Somerset County Sheriff’s Office vehicles stage outside a Waterville Road residence early Tuesday morning, where investigators executed one of two search warrants at nearby homes in Skowhegan. Nine people were arrested, the Sheriff’s Office said. (Courtesy of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office)
Investigators arrested nine people and seized about 45 grams of fentanyl while searching two nearby homes in Skowhegan early Tuesday, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office said.
Around 5 a.m., a total of 16 deputies and detectives from the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office and the Waterville Police Department executed two search warrants, one at a residence on Cedar Street and one at a residence on the Waterville Road, Sheriff Dale Lancaster said in a statement issued in the afternoon. The search warrants were obtained after a monthslong investigation, he said.
At the Cedar Street residence, investigators found and seized 20 grams of fentanyl, 20 grams of crack cocaine, a .45-caliber pistol, documentation and other items, Lancaster said.
Police arrested three people who were inside: Gina Clark, 54, of Skowhegan; Danielle Stratton, 40, of Belgrade; and Emmitt Kitchen, 32, of Skowhegan.
Lancaster said each was charged with two Class A counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs. The charges were aggravated due to the quantity of drugs and the presence of a firearm. Kitchen was also arrested on a warrant.
Clark was being held at the Somerset County Jail in Madison on Tuesday with bail set at $50,000, while the other two were being held at the jail with bail set at $100,000, according to Lancaster. If any remain in custody Wednesday, they would be expected to make an initial in-custody court appearance in Skowhegan; Lancaster said they were given Dec. 3 court dates.
At the Waterville Road residence, which was an apartment, investigators found and seized 25 grams of fentanyl, a “small amount” of cocaine, documentation and other items, Lancaster said. Twelve people were inside during the search.
Chauntel Ludden, 33, of Skowhegan, was arrested for Class C possession of scheduled drugs and issued a summons for Class A aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, Lancaster said. The charge was aggravated due to the quantity of drugs.
Ludden was being held at the Madison jail with bail set at $50,000, Lancaster said. Ludden is due to appear in court Dec. 3.
Police arrested a 28-year-old Madison woman, a 31-year-old Bingham woman and 40-year-old Madison man for Class E violation of condition of release, all of whom were being held as of Tuesday without bail.
According to Lancaster, the Madison woman was out on bail for charges of trafficking and furnishing in scheduled drugs. The Bingham woman was out on bail for a drug possession charge stemming from a Sheriff’s Office search of a residence in Fairfield in July and the man was out on bail for a charge of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs stemming from a Sheriff’s Office search of a residence in Norridgewock in February.
Those three were also issued Dec. 3 court dates.
At the same residence, investigators also arrested a 30-year-old Skowhegan man and a 37-year-old Skowhegan man on Class C, felony-level drug possession charges. They were each being held at the jail with bail set at $2,500 and given Dec. 3 court dates, Lancaster said.
The Morning Sentinel is not identifying those arrested for violation of condition of release and drug possession as the offenses are lower-level.
The Sheriff’s Office encouraged those interested in treatment, harm reduction and recovery support to contact Betsy Richard, care coordinator for substance use disorder, by calling 207-858-8466.
“She can connect you with the resources and services you need to get your life back on track,” Lancaster’s statement said. “We are here to support your recovery. Your privacy will always be respected.”
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says 2 mg of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, can kill someone. The amount seized in Tuesday’s busts, about 45 grams, is roughly equivalent to more than 20,000 potentially lethal doses.
