It was barely sunrise when a multi-agency team of officers moved in on 32 Market St. in Webster, looking for two people wanted on drug and weapons charges. By the time the raid wrapped up on March 4, both suspects were in handcuffs, one of them pulled from a hiding spot in a stairwell closet, police said.
How the raid unfolded
According to Boston 25 News, troopers with the Massachusetts State Police and members of the U.S. Marshals Service surrounded the Market Street apartment at about 5:56 a.m. Officers tried for roughly 25 minutes to talk the occupants into coming out before forcing their way inside.
Once through the door, officers found one person in the kitchen, then conducted a secondary sweep of the unit. The operation was carried out with help from the State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section working alongside Webster police, the outlet reported.
Who was arrested and what they face
The suspects were identified as 34-year-old Maryjane Swenson of Oxford and 34-year-old Ryan Hassett of Webster, and both were taken into custody at the Market Street address, according to Newport Dispatch.
Swenson is accused of multiple trafficking counts involving methamphetamine, heroin and large-quantity cocaine, along with several firearms-related charges. Hassett is facing an alleged fentanyl-trafficking charge, two additional drug-possession counts and a warrant for operating after suspension, the outlet reported.
Where the second suspect hid
Officers initially missed Hassett during their first pass through the apartment, but a more thorough search turned him up in a spot more suited to winter coats than wanted suspects. He was found hiding under clothing inside a long closet beneath a stairwell and was arrested without incident, according to Boston 25 News.
The multi-agency team then secured the scene and conducted searches tied to the warrants. Police have not yet released a detailed list of what, if anything, was seized during the raid.
Why it matters
State officials say fentanyl remains the primary driver of overdose deaths in Massachusetts, even as preliminary data suggest overall opioid-related fatalities declined in 2023. That reality keeps fentanyl-focused investigations at the top of the list for law enforcement and prosecutors.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has warned that fentanyl continues to contaminate the broader drug supply and is implicated in the majority of fatal opioid overdoses statewide.
Legal process
All of the charges against Swenson and Hassett remain allegations that have not been proven in court, and booking or arraignment details were not immediately available, according to Newport Dispatch. Cases involving state-level trafficking and firearms counts are typically referred to the district attorney for review.
Authorities say the investigation is ongoing and that additional information will be released as it becomes available. Webster police did not immediately provide further comment beyond their initial announcement. This story will be updated as court records and official statements are filed.
