RUMFORD, Maine — Authorities say they’ve cracked a heroin ring that delivered up to 4,700 bags of heroin per week to the River Valley.
More than 450 doses were seized in drug operations in Bethel on Wednesday and in Rumford on Monday, said Tony Milligan, deputy supervisor and special agent of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
“In my 16 years at Rumford PD, we’ve intermittently come across heroin in drug investigations we’ve done, but not anywhere near in this quantity,” Rumford police Capt. Daniel Garbarini said.
The estimated street value of the seized heroin was about $12,000, Milligan said Thursday.
“With what was seized, multiply that by five or 10 times and that’s what our investigation is telling us is coming into the River Valley area on a weekly basis,” Milligan said.
Three people were arrested in the six-month investigation; more arrests are expected as it continues, he said.
Arrested on felony drug charges were Sarah L. Bosworth, 29, and her boyfriend, Corey Lerice Edingbourgh, 30, both of 125 Main St., third-floor apartment in Mexico, and Daniel Wayne Richard, 26, of 154 Essex Ave. in Rumford.
Bosworth and Edingbourgh, who are charged with aggravated heroin trafficking, remained behind bars Thursday, unable to make bail of $20,000 each. They will be arraigned Friday in Oxford County Superior Court in Paris.
Richard, who was charged Tuesday with two counts of aggravated oxycodone trafficking — both within a school or safe zone — and unlawful trafficking in heroin in Rumford, was released on $20,000 cash bail Wednesday at his arraignment, Milligan said.
He said Bosworth and Edingbourgh were caught early Wednesday evening during a simultaneous stop-and-search of their car in Bethel and their apartment in Mexico.
The authorities had learned that Bosworth and Edingbourgh were planning to deliver a “sizable quantity” of heroin to a customer in Bethel, Milligan said.
Police set up surveillance and Oxford County deputies intercepted the pair as they drove west on Route 2 in Bethel, he said.
Bosworth, he said, was driving a 2003 Subaru Legacy station wagon, with Edingbourgh and their 7-month-old son as passengers.
Drug enforcement agents armed with a stop-and-search warrant found and seized 50 bags of heroin, Milligan said.
At their apartment, MDEA agents and Rumford and Mexico police used a battering ram to enter with a no-knock search warrant, fearing officer safety, he said.
They found and seized 340 bags of heroin, a small quantity of packaged marijuana, $500 in suspected drug proceeds and other related evidence, he said.
Milligan said the couple’s child was taken into protective custody and through the Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ Child Protection Service, was placed in emergency care with relatives.
On Monday, a search warrant was served at the home of Daniel Wayne Richard, 26, in the second-floor apartment at 156 Essex Ave. in Rumford, Milligan said.
Police seized 80 bags of heroin, two bags of marijuana, digital drug scales and other related evidence, he said.
“When Rumford police and the MDEA heard there was heroin in the River Valley area, we made a commitment to bring resources into the region and focus intensely on that [heroin ring] to shut it down as quickly as possible,” Milligan said.
Milligan said the heroin is coming into the River Valley from outside Maine, but he declined to indicate a location or to reveal more about the investigation.
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This is what happens in an area that is very much economically and emotionally depressed. The rest of the state needs to wake up and realize how bad these old mill town really are. They need help, they need jobs.
That’s nonsense! If the area was economically dead, people wouldn’t have the cash necessary to buy illegal drugs on the street. It’s not likely they’re buying heroin solely with the quantities of money that DHHS dispenses as welfare. True, the whole State needs jobs, but paper mill towns continue to have well above average incomes when compared with many other areas of the State.
Saying that an area is doing well economically because everyone is on heroin is like saying that at least starving people in Africa look good in skinny jeans.
It is interesting that an economically struggling part of the state can support a major drug culture.
How is it interesting? It’s not like people are sitting around with wads of cash thinking of fun ways to spend it. Heroin addicts will sell everything they own for the next fix, they will steal things to sell for a fix.
They didn’t wake up one morning and discover they are an addict. They obviously “sat around with wads of cash thinking of fun ways to spend it” to get started.
One fix is roughly $20-$50. Most people get hooked after one use. Thus we aren’t talking about a major initial financial investment to get hooked.
“Oh did you hear? Barbara is doing so well, she’s on heroin!”
Well weed is legal in Maine now. Maybe under Omama care these people can get there heroin legally and at a much lower cost. Then we can have real drug stores all over the state.
And that would be a great thing. Crime would be greatly reduced and people can have a choice. You must be a Libertarian like me!
Keep government OUT of our lives.
it’s called methadone.
No it is heroin. Methadone is used by those trying to quit.
An opiate is an opiate; methadone is pretty much heroin in synthetic form. Not everyone taking methadone is looking to quit.
Yes, after one use they get hooked on it..but not physically. It takes a bit for that to happen.
Maybe the Mill Workers are paid way too much money and have too much time on their hands to recreate. Time for drug testing at the mill and create some new jobs after the Junkies get fired.
What kind of life will the 7 month have. I feel sorry for the kid.
I wonder what type of Kick backs they get from the methodone clinics..
They never report on that…
So yes it does cost us.
Dealing drugs beats working until you get caught, then it’s not fun anymore.
I wonder if the herion comes out of afghanistan, where our military is protecting their fields?
You can thank George Bush for that wonderful situation..
and 3.5 years of Obama to continue that drug trade
Thank You MDEA, for disrupting the stream of drugs. Lets hope you get their client list and keep them from picking up the trade.
The crime rate (stolen prescriptions, property theft) is about to skyrocket in Rumford now that there will be dozens of junkies looking to score a fix.
50 bags of heroin in a car carrying a baby…..how sad is that.
Good job MDEA!!!! You’re almost there to stopping the drug trade in Maine! Now the kids can sleep safely at night!
…Just kidding. How does it feel to know that your entire career is dedicated to the never ending “War on Drugs” whereas most people can retire knowing they’ve made a permanent and positive difference. I think it was less about the heroin in this case and more about the 2003 Subaru station wagon. Not that I endorse heroin use, but c’mon, these laws are archaic.