CONCORD – Christopher Yule, 30, of Manchester, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for drug trafficking and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 29, 2020, Manchester police detectives received information that a female would be traveling from Manchester to Lawrence, Massachusetts to obtain a significant amount of drugs for redistribution in New Hampshire. Surveillance officers observed her drive to Lawrence and park in an area known as a distribution “hot spot.” A vehicle registered to Yule parked close by and turned off its lights. Within a minute, the cars departed. Surveillance units followed both vehicles.
When Yule’s vehicle returned to Manchester, it was stopped by the police for a traffic violation and suspicion of drug activity. Jacob Brady was the driver of the vehicle and Yule was a passenger. Yule and Brady both engaged in furtive movements within the vehicle as officers approached. Both individuals were instructed to step out of the vehicle. Brady explained that he and Yule traveled to Lawrence so Yule could meet with his drug source and purchase drugs. He further disclosed the drugs were in the glove compartment.
During the encounter, an officer observed through the window a tied-off glassine baggie of suspected fentanyl protruding from a side compartment area. Yule consented to a search of the vehicle and officers located over 78 grams of fentanyl and over six grams of cocaine base (crack).
On March 27, 2021, Hooksett police officers responded to a call reporting a male “passed out” in a rental van in a hotel parking lot known as a “hot spot” for drug activity in Hooksett. The caller stated a needle and firearm were visible in the vehicle. Officers found Yule slumped over in the driver’s seat with a needle and tourniquet visible next to him. Officers also saw a firearm in the open driver’s door compartment. After securing the firearm, they awakened Yule.
Officers learned that Yule was a convicted felon and he was placed under arrest for being a felon in possession of a firearm. During a search incident to arrest, officers located syringes in Yule’s pockets, $3,170 in his wallet and two small bags of suspected drugs, which Yule identified as “crack.”
On March 30, 2021, pursuant to a search warrant, officers searched the van and found over 58 grams of methamphetamine and over five grams of fentanyl. They also located holsters, loaded 9mm magazines, and other firearm accessories.
Yule previously pleaded guilty on January 7, 2022. Brady previously pleaded guilty on January 7, 2022, and was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison on April 15, 2022.
“By trafficking in methamphetamine and fentanyl, this defendant was endangering the community,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “The dangerous nature of his drug trafficking was enhanced not only by his possession of a gun, but by possessing a gun after having been convicted of a felony. As this sentence demonstrates, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect public safety and hold armed drug traffickers accountable for their illegal conduct.”
This matter was investigated by the Manchester Police Department and the Hooksett Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joachim H. Barth.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.). In July of 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the District of New Hampshire and nine other federal districts. The goal of S.O.S. is to combat the large number of overdoses and deaths associated with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. In New Hampshire, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is focusing its efforts on prosecuting synthetic opioid trafficking cases arising in Hillsborough County, which includes Manchester and Nashua.
###