Maine DEA Arrests Nearly a Dozen People on Drug Charges

It appears that local law enforcement have put a major dent in a drug dealing ring.

According to a press release from the Maine Department of Public Safety's Shannon Moss, 11 people were arrested during a series of drug raids in the Washington County towns of Rocque Bluffs and Centerville.

The press release says, in part:

On the morning of Thursday May 29^th, with the assistance of the Maine State Police Tactical Team, two search warrants were simultaneously executed in the Washington County towns of Roque Bluffs and Centerville.  The search warrants were the result of a months long drug trafficking investigation at 75 Duck Cove Road, Roque Bluffs and 43 Mitten Mountain Road in Centerville which included undercover purchases of fentanyl and cocaine base (crack).

At the Roque Bluffs location, about 15 grams of Fentanyl were seized.  In Centerville, agents seized 150 grams of fentanyl and 5 grams of cocaine base.

The total street value of the drugs is estimated to be about $15,000.

Additionally, nearly a combined $6,000 in suspected drug proceeds were seized from the locations.

Those arrested include.

Kristopher Preston (38) of Roque Bluffs -Class B - Unlawful Trafficking Schedule W Drug (Cocaine Base).  No bail.

Jacob Locke  (27) of Machias - Class B – Unlawful Trafficking in Schedule W Drug (Cocaine Base). MDEA arrest warrant. No bail.  Locke was currently released on pre-conviction bail for burglary and theft of services.

Nicholas Merchant (35) of Roque Bluffs – Class B - Unlawful Trafficking in Methamphetamine and Fentanyl and Class E Trafficking Imitation Drugs. Located by the Tactical Team hiding in the dryer of the residence. MDEA arrest warrant. No bail. Merchant was currently released on pre-conviction bail for unlawful possession and violation of conditions of release.

Darius Montgomery (29) of South Ozone Park (Queens), New York – Class B – Unlawful Trafficking in Methamphetamine, Fentanyl and Cocaine Base. No bail

Andrew White (35) of New York, New York - Class B – Unlawful Trafficking in Methamphetamine, Fentanyl and Cocaine Base. No bail.

Samantha Jo Moore (22) of Machiasport – Unrelated Warrant – Failure to Appear for Aggravated Trafficking in Scheduled Drugs.

Bree Landry (27) of Bangor –Unrelated Warrant – Failure to Appear for OUI Drugs (Washington County), Warrant - FTA for 2 counts of Class D Unlawful Possession of Scheduled Drugs and Warrant for Class D Theft, Class E OAS and Violation of Conditions of Release. 

Willie Merchant (36) of Centerville – Class B Unlawful Trafficking of Fentanyl. MDEA warrant. No bail.

Nestor Andres Mejia Mateo (25) of Dominican Republic – Class A Aggravated Trafficking of Fentanyl.  The charge is aggravated based on the weight of the fentanyl seized.  No bail.

Samantha Roberts – Unrelated Warrant – FTA Class D Forgery.

*NOTE -  All suspects are considered innocent until found guilty in a court of law

The Maine Drug Enforcement’s Down East Task Force was assisted by Washington County Sherriff’s Office, Maine State Police, US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Department of Homeland Security (HSI), Bureau of Indian Affairs, US Border patrol and the Machias Police Department.