FARMINGTON — A Waterville man accused of trafficking fentanyl, crack cocaine and fentanyl powder made an initial appearance from Franklin County Detention Center in Farmington District Court on Wednesday via Zoom.
Stephon Davis Franklin County Detention Center photo
Stephon J. Davis, 27, formerly of Old Orchard Beach, was arrested Monday on two felony charges of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, one for cocaine base, which is crack cocaine, and the other for fentanyl after a traffic stop on Farmington Falls Road in Farmington.
After the Office of the Maine Attorney General reviewed the case, a third charge of aggravated trafficking in schedule drugs for fentanyl powder was added.
Davis is also being held on a probation violation for a previous conviction for drug trafficking and allegedly committing a new crime.
An officer with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency received information from a concerned citizen who had been proven reliable that a Wilton woman was going with her mother to pick up “Chicken” and come back to Wilton with crack cocaine and heroin/fentanyl, according to the agent’s affidavit filed with Farmington District Court.
The concerned citizen advised that the first name of “Chicken” was actually Stephon, who is known to the drug agency. Davis had been out on probation for unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs and under two sets of bail conditions.
The MDEA agent also knew what type of vehicle the woman would be driving.
The agency set up surveillance in an area of 1200 Farmington Falls Road. Franklin County Sheriff’s Sgt. Nathan Bean, who had his K-9 Bain with him, and Farmington police Sgt. Ethan Boyd, who had his K-9 Hook with him, located the vehicle and stopped it in front of 1134 Farmington Falls Road. The car’s registration had expired on Sept. 30, 2022.
There were four people in the car including Davis, who was sitting in the back passenger side. The agent contacted Davis’ probation officer and advised that law enforcement could conduct a search of Davis.
During the traffic stop, K-9 Hook alerted Boyd to the vehicle and Davis. Boyd located suspected crack cocaine and suspected heroin/fentanyl in Davis’ pants. He was placed under arrest and taken to the jail. Once they were at the jail, the agent went to the Sheriff’s Office and weighed the drugs. The suspected crack cocaine weighed 50.8 grams and the total weight of the suspected heroin/fentanyl weighed 21.9 grams, according to the agent’s affidavit.
The agent did a test on both substances received presumptive positives for fentanyl and crack cocaine. Davis also had $1,326.26 in suspected proceeds on his person, and there was a digital scale and drug paraphernalia where Davis had been sitting.
During Davis’ initial appearance, Justice James Martemucci told Davis that he wasn’t expected to enter a plea to the felony charges. The grand jury alone will determine if he will be charged formally by indictment.
Defense attorney Bradley Sica Jr. said he did not see fentanyl powder mentioned in the affidavit.
Sica said Davis had accepted a bail agreement with Assistant Attorney General John Risler for $7,500 for the aggravated trafficking charges.
He did not accept being held without bail on the probation violation. Sica said he wanted to argue about that. He said the court had discretion on whether to hold him without bail until a hearing on the probation violation regarding post conviction bail. Davis told him he had never failed to appear to court and has family ties to Maine. He has been in Maine for a while. He is willing to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet, Sica said.
“This is not a violent crime,” he said.
Risler said the defendant has a history that would justify being held without bail. He repeated the history including convictions for drug trafficking for which Davis is on probation. He did have an ankle bracelet at one time.
Martemucci said given Davis’ history he ordered him to be held without bail on the probation violation charge.
He appointed attorney Jesse James Ian Archer to represent Davis. Bail can be reargued.
A conviction on the drug trafficking charges carries a maximum 30 years in prison and up to a $50,000 fine.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
