A Chelsea man was arraigned last week on drug trafficking charges after local, state, and federal investigators recovered about $10,000 worth of crystal methamphetamine from a Valentine’s-themed package sent to his home.
Lawrence Ligocki, 62, was arraigned Thursday in Chelsea District Court on charges of trafficking in a Class B substance and possession of a Class B substance with intent to distribute. The charges reflect almost 100 grams of the drug recovered from a teddy bear in a package Ligocki accepted and a smaller amount recovered from his Willard Street home.
Assistant District Attorney Andrew Miller recommended $100,000 cash bail, citing the large quantity of the powerful and addictive stimulant and its high cash value.
Judge Benjamin Barnes imposed $150 bail.
Postal Inspectors on Feb. 5 notified State Police of a suspicious package sent via Express Mail and addressed to “Larry Lajoicki” at Ligocki’s address. State Police responded to the General Mail Facility in Boston with a drug-sniffing dog, which alerted on the package. Investigators then obtained a warrant to search the package on delivery.
Troopers of the Suffolk County State Police Detective Unit, Chelsea Police, US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents, and US Postal Service inspectors executed a controlled delivery of the package on Feb. 6.
A postal inspector posing as a mail carrier knocked on Ligocki’s front door and, when Ligocki answered, said he had an Express Mail package that was a day late. Ligocki allegedly answered, “I know.”
Ligocki signed for the package, at which point the inspector identified himself and informed Ligocki that a drug-sniffing dog had alerted on the package. At this point, Ligocki allegedly stated that he wasn’t expecting a package.
Investigators provided Ligocki a copy of the search warrant and opened the package. Inside were several heart-shaped Whitman’s Sampler chocolate boxes and a stuffed teddy bear. Secreted within the bear were three bags of a substance that field-tested positive as crystal methamphetamine.
Ligocki was taken into custody and a search warrant was executed on his home. An additional bag also believed to contain methamphetamine was recovered from a glass jar.
Ligocki was represented by attorney Chester Fernandez. He will return to court on March 4.