What started as routine traffic enforcement on Southbridge Street turned into a sizable drug bust Sunday, after Auburn police say a silver Chrysler 300 kept rolling for about a quarter-mile before finally pulling over near a local Nissan dealership. Officers identified the driver as 43-year-old Alexander Quinonez of Worcester and arrested him on drug and motor-vehicle charges. The stop, police say, led to the seizure of dozens of grams of suspected crack cocaine and assorted paraphernalia.
Traffic stop and arrest
Auburn MA Police Department (Facebook) says Officer Andrew Markvenas activated his blue lights to initiate traffic enforcement on Southbridge Street, but the Chrysler kept going for roughly a quarter-mile before stopping near Bertera Nissan. According to the department, the driver first gave officers a false name and was later identified as Alexander Quinonez, 43, of Worcester. Police arrested Quinonez at the scene and wrote that he faces charges including trafficking cocaine and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license.
Where the stop ended
Bertera Nissan sits at 569 Oxford Street, just off Southbridge Street, which police pointed to as the spot where the Chrysler ultimately came to a stop. The dealership is adjacent to a stretch of Southbridge where officers frequently conduct traffic enforcement, and police say they were able to secure the vehicle without a prolonged pursuit.
What officers found
In the department’s account of the stop, officers reported seizing approximately 33.9 grams of suspected crack cocaine, packaging materials, scales and what the post described as a “mobile crack-cooking starter kit,” along with $1,895 in cash. Police say they found the evidence inside the vehicle after making contact with the driver and confirming his identity. The post also notes that the Chrysler did not have a valid inspection sticker and that Quinonez was operating with a suspended license.
Charges and possible penalties
Under state law, a net weight between 18 grams and 36 grams of cocaine is treated as trafficking, a felony that carries mandatory minimum prison terms and fines if there is a conviction. Per Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 94C §32E, trafficking 18 to 36 grams can result in a multi-year state prison sentence and fines that may reach into the thousands. Any actual sentence would depend on the final charges, the evidence presented and any prior record, and will ultimately be decided in court.
Why the stop matters
Traffic stops in Auburn have occasionally led to bigger drug and weapon cases. Last spring, a separate stop turned up a firearm and cocaine, a reminder that what starts as a simple moving violation can quickly escalate into something more serious. Local police say outcomes like these are part of why patrol officers put so much emphasis on visible traffic enforcement.
Quinonez was booked and charged at the scene, according to police, and the department says the investigation remains active as of Wednesday. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Auburn Police Department.
