HAVERHILL — On Monday, July 20, 2026, at approximately 8:17 p.m., Haverhill Police Officer Carmen Rosato, who was on patrol in plain clothes in an unmarked cruiser with his badge displayed, headed toward 558 River Street after Sergeant Micheal Mills radioed that he had stopped a black 2011 Jeep Liberty with New Hampshire plates.
(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed personnel narrative of Officer Carmen Rosato and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)
“Upon arrival Sergeant Mills was located in front of the mentioned vehicle with the operator, now identified as defendant Roy Sykes,” Officer Rosato said.
According to police, Roy A. Sykes, 51, is a resident of Brentwood, New Hampshire.
Officer Rosato added that Officer Keith Cronin and his partner Officer Ryan Brown, who had also responded to the scene, were behind the vehicle with another man, later identified as the passenger, Daniel Sodoyer.
According to police Daniel Sodoyer, 45, is a resident of Derry, New Hampshire.
“Sodoyer was detained in handcuffs behind his back and seated on the curb,” Officer Rosato said. “Sodoyer appeared to be having a medical emergency and PrideStar EMS was already dispatched to the location of the traffic stop to evaluate him. K9 Officer [Justin] Graham and his partner Officer [Anthony] McGrane were also on scene providing assistance.”
Officer Rosato said that while he was on scene, Sergeant Mills debriefed him on what transpired prior to his arrival and stated what follows.
According to Officer Rosato, Sergeant Mills said that he was in the area of River and Wilson streets when he observed the 2011 Jeep Liberty with New Hampshire plates pull out of the parking lot of the 7-Eleven.
“Sergeant Mills was briefly able to observe the operator and believed him to potentially be an individual who he was aware to be the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant. The vehicle was also observed to not have the headlights on,” Officer Rosato said. “It is important to note that sunset on this date was at approximately 8:50 p.m.”
Sergeant Mills said he then activated the emergency lights and sirens on his cruiser and pulled the vehicle over in the area of 558 River Street.
“Upon approaching the vehicle Sergeant Mills made contact with the operator and defendant, Roy Sykes,” Officer Rosato said.
Sergeant Mills then informed Sykes of the reason for the stop and requested his license and registration.
“Sergeant Mills noticed the front passenger of the vehicle appeared to be over the age of 16 and did not have a seat belt on while traveling in a motor vehicle on a public way,” Officer Rosato said. “Sergeant Mills then addressed the seat belt infraction with the passenger, who was later identified as Daniel Sodoyer.”
According to Officer Rosato, when Sergeant Mills requested Sodoyer’s identification due to the seat belt infraction, he became confrontational.
Sodoyer, who was leaning back in the passenger seat, told Sergeant Mills his name was “Scott” and that he didn’t need to provide police with his identification.
“Sergeant Mills requested for Sodoyer to identify himself numerous times at which time he continued to refuse and argue with police,” Officer Rosato said. “Sodoyer’s actions were objectively prolonging and delaying the traffic stop and investigation being conducted by Sergeant Mills.”
Sergeant Mills then approached the passenger side of the vehicle in order to speak with Sodoyer directly.
“Sodoyer had the passenger window lowered approximately six inches,” Officer Rosato said.
Sergeant Mills told Sodoyer that his refusal to provide identification was impeding the investigation and warned that he would be removed from the vehicle and detained if he continued. According to Officer Rosato, however, Sodoyer continued to refuse and became increasingly agitated, raising his voice at Sergeant Mills.
Sergeant Mills then ordered Sodoyer to exit the vehicle but he allegedly refused to comply.
Sergeant Mills then attempted to open the door, but it was locked.
When Sergeant Mills reached through the opening of the window to unlock the door from the inside of the vehicle, Officer Rosato said that Sodoyer rolled up the window, closing it on the sergeant’s right arm.
“Sergeant Mills then demanded for the operator to unlock the door from the driver side,” Officer Rosato said. “Once the door was unlocked, Sergeant Mills removed Sodoyer and detained him in handcuffs behind his back.”
Sodoyer was then escorted to the rear of the patrol vehicle by Officer Cronin and Officer Brown.
“Sergeant Mills then continued to speak with the operator and inquired if he was aware of the passenger’s identification, at which time he was unable to recall the exact first and last name of the passenger,” Officer Rosato said.
Officer Rosato said that while Sergeant Mills was speaking with Sykes, Sodoyer, who was with Officer Cronin at the time, began to have a seizure on the side of the road.
“PrideStar EMS was then dispatched to the scene to evaluate him,” Officer Rosato said, adding that police then checked Sodoyer’s person for any identifying information to relay to medical personnel upon their arrival.
“Officer Cronin located an RMV document on the defendant which had a name of ‘Daniel Sodoyer’ [on it],” Officer Rosato said. “A CJIS [Criminal Justice Information Services] query of Daniel Sodoyer displayed a license photograph which matched the individual on scene.”
