Augusta, Maine Man Arrested, Charged With Trafficking Following Search Warrant

In times like these, our local law enforcement agencies are working overtime (literally) to help keep illicit drugs and narcotics off of our community streets. That job is long, difficult and oftentimes dangerous.

The drug epidemic has been raging in recent years as a record amount of fentanyl has been moved across the southern border of the United States and, as such, police across the country have been bombarded with a sharp spike in trafficking crimes.

Those crimes aren't just happening in big cities either. They're also happening in smaller, rural communities across the country, including here in Augusta, Maine. According to a press release from Augusta Police Chief, Kevin Lully, another person in the city has been arrested on similar charges.

Lully went on to explain in the release that officers with the Augusta Police Department, along with assistance from the ATF, MDEA and Maine State Police, executed a search warrant at 17 Carlisle Avenue in Augusta.

The search warrant, which was executed at the property on Tuesday, March 4th, yielded and undisclosed amount of illicit drugs, contraband and narcotics. Police say this was an obvious 'distribution' operation.

Lully went on to report that following the discovery of the illegal materials, an arrest was made. Police ended up taking Marshall Mercer, 44 of Augusta, Maine, into custody following the search of the property.

Police subsequently charged Mercer with 2 counts of unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs. The suspect was taken to the Kennebec County Jail where at last check he was still being help on $5,000 cash bail.

All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.