Stabbing victim found guilty on drug trafficking charges

May 12—SALEM — A former cab driver from Salem has been found guilty on fentanyl trafficking and cocaine distribution charges.

Khris Lara, 28, of 159 Boston St., will be sentenced on June 3. He's facing a 3 1/2 year mandatory minimum and up to 20 years in prison on the fentanyl trafficking charge alone.

The verdict came following a two-day jury trial in Salem Superior Court.

Lara was charged after an incident on Boston Street in which he was stabbed during what was suspected of being a drug deal gone sour in the early morning hours of March 2, 2019.

Salem police responding to the scene saw what appeared to be cocaine in a recessed area of the door handle of Lara's Honda Odyssey minivan. A search warrant turned up powder and crack cocaine and what turned out to be fentanyl.

Lara had just been granted a permit to drive a taxi in Salem. It was later revoked.

While out on bail in the case, in 2020, Lara was at the wheel of a cab that was stopped, leading to gun and firearm charges against his passenger. Lara was not charged.

Then in April 2021, Lara was arrested in Beverly on charges of possession of Class A and Class C drugs. His bail was revoked after that.

The man who stabbed Lara, William Cusumano, pleaded guilty in December 2019 and was sentenced to serve 18 months of a 2 1/2 year jail term, followed by two years of probation.

Lara had invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify in that matter.

Courts reporter Julie Manganis can be reached at 978-338-2521, by email at jmanganis@salemnews.com or on Twitter at @SNJulieManganis

Courts reporter Julie Manganis can be reached at 978-338-2521, by email at jmanganis@salemnews.com or on Twitter at @SNJulieManganis