Two arrested in Athol after fentanyl probe uncovers child alone in camper, large drug stash

ATHOL — On Friday, July 11, 2025, following an investigation into suspected heroin and fentanyl sales by Shawn Desaulniers and Trina McNabb, Orange Police Detective Travis Rushford said he obtained a search warrant from Franklin Superior Court for the pair’s camper, located on the property of 363 White Pond Road in Athol.

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

The search warrant also included a vehicle owned and operated by Desaulniers, his cell phone, and McNabb’s cell phone.

According to police, Shawn Paul Desaulniers, 33, is a resident of 363 White Pond Road in Athol, MA. Court documents indicate he’s single.

Trina McNabb, 27, is a resident of 363 White Pond Road in Athol, MA.

“The search warrant for the residence and vehicle granted daytime and nighttime execution as well as authorization to search all persons present within the residence and vehicle,” Det. Rushford said.

Detective Rushford said that on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at approximately 6:21 p.m., investigators from the Northwestern District Attorneys Anti-Crime Task Force (NDATF) located Desaulniers’ vehicle parked at a small beach on South Athol Road in Athol.

“A subject, later identified as Joey [last name redacted], was observed meeting with the vehicle on the driver’s side, as well as another subject, later identified as Dustin [last name redacted],” Det. Rushford said. “Investigators pulled onto the beach property and activated their blue lights. I approached the passenger side of Desaulniers’ vehicle and identified myself as the police, telling him to stop the vehicle as it started to drive away.”

Detective Rushford said that Desaulniers was in the driver’s seat and McNabb was in the passenger seat of Desaulniers’ vehicle.

“The vehicle stopped and I opened the passenger door, again identifying myself. I explained that I had a search warrant for the vehicle and all its occupants which they understood,” Det. Rushford said. “I asked McNabb to exit the vehicle, which she did without issue, and I secured her in handcuffs, leading her to stand next to a small, wooded area.”

Detective Rushford said another officer retrieved a wheelchair from the trunk and assisted Desaulniers, who is unable to walk, out of the vehicle. He added that he then read both Desaulniers and McNabb their Miranda rights from a card he carries, which he said they understood.

“I also explained the search warrant for the vehicle as well as the camper and both of their cell phones,” Det. Rushford said. “Both cell phones were later recovered from both Desaulniers and Mcnabb and were called on scene to confirm they were the correct ones.”

Detective Rushford said he then contacted Orange Police Officer Evangeline Cakounes and asked her to respond to the scene to search McNabb. Detective Rushford also requested that K9 Officer Kyle Johnson respond to the scene with K9 Zeus, a narcotics detection dog, to conduct a sniff of the vehicle.

Detective Rushford said that prior to the arrival of Officer Cakounes, McNabb was seen manipulating a purse/bag from behind her back and throwing multiple small items into the woods.

“These items were later recovered and found to be approximately 40 bags/dosage units of suspected heroin/fentanyl with an ‘Ironman’ blue ink stamp,” Det. Rushford said.

A later search of the black purse McNabb had removed from the vehicle before she was handcuffed revealed approximately 35 bags, or dosage units, of suspected heroin/fentanyl, each stamped with a blue “Ironman” logo, according to Detective Rushford.

“Officer Johnson deployed K-9 Zeus and advised me that K-9 Zeus did alert on the vehicle,” Det. Rushford added. “A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded a small locking cylinder in the glove box. A key located within the vehicle opened the safe and yielded approximately 30 bags/dosage units of suspected heroin/fentanyl with an ‘Ironman’ blue ink stamp and approximately four blue pills suspected to be Clonazepam.”

Desaulniers was wearing a black crossbody bag, which, when searched, contained his cellphone and approximately $987 in U.S. currency. The cash was seized as potential drug proceeds.

“A stun gun was also located in the glove box, both Desaulniers and McNabb do not possess an active License to Carry,” Det. Rushford said. “A copy of the search warrant was left in the vehicle which was later towed by Dale’s Auto.”

According to Detective Rushford, Task Force Officer (TFO) John Boland spoke with Joey at one point and read him his Miranda rights, which Joey indicated he understood. Detective Rushford said that when asked about their reason for being there, Joey initially stated they were just hanging out and that Desaulniers had only stopped by to say hello.

“Based upon the investigation, he asked Joey if that was the real reason he was there and he then admitted to meeting Desaulniers for the purpose of purchasing narcotics,” Det. Rushford said. “He then said he bought heroin/fentanyl and ‘percs’ (Percocet pills). TFO Boland then removed those items from his pants pocket and confirmed. Joey was later advised he was going to be summonsed through Orange District Court, which he understood.”

