A Concord man described by police as one of the city’s larger drug dealers is now in custody, facing multiple felony drug and firearm charges. Officers say fentanyl, methamphetamine, and a loaded shotgun were recovered from an encampment behind the 7-Eleven on South Main Street.
Matthew Snyder, 31, known as Meech, is being held on preventive detention after being taken back into custody days after an earlier arrest. According to court documents, the case is tied to a longer pattern of activity that unfolded across several areas of the city.
Police attention on Matthew Snyder grew over roughly eight months, as multiple sources in Concord began pointing to him as a significant figure in local drug activity. According to court documents, tips came from individuals familiar with his operations and day-to-day movements.
Investigators did not rely on tips alone. They worked with an informant who had previous ties to Snyder, arranging controlled purchases that confirmed ongoing sales. Each interaction added to a clearer picture of how drugs were being moved and who was involved.
By January, the picture became clearer. One associate told police Snyder was “the big guy right now,” describing how he moved large quantities of fentanyl sourced through Massachusetts, which helped investigators connect local activity in Concord to a broader supply chain beyond the city.
Encampments became central once investigators traced where Matthew Snyder, 31, was actually operating. Police found him living behind a 7-Eleven on South Main Street, using that area as a base where drugs were stored and accessed quickly.
Earlier records show Snyder had been moving between sites across Concord. After being shot during a robbery near the Water Street bridge in June 2025, he later relocated as the city cleared encampments there and in Healy Park, shifting activity elsewhere.
Detective Andrew Putney noted that Snyder had told police that many people involved were unhoused - including both buyers and those helping distribute drugs. That detail matters, because it shows how drug activity can follow vulnerable populations as camps move from one part of the city to another.
Matthew Snyder, 31, was first arrested on April 8 after police searched his encampment behind the 7-Eleven on South Main Street. Officers recovered fentanyl valued at about $10,500, methamphetamine, and a loaded shotgun from the site.
Instead of remaining in custody, Snyder was released into a treatment program shortly after that arrest. Authorities said he fled during transport and never entered the program, a decision that immediately shifted the case and triggered a renewed search effort.
Police located him again on April 13 at a hotel on Hall Street after searching nearby encampments with local and state partners. He was taken back into custody and is now being held on preventative detention as the case moves forward.
Cases like this often spark debate about how cities respond when drug activity intersects with homelessness. In Concord, movement between encampments and supply routes raised concern about how quickly distribution networks can shift, even when police pressure increases.
Detective Andrew Putney’s findings suggest the issue is not isolated, especially with fentanyl tied to sources outside New Hampshire. What comes next will likely focus on sustained enforcement, targeted outreach, and whether local systems can interrupt cycles that keep repeating across the city.