SKOWHEGAN, Maine — Skowhegan police on Friday charged five people from Maine and Massachusetts in connection with a traffic stop that allegedly yielded cash, guns, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and fentanyl.
Skowhegan police, Somerset County sheriff's deputies, and Maine State Police first responded at about 10 p.m. Thursday for an incident involving individuals wearing ski masks near a vehicle, Skowhegan Police Chief David Bucknam told NEWS CENTER Maine late Friday afternoon.
When police approached the subjects, they allegedly fled on foot.
Bucknam offered no additional details but said police recovered two handguns near the vehicle.
At about 10:30 a.m. Friday, Skowhegan police and a sheriff's deputy saw a blue 2009 Mazda 3 carrying three males land two females leave the North Avenue residence, Bucknam said.
Police stopped the vehicle on Middle Road just south of Redington Fairview Hospital and arrested the following people on charges including Class A felony aggravated trafficking in drugs and Class B felony trafficking in scheduled drugs:
- Katia Graves, 33, of Pittsfield
- Kenneth McCoullum, 31, of Westbrook
- Jamarie David, 23, of Springfield, Massachusetts
- Jessica Tower, 32, of Madison
- Malachi White, 20, of Dorchester, Massachusetts
Police allegedly seized 17.5 grams of heroin, 50.9 grams of crack cocaine, 15.2 grams of cocaine HCL, and 34.4 grams of fentanyl, with an estimated street value of $9,000, as well as $4,002 in cash from the vehicle and those in it.
Clinton police and Border patrol assisted with a search during the traffic stop.
"This investigation had a lot of moving parts and all agencies worked as a team to make sure the residents of Skowhegan were safe at all times, which was our priority," Bucknam said.