Officer Rosato said that a CJIS query of Sykes revealed that his right to operate a motor vehicle in the state of Massachusetts was currently suspended.
Sergeant Mills then informed Sykes of his license status and ordered him to exit the vehicle.
“Roy Sykes was then read his Miranda Warning by Sergeant Mills from a Miranda warning card he carries on his person,” Officer Rosato said. “Sykes stated he understood his rights, waived his Miranda warning, and agreed to answer questions.”
Sergeant Mills then asked Sykes if he had any narcotics in his possession, and Sykes said he had Suboxone strips.
“Sykes stated he did not have a prescription for Suboxone,” Officer Rosato said. “A search was then conducted of Sykes and no Suboxone was located. Sykes then stated the Suboxone was in his wallet which was located inside his vehicle.”
Officer Rosato said he arrived at the scene at this time and joined Sergeant Mills in searching the Jeep.
Inside the vehicle, the officers located a wallet with 30 individually packed 8mg Suboxone strips.
“Directly in between the driver’s and passenger’s seats was a small change tray that was a part of the vehicle’s interior. It is important to note that the operator’s cell phone appeared to be deliberately placed over the area,” Officer Rosato said.
After police moved the phone, they allegedly discovered white powder residue and a small white rock-like substance in the tray. Based on his training and experience, Officer Rosato believed the rocklike substance was crack cocaine, a Class B drug.
“There was also a glass pipe with burn marks and ripped up Brillo located on the driver side of the vehicle,” Officer Rosato said. The white substance was photographed and placed in an evidence bag.
“Both the Suboxone strips and suspected crack cocaine were later submitted into evidence to be sent to the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab for identification and analysis,” Officer Rosato said. “It was also discovered on scene that Roy Sykes had an outstanding arrest warrant out of the Woburn District Court, which was confirmed over the radio with dispatch. Sykes was then advised he was being placed under arrest for the Suboxone and outstanding arrest warrant.”
After handcuffing Sykes behind his back, police asked if the suspected crack belonged to him, and Sykes said he did not know it was there.
Officer Rosato said he found Sykes’ statement to be dubious because the suspected crack was located between where the two occupants were seated in the vehicle, making it likely they both knew it was there. He added that Sykes’ cellphone appeared to have been deliberately placed over the tray, to conceal the substance from police.
“Sykes was asked if the suspected crack cocaine belonged to Daniel Sodoyer at which time he stated it did not, and that he was also unaware it was there,” Officer Rosato said. “Sykes was then placed in the rear of a marked cruiser and transported to the police station.”
PrideStar EMS personnel evaluated Sodoyer at the scene, but he declined transport to the hospital, Officer Rosato said.
Sodoyer then exited the ambulance and walked back to the Jeep where Officer Rosato and Sergeant Mills were still processing the evidence located on scene.
“Daniel Sodoyer once again became confrontational and argumentative with Police by demanding we show him the Massachusetts General Law related to his infractions observed on scene,” Officer Rosato said. Adding, “Police originally planned to summons Sodoyer for the constructive possession of a Class B substance and for his interference with the investigation on scene.”
Officer Rosato said Sodoyer was told to stop arguing with police and to leave the area.
Officer Rosato added that since Sodoyer did not have a valid driver’s license, he wasn’t allowed to take possession of the Jeep.
Police repeatedly instructed Sodoyer to leave the area, but he allegedly refused to comply.
“Sodoyer was then advised he was being placed under arrest for possession of a Class B substance and obstructing with a police investigation,” Officer Rosato said. “Sodoyer was then handcuffed behind his back and the handcuffs were double locked and checked for tightness.”
Sodoyer was then transported to the Haverhill Police Department for booking.
“Upon arrival at the police station, both defendants were introduced to Lieutenant [Branden] Sheehy who advised them of their Miranda warnings, charges, and right to make a telephone call,” Officer Rosato said. “Both defendants were then booked in the normal fashion and placed into holding cells to await bail review.”
Roy A. Sykes, 51, of Brentwood, New Hampshire, was arrested and charged with the following:
- Operating Motor Vehicle with License Suspended
- Possess Class B Drug
- Warrant Arrest
Officer Rosato said that a CJIS query showed Sodoyer had a prior conviction for possession with intent to distribute a Class B drug out of Newburyport District Court.
Daniel Sodoyer, 45, of Derry, New Hampshire, was arrested and charged with the following:
- Possess Class B Drug, Subsequent Offense
- Obstructing a Police Investigation
Sykes was arraigned in Haverhill District Court on July 21, 2026. Following his arraignment, he was released on personal recognizance. Sykes’ next court date is a pretrial hearing scheduled for Aug. 24, 2026.
(Please note: Sodoyer’s arraignment and subsequent court dates were not included in the documents News Link Live obtained from a public records request of the incident.)
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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