WARREN, Maine — Three people, including a drug dealer tied to two recent overdose deaths, were arrested in a police raid in Warren, according to authorities.
Denise Richards, 63; Marissa Widdecomb, 34, of Union; and Claire Turner, 33, of Warren, were arrested Wednesday at Richards' home at 1094 Eastern Rd. in Warren, police announced Friday.
Richards was charged with five counts of aggravated drug trafficking of fentanyl and methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Police said they seized a loaded handgun from her residence.
Widdecomb was charged with two counts of aggravated drug trafficking of fentanyl. She also had a warrant for failure to appear in court on an unrelated drug trafficking charge, police said. Turner was charged with fentanyl possession.
Police said they launched an investigation into Richards after the suspected overdose death of a 52-year-old woman at her residence on March 5. At the time, Richards was free on a "stay of execution of sentence" related to a recent drug trafficking conviction in which she was set to serve five months in jail. Police said she was charged with drug trafficking as part of an investigation into the overdose death of a 42-year-old Rockland woman in July 2021. Richards also has a 2012 conviction for drug trafficking, according to police.
Police said undercover agents purchased fentanyl from Richards and Widdecomb over a month-long period leading up to Wednesday's raid.
Richards was held on $25,000 bail and police said she could face additional charges. Widdecomb and Turner were held without bail. The three were scheduled to appear in Knox Unified Court on Friday.
