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A friend of the former Red Sox baseball player Hanley Ramirez gave up his name to avoid being arrested while he was ferrying fentanyl from New York to Massachusetts in April and then immediately acknowledged that the player had no connection with drugs. In Boston.
Ramirez is not under federal investigation and has not been linked to a drug network, according to several people with direct knowledge of the case. The 34-year-old has been a free agent since the Red Sox released him on June 1.
A lawyer, who represents the man arrested with the drugs and spoke on the condition that his client is not named for security reasons, said that his client grew up in the Dominican Republic with Ramirez and used his name "to keep the cops away" his back, which did not work. "
The man was arrested by state police in western Massachusetts in April after a confidential informant informed the Drug Enforcement Administration that he would deliver two kilograms of cocaine. in Massachusetts, according to an affidavit of the DEA filed in court.
The man told the soldier "that he was going to Boston to see a friend who is a professional baseball player," says the affidavit. The document does not identify the player by name, but several people, including the man's lawyer, said that he was referring to Ramirez.
The man consented to a search of his Jeep, but when the soldier asked to open a brown cardboard box found in the rear cargo area, the man refused, saying that he belonged in Ramirez.
The man claimed that the box contained books, and that Ramirez's mother had sent him the box to New York to hand it over to his friend. [Ramirez] in Boston ", according to the affidavit.
In an attempt to back up his story, the man called Ramirez via FaceTime on his cell phone and then handed it to the soldier. The soldier asked Ramirez if he knew his friend was on his way to visit him and that he was delivering a box from his mother. Ramirez stated that he "was not aware," according to the affidavit. The soldier asked if he could open the box and Ramirez agreed.
The box contained a gift bag, with two kilograms of fentanyl on the inside, according to the affidavit.
The man was arrested for drug trafficking and "immediately began to declare that his friend [Ramirez] was not involved at all, and that the box was not for him, "says the affidavit.
The man's lawyer, who asked not to be named because he was afraid to identify his client, said that "his use of Mr. Ramirez's name was an attempt poorly made to escape the police examination ".
The lawyer said at the time that his client gave up the name of the baseball player "he hopes that he will not be stopped; he tries to stop them from searching the vehicle and the box . "
On Friday, following a report that Ramirez was investigating a federal and state drug scandal, Kevin Gregg, vice president of media relations for Red Sox, said that the team was unaware of any investigation involving Ramirez.
Gregg said the team dropped Ramirez from the lineup in May only for baseball reasons.
Ramirez was informed on May 25 that he was designated for the assignment.
On Sunday, Adam Katz, Ramirez's agent, issued a statement saying, "The report on Hanley's involvement in this case was reckless and irresponsible. It is unfortunate that an imprudent and imprecise story can generate such negative and damaging coverage.Hanley is pleased to be absolved of wrongdoing and any involvement in this matter. "
Sunday late, Ramirez commented on Twitter:
In a text released on Friday, Katz told The Globe that Ramirez "is unaware of any of the allegations contained in this press report and that he is unaware of any of the allegations in this report. no investigation ".
The lawyer of the man who mentioned Ramirez's name during the stop of the drug said that "there was never any belief by the forces of the drug." order that Ramirez had something to do with his client's case.
"It feels horrible that this has had repercussions on Mr. Ramirez," said the lawyer.
While the soldiers were transporting the man to the Sturbridge police barracks after arresting him, the man said he "was trying to make money by bringing in from the drug to Lawrence, and that he did not know who the drugs were. " according to the affidavit.
Later, he told the police that he "found a box containing the drugs outside a building in the Bronx and stole it", and then repacked them. drugs, put them in the box and drove them to Lawrence to look for a buyer.
The man pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with possession with the intention of distributing 400 grams or more of fentanyl. A judge ordered that he remain in detention without bail until the case is resolved.
Nick Cafardo and Alex Speier of Globe Staff contributed to this report. Shelley Murphy can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @shelleymurph.
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