Manchester Man Cuffed in Synthetic Cannabinoid Bust

Heath Palmer, 39, of Manchester, is behind bars on federal charges for peddling synthetic cannabinoids laced with 5F-MDMB-PICA, a lab-made chemical linked to hundreds of overdoses nationwide. Arrested on a complaint filed in Concord, Palmer now faces prosecution for possessing and distributing the dangerous substance, according to U.S. Attorney Scott W. Murray.

On April 18, 2019, Manchester police watched as Palmer conducted hand-to-hand drug sales from a vehicle. When cops moved in, he handed over the product without resistance, insisting it wasn’t illegal. Lab tests from the New Hampshire State Police Forensic Laboratory told a different story — the substance tested positive for 5F-MDMB-PICA, a synthetic cannabinoid outlawed under a DEA emergency order issued just two days prior.

Despite being formally notified on May 7, 2019, that what he was selling was a federally controlled substance, Palmer didn’t stop. Just three days later, officers spotted him again hawking the same product from a car. Police intercepted him a second time, seized the stash, and confirmed through retesting that it contained the same deadly chemical.

Palmer appeared before a federal magistrate judge and was ordered detained pending further legal proceedings. The charges against him remain allegations under federal law, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. But the pattern of behavior — continuing to sell after being warned — paints a damning picture for prosecutors.

5F-MDMB-PICA is no street-corner weed. Marketed as “Spice” or “K2,” synthetic cannabinoids are designer drugs sprayed onto plant matter and smoked for a powerful, unpredictable high. The DEA has tied this specific compound to over 47 overdoses in Connecticut and at least 244 in Washington, D.C. With no quality control, users are rolling the dice with every puff — risking seizures, psychosis, and death.

“Synthetic cannabinoids present a very serious risk to public health,” warned U.S. Attorney Murray. DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle added, “They are a toxic cocktail of lethal chemicals.” Manchester Police Chief Carlo Capano praised the collaboration with federal partners, underscoring the ongoing threat these drugs pose. The case was investigated by the Manchester Police Department and DEA, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth R. Aframe.