BANGOR, Maine — Fifteen people from Maine and 10 from New York were either arrested or charged this week as part of a major drug trafficking bust, involving a joint effort between 13 county, state and federal law enforcement agencies.
Maine U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency announced the arrests and charges Friday, which arose from an investigation into drugs being trafficked from New York City to Washington County and Hancock County in Maine.
Seven search warrants were executed Thursday, the U.S. attorney's office said, resulting in the seizure of several firearms, including a sawed-off shotgun and large amounts of crack and fentanyl.
Arrested and charged Thursday by criminal complaint in federal court were the following 14 people with the charge or charges proceeding:
From Maine…
- Vestin Drisko, 40, of Beals Island; and Renita Honea, 57, of Jonesport, with distributing crack and heroin, and maintaining a drug-involved premises
- Chandra Hanscom, 44, of Cutler, with distributing heroin
- Cody Look, 30, of Cutler, with possession with intent to distribute crack
- Barry McCarthy, 43, of Columbia; and Ralph Sawtelle, 27, of Lubec, with maintaining a drug-involved premises
- Robert McKenna, 48, of Indian Township, with distributing crack
- William Smeal, 32, of Hancock, with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
From New York…
- Jordy Collado, 18, of New York, New York, with possession with intent to distribute crack
- Miquel Angel Franco, 22, and Milo Danell Germany, 21, both of Bronx, New York, with possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Cinque Grasette, 42, of New York, New York, with distributing crack and heroin
- Mujahedeen Hasan, 28, of Bronx, New York, with distributing crack
- Julian Lloyd, 24, of Bronx, New York, with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
Kevin Leroy Barner, 53, of Bronx, New York, was arrested Thursday after having been charged by indictment March 28 with possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack.
Additionally, charged Friday by criminal complaint in federal court were the following three people with the charge or charges proceeding:
- Christopher Cruz, 30, and Christopher Martinez, 29, both of Bronx, New York, with possession with intent to distribute crack
- Timothy Cates, 40, of Cutler, Maine, with maintaining a drug-involved premises
If convicted, Barner faces between five and 40 years in prison and up to a $5,000,000 fine.
Drisko, Honea, Hanscom, Look, McKenna, Smeal, Collado, Franco, Germany, Grasette, Hasan, Lloyd, Cruz and Martinez face up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine for the drug trafficking charges.
Drisko, Honea, McCarthy, Sawtelle and Cates face up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine for the maintaining a drug-involved premises charges.
Part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, the investigation included: the MDEA; Maine State Police; FBI; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Hancock County Sheriff’s Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Border Patrol; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Marshals Service; and Maine Marine Patrol.
The MDEA separately announced Friday that it had charged seven people — six from Maine and one from New York — with drug trafficking, as part of the aforementioned investigation involving more than 30 MDEA agents:
From Maine…
- Jessica Dana, 36, of Indian Township; and Rachel Dwyer, 46, of Lubec, with unlawful trafficking crack
- Amber Douglas, 24, of Lubec, with unlawful trafficking heroin
- Wayne Dube, 43, of Jonesport; William Gatcomb, 49, of Sullivan; and John Moholland, 50, of Princeton, with aggravated trafficking crack
From New York…
- Craig Price, 29, of New York, New York, with unlawful trafficking heroin/crack
Cates, who was also charged in federal court, was charged separately by Maine drug agents with unlawful possession of fentanyl.
