wagner was charged with the following:

1. Cocaine, Trafficking in 18 Grams or More, Less than 36 Grams
2. Possess to Distribute Class E Drug (gabapentin)
3. Possess to Distribute Class B Drug (Suboxone)

Wagner’s bail was set at $7,500 cash.

Wagner was arraigned in Gardner District Court on Jan. 22, 2025.

Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story was from January 2025, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to get the court documents for the incident. FOIAs are time consuming.

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