By Bruno Matarazzo Jr.
Staff Writer
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PEABODY — A 43-year-old bus driver faces heroin- and OxyContin-trafficking charges, following a two-month investigation.
Complaints by neighbors of Linda M. Ricciardelli, who lives at 5 Lincoln St., prompted the investigation, according to Peabody police Capt. Dennis Bonaiuto.
Ricciardelli, who is included in the Peabody residents listing as a bus driver, was released on $5,000 bail and will be arraigned today at Peabody District Court.
Police made the arrest yesterday after an undercover drug buy of 150 80-milligram OxyContin pills for $6,000.
Police followed Ricciardelli after she left in her 2002 Ford Explorer and pulled her over on County Street, where she was arrested.
Police are looking to seize the Ford Explorer.
Police recovered the $6,000 used in the undercover drug buy and another $11,000 and 36 additional pills in her possession, Bonaiuto said. When police searched her home, they found another $10,000 and another $30,000 in a safe at a home in Saugus, Bonaiuto said.
In addition, police also found eight bags of heroin, as well as Percocet and methadone.
Police said previous undercover drug buys included purchases of OxyContin and heroin, as well as two firearms, a semi-automatic pistol and a MAC-10 (Military Armament Corp. Model 10) machine pistol.
The gun purchases happened in Lynn and the charges will come from Lynn police.
Ricciardelli is charged with trafficking OxyContin, possession of OxyContin with intent to distribute, heroin possession with intent to distribute, possession of Percocet with intent to distribute and possession of methadone.
Taking part in the investigation were Peabody Detective Sgt. Scott Richards, Detective Eric Ricci, Officer James Thibodeau and the Essex County Drug Task Force, operated out of District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett's office.
The federal Drug Enforcement Agency tactical diversion squad and detectives out of Beverly and Lynn assisted.