Detective Rushford said that based on the evidence located in the vehicle, both Desaulniers and McNabb were advised that they were going to be placed under arrest.

“Officer Cakounes transported McNabb while Officer Kovacevic transported Desaulniers,” Det. Rushford said. “They were then booked at the Orange Police Department where they were allowed to make phone calls and were later advised of some preliminary criminal charges. They were given multiple opportunities to provide passcodes to their phones that were seized pursuant to the search warrants but refused to provide them.”

Detective Rushford said that while he was at the vehicle, other NDATF investigators executed the search warrant at the camper located at 363 White Pond Road in Athol at approximately 6:33 p.m.

“Investigators knocked on the camper door and a seven-year-old, later identified as [first name redacted] Desaulniers, opened the door,” Det. Rushford said. “He was then given to his grandmother, [name redacted], and investigators announced their presence prior to entering the camper. It was determined that the child was inside the camper with no adult supervision and later found that he could potentially have access to heroin/fentanyl that was not locked in any type of safe. The child’s mother later arrived and took custody of the child.”

The Massachusetts Department of Children & Families (DCF) was verbally contacted later in the night by Orange police, Detective Rushford said.

“A copy of the search warrant was later left in the camper,” Det. Rushford added.

Police located the following items in the camper:

1. Approximately 90 bags, or dosage units, of suspected heroin/fentanyl stamped with “Ironman” and “Nike” blue ink logos were found inside a pink bag in a cabinet above the bed.
2. Approximately 245 grams of suspected marijuana were found inside a safe.
3. Approximately 100 bags, or dosage units, of suspected heroin/fentanyl were found inside a pill bottle stored within a safe.
4. Approximately 50 bags, or dosage units, of suspected heroin/fentanyl were discovered inside a black locked cylinder stored within a safe.
5. Multiple clear knotted bags containing various pills were found inside a black locked cylinder stored within a safe containing the following:
   1. Approximately 15 white pills stamped “21 Y,” suspected to be Alprazolam
   1. Approximately 12 blue pills stamped “A67,” suspected to be Clonazepam
   1. Approximately six pink pills stamped “K56,” suspected to be Oxycodone Hydrochloride
6. A clear knotted bag containing a pink, rock-like substance suspected to be MDMA, weighing approximately 3.45 grams, was found inside a black locked cylinder within a safe.
7. A pill bottle containing multiple pills stamped “G 31,” suspected to be Gabapentin, was recovered.
8. Approximately 10 bags, or dosage units, of suspected heroin/fentanyl were removed from a safe.
9. A pill bottle labeled for “Erin Grady” containing multiple pills stamped “I 21,” suspected to be Gabapentin, was removed from a safe.
10. A digital scale in working order, with residue present, was removed from a safe.
11. A knotted bag containing an unknown blue powder was found inside a safe.
12. A knotted bag containing an unknown partial blue pill was discovered inside a safe.
13. Approximately $316 in U.S. currency was removed from a wallet inside a safe and seized as suspected drug proceeds.
14. Approximately 17 bags, or dosage units, of suspected heroin/fentanyl stamped with a blue “Ironman” logo were located inside a container within a safe.
15. A pill bottle containing multiple pills stamped “G 31,” suspected to be Gabapentin, was located inside a safe.

Shawn Paul Desaulniers and Trina McNabb were charged with the following:

1. Possession with Intent to Distribute Class A – Heroin/Fentanyl
2. Possession with Intent to Distribute Class B – Percocet
3. Possession with Intent to Distribute Class C- Clonazepam
4. Possession with Intent to Distribute Class E – Alprazolam
5. Possession with Intent to Distribute Class E – Gabapentin
6. Possession with Intent to Distribute Class D – Marijuana
7. Distribution of Class A – Heroin/Fentanyl
8. Distribution of Class B- Percocet
9. Possession of Class B – MDMA
10. Conspiracy to Violate Drug Laws
11. Electric Stun Gun, Sell/Possess
12. Child Endangerment

Bail was set at $25,000 for both McNabb and Desaulniers.

“They were unable to come up with the money and were subsequently transported to the Franklin County House of Corrections,” Det. Rushford said. “While at the jail, an additional $104.00 of U.S. Currency was located on Desaulniers’ person and seized as potential drug proceeds.”

Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story took place in July, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to obtain the court documents. FOIAs are time-consuming.

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