Old Town police arrest 3 repeat offenders at trailer park

OLD TOWN, Maine — Old Town police arrested three people on drug and other charges while on patrol at Regency Trailer Park.

All three suspects remained at Penobscot County Jail on Tuesday night, according to Old Town police Officer Joshua Loring, one of the arresting officers.

Arrested were Ryan Ellis, 32, whom police described as a transient from Bangor, 20-year-old Ashley Gormely of Brewer and Steven Orosco, 21, of Bangor.

Loring and Officer James Slauenwhite initially went to the trailer at which the arrests took place looking for two other people in an unrelated matter, Loring said.

Ellis, who told police he was owner of the Lonnie Loop mobile home trailer, was charged with unlawful trafficking in a synthetic hallucinogen, namely bath salts, a Class B felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, Loring said. Ellis also was charged with violating the conditions of his release from a prior arrest, illegal possession of a prescription drug and refusing to sign a summons.

At the time of his arrest in Old Town, Ellis was out on bail from a November arrest by Brewer police. That arrest occurred after police there followed up on a tip about suspicious activity at a Brewer motel.

The tip led to Ellis’ arrest on charges of aggravated trafficking in bath salts, possession of concealed weapons, having a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle, trafficking in dangerous knives and refusal to submit to arrest or detention.

The tip also led to the seizure of nearly a pound of bath salts — with an estimated street value of $67,000 — four firearms and a switchblade, Brewer police Lt. Chris Martin said at that time.

Martin said the drug trafficking charge was elevated to aggravated because the alleged drug operation took place near the Brewer Auditorium and children’s park and as such is subject to tougher drug-free zone rules that apply to areas within 1,000 feet of schools, parks and similar public facilities.

In Old Town, Gormely was charged with unlawful possession of oxycodone, a prescription painkiller, Loring said. Orosco was charged with probation violation, he said.

Old Town police arrested Orosco on Nov. 22 on charges of Class B felony trafficking in bath salts, violation of bail conditions, trafficking in dangerous knives and driving without a license, according to arrest information provided by Penobscot County Jail.

Orosco also was arrested on a Class B felony bath salts trafficking charge in October after Bangor police found him slumped over and unresponsive in a running car.

Orosco also was charged with operating without a license, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a scheduled drug other than bath salts, Bangor police Sgt. Paul Edwards said when that arrest occurred.

Gormely’s criminal history includes fines in June of last year for convictions on two counts of theft and one count each of criminal trespass and violating condition of release, according to court listings published in the Bangor Daily News.