AUGUSTA — A jury on Thursday convicted a Brooklyn, N.Y., man of eight charges related to drug trafficking that occurred last year near Albert S. Hall School in Waterville.

Havier Olmo, 30, who was living in Waterville at the time of the offenses, was cleared of a charge of receiving stolen property; a charge of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person was dismissed before the trial started.

The three-day trial, before Justice Nancy Mills, was held in Kennebec County Superior Court.

After the verdicts, Mills ordered Olmo held without bail. He has been in the Kennebec County jail since his arrest last September. Two of the charges carry maximum prison terms of 30 years.

Olmo was one of four people arrested Sept. 28 in a School Street apartment after an eight-week investigation into drug trafficking, police said.

District Attorney Maeghan Maloney, whose office prosecuted the case, said she was pleased with the jury’s verdict.

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“It’s important that we send the message: Don’t come to Maine to sell drugs,” Maloney said.

Olmo’s attorney, Verne Paradie Jr., said Friday that he was disappointed with the verdicts.

“The confidential informants that testified weren’t very credible in the fact that they were paid $40 to create a 10-minute drug transaction,” Paradie said. He also said he raised an issue about witnesses’ identification of Olmo.

“We expect to appeal, but it’s tough when you’re facing the amount of time he’s facing on these counts,” Paradie said.

Olmo was convicted of the following charges:

* two counts of aggravated trafficking in oxycodone in a school zone on July 17, 2012;

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* three counts of unlawful trafficking of oxycodone between July 19 and Sept. 28, 2012;

* one count each of escape, unlawful possession of suboxone and unlawful possession of synthetic hallucinogenic drugs, all Sept. 28, 2012.

Charges still are pending against two co-defendants.

Betty Adams — 621-5631
badams@centralmaine.com

 


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