Allie Bedell
Equinox Staff
A Keene State College graduate was one of two men arrested Thursday, Jan. 19, at a UPS Freight facility for a package containing 20 pounds of hashish, estimated by police at a street value of $120,000.
Police arrested Jordan Reynolds, class of 2011, in Londonderry, N.H. on charges of possession of a controlled drug and possession of a controlled drug with intent to distribute.
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According to a statement released by Londonderry Police Lt. Tim Jones, the package arrived at the UPS facility on Commerce Avenue Thursday morning and was undeliverable to Reynolds. Because of the suspicious nature of the package, Jones said UPS notified the Londonderry Police Department (LPD).
“LPD’s narcotics detection canine, Mingo, was called in,” Jones wrote. “Mingo did alert on the package. LPD detectives obtained a search warrant for the package and brought it to the station to be searched.”
According to Jones, the package contained a white water raft with packages filled with the hashish rolled inside.
The UPS had notified Reynolds earlier in the day to alert him that the package was undeliverable, and Jones said Reynolds agreed to drive to the UPS in Londonderry to pick it up at about 6 p.m. He said police posed as UPS workers in a plan for a controlled delivery to assist Reynolds in putting the package in his car, then immediately arrested him without incident.
UPS procedure calls for the company to work with law enforcement in any type of case regarding suspicious packages. “If it’s something that law enforcement is involved in, I would refer you to the local authorities,” Susan Rosenberg, of UPS public relations in Georgia, said. “Certainly we cooperate with them if they seek our assistance in any type of investigation.”
Police also arrested Samuel Ruoff of Antrim, N.H. for conspiracy to commit, falsifying physical evidence, and possession of a controlled drug.
Jones said Ruoff followed Reynolds to the UPS facility driving a silver VW wagon, but left the UPS parking lot as Reynolds prepared to accept the package.
“When Reynolds was arrested, the VW was seen traveling on Commerce again at a high rate of speed,” Jones wrote. “It was felt by the detectives at the scene that the driver was possibly involved with Reynolds.”
He said police stopped Ruoff’s vehicle and questioned him, but his story did not make sense. Ruoff told police he had called a friend he was looking for, but when asked to show the officer his phone, “manipulated the phone and made it inoperable.”
Both Reynolds and Ruoff were held at the Rockingham County Jail for $100,000 cash bail.
The 123s, the local student band for which Reynolds is the lead vocalist, held a fundraiser show to donate money to Reynolds’ family.
“Basically, it’s a benefit to cover costs surrounding the situation with Jordan that came up recently,” senior Andrew Johnson said. Johnson is a guitarist for The 123s. “Everyone in the band was completely shocked when we heard about what happened; none of us had any kind of inkling as to what was going on. To imagine him in jail was disheartening to say the least.”
According to the 123s drummer and KSC junior Sean St. Germain, the concert raised $535 on Saturday night at the Starving Artist. Reynolds performed with The 123s, along with Jake McKelvie & The Countertops and the Seek Zeroes. Although the event was called “The 123s’ Last Hurrah,” St. Germain said this isn’t necessarily their last show.
“We all love Jordan and we don’t want it to be the kind of thing where people remember him for being arrested,” he said.
St. Germain said the arrest was a surprise, but a few days after the hearing, the band came together to organize the show on his behalf.
“We in the band decided to pull together the show to have his music bring something positive to he situation and to remind people that he isn’t a dangerous or awful person, but just guy who made a mistake,” Johnson said.
Allie Bedell can be contacted at abedell@ksc.mailcruiser.com