By George P. Hassett

A Malden drug dealer with an unlimited supply of heroin told investigators he was just a small time pusher selling drugs to pay his bills, police said this week.

Reynaldo Cuevas, 31, was caught delivering 19 grams of heroin to the Holiday Inn on Washington Street Sept. 7, police said. He was allegedly set up by a drug-dealing underling – Michael Robertson, 56, of Exeter, New Hampshire.

Somerville Police drug unit investigators used an undercover operative to contact Robertson and place an order for 20 grams of heroin to be purchased for $1,750 at a Holiday Inn room, police said.

Police said Robertson drove to the hotel in a blue Mercedes Benz. When he arrived at the room, police allegedly found 26 grams of heroin, 14 klonopin pills and a bag of cocaine on Robertson and in his car.

Police said Robertson agreed to cooperate and identify his supplier, who he described as a major heroin trafficker with an unlimited supply.

Robertson called the supplier and placed an order for a large amount of heroin, police said. Cuevas allegedly knocked on the hotel door 20 minutes later. Police said he fled on foot after he saw investigators and ran down seven flights of stairs into the parking lot where he was apprehended.

Police allegedly found 19 grams of heroin on Cuevas. He allegedly made incriminating statements to police, including that he was just a small time drug dealer with bills to pay.

Cuevas was arrested and charged with trafficking in heroin, resisting arrest and conspiracy to violate a drug law. Robertson was arrested and charged with possession of a class B drug, possession to distribute a class B drug and conspiracy to violate a drug law.