AUGUSTA — An 18-year-old man arrested Wednesday in a drug raid on a Bridge Street home waived extradition Friday and agreed to be returned to Ohio to face a murder charge.

He was one of three people arrested that afternoon at 117 Bridge St., where police reported finding heroin and cocaine in bags on a roof outside a second-story window that was open about 2 inches.

Matthew A. Mason II, of Sandusky, Ohio, signed a waiver at a court appearance via video from the Kennebec County jail, where he is being held without bail on a fugitive from justice charge.

He does not face any other charges in Maine, according to Assistant Attorney General Katie Sibley.

“I have already been in contact with Ohio,” she told Judge Tom Nale at the Capital Judicial Center. “They are very anxious to come get Mr. Mason and bring him back to Ohio.”

Scott Hess, serving as a lawyer of the day, said that while Mason is not contesting extradition, “he’s exercising his right to counsel and Fifth Amendment right to silence.”

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Hess said he wanted that information on the record in case officers attempt to question Mason en route to Ohio.

Sibley said she would tell Ohio authorities about it, but she could not be responsible for what occurs elsewhere.

If Ohio police opt against picking up Mason, the court set a review hearing for April 28.

According to a March 23 article in The Chronicle-Telegram, a newspaper in Ohio, police in Lorain issued the warrant for Mason’s arrest after a 19-year-old man was shot fatally there on March 22. Witnesses told police that Mason had fled a home after shooting the man, who was not identified immediately, according to the newspaper.

When he was arrested Wednesday, Mason initially gave his name as Malcom Garrett; however, as police were trying to confirm that name, he ran out of the house, according to an affidavit by Augusta police Detective Matthew Estes, which was filed in connection with the arrest.

After the suspect was apprehended nearby, he told police he was Mason.

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The other two men arrested at the same home, Larry Murphy 43, of Augusta, who lives at that address, and Trevon Orman, 22, of Sandusky, Ohio, also saw the judge on Friday.

Murphy faces five charges: two counts of aggravated trafficking, one in heroin and one in cocaine; two counts of unlawful trafficking, one in heroin and one in cocaine; and one charge of violating conditions of release. He was free on $2,500 bail on prior drug charges.

Murphy’s bail on the new charges was set at $5,000 cash with conditions prohibiting him from contact with the co-defendants, among other things.

Murphy also was ordered held without bail on the state’s motion to revoke pre-conviction bail.

The affidavit says Murphy’s home was the subject of a search warrant executed on Nov. 23, 2016, and he was charged with two counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs.

Estes wrote that neighbors had complained about drug activity at 117 Bridge St., and Estes said on Wednesday he saw Murphy leave the residence, drive a short distance, stop briefly and return home.

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“This is typical activity for drug trafficking,” Estes said. He approached Murphy and reminded him that his bail conditions made him subject to search of his home and residence.

“Larry advised me there were currently two males from out of state dealing drugs at his residence,” Estes’ affidavit says.

Mason and Orman were found on the home’s second floor.

Estes said no illegal drugs were found when the men were searched, but that Trooper Derrick Records’ police dog indicated that Orman had possessed narcotics recently.

Estes found the drugs on the roof.

He also said that during questioning at the police station, Orman admitted selling drugs in Augusta and said his DNA would be found on the bags the cocaine and heroin were in. Orman faces two counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs.

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Murphy told police the two men arrived at his home at 5 a.m. that day and he agreed to let them sell drugs from there in exchange for heroin and cocaine.

Estes also said the charges were elevated to aggravated trafficking because the house was within 1,000 feet of Cunningham Park on North Street, an area designated as a safe zone. Charges of aggravated trafficking carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.

Sibley requested $10,000 bail for Orman, saying the 17 grams of heroin could be made into 500 individual doses.

Attorney Brad Grant, representing Orman as lawyer of the day, requested $2,500 cash bail, saying Orman’s criminal history involves only two criminal trespass charges.

Nale set Orman’s bail at $25,000 cash.

Betty Adams — 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @betadams


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