WATERVILLE — Officials from three agencies seized heroin, marijuana, hallucinogenic mushrooms and pills Wednesday during simultaneous searches of two apartments on College Avenue and Broadway Street.
Three people were charged with drug trafficking, and two others were issued a summons to answer drug-related charges.
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The busts followed a four-month investigation by Waterville police, Somerset County Sheriff’s Office and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, according to Waterville police Chief Joseph Massey.
Andrew Maheu, 27, and Cassandra Dion, 27, both of 17 Broadway St., Apt. 1, were arrested Wednesday and charged after authorities searched their apartment, Massey said. They were charged with aggravated trafficking in heroin, a class A felony; unlawful furnishing of Oxycodone and unlawful trafficking in marijuana, both class C felonies; and unlawful possession of psychedelic mushrooms, a class D misdemeanor.
Authorities seized 23.6 grams of heroin, which has a street value of about $6,000, as well as 20 30 mg Oxycodone pills worth an estimated $800 on the street, Massey said. They also seized 2.5 pounds of processed marijuana (ready to smoke) and 5.2 grams of mushrooms. The value of the pot and mushrooms was unavailable.
He said there were also 200 unidentified pills seized, and once they’re tested, there may be more charges.
Officials also found 90 marijuana plants in the apartment, which is at the corner of College Avenue and Broadway, he said. Maheu has a medical license to possess medical marijuana, according to Massey.
“However, it appears he may have violated his license by having more than he is allowed to have, and we’re researching that with the DA’s office before we decide to charge,” he said.
Maheu couldn’t make $9,500 cash bail and Dion couldn’t make $7,000 bail, and both were taken to Kennebec County jail in Augusta. They are scheduled to be arraigned Friday in Kennebec County Superior Court, Massey said.
Jacksie Pepin, 25, of Waterville, was visiting the apartment at the time of the search and was summoned and charged with possession of hypodermic apparatus, a class D misdemeanor, after officials found hypodermic needles in her purse, he said. She is scheduled to appear in Waterville District Court Oct. 7.
As the Broadway apartment was being searched, officials also searched 172 College Ave., Apt. 7, and arrested the tenant, Alexandra Goards, 28, after finding 17 bags of heroin totaling about two grams with a street value of about $425, Massey said. She was charged with unlawful trafficking in heroin, a Class B felony, and unlawful possession of Oxycodone, a class C felony, he said. She posted $4,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in Kennebec County Superior Court Oct. 14.
Kenneth Brown, 28, was visiting the apartment at the time of the search, Massey said. Brown, who told police he lives at the Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter, was charged with unlawful possession of drugs, a class D misdemeanor, because he had Suboxone on him and it was not prescribed to him, according to Massey. Suboxone typically is used to treat opiate addiction.
Brown is scheduled to appear in Waterville District Court Oct. 7.
Massey would not say who was buying the drugs in the trafficking operation.
Officials began investigating when they got a tip in May about drugs and drug trafficking at both the College Avenue and Broadway apartments, according to Massey, who said the primary investigator was Waterville police Detective Duane Cloutier.
“There was a number of officers involved, and I think it was great that we got a lot of drugs off the street,” Massey said. “I’m very pleased with the results.”
Amy Calder — 861-9247
Twitter: @AmyCalder17
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