BRUNSWICK, Maine — A local couple was indicted earlier this month week for felony trafficking in scheduled drugs, and the husband faces additional charges including endangering the welfare of a child following a May 16 raid on their home.
Charles “Muggy” McKenney Jr., 46, and Lori Jean McKenney, 45, both of Maquoit Road in Brunswick, were arrested May 16 at their home after Maine Drug Enforcement agents and the Brunswick Police Department Special Response Team executed a “no knock” search warrant.
Police allegedly seized 14 OxyContin pills, about two ounces of marijuana, digital scales and approximately $1,100 in cash believed to be the proceeds from drug transactions, Brunswick Police Detective Rich Cutliffe said Tuesday.
The money was allegedly hidden in a child’s bedroom, according to Cutliffe.
A Cumberland County grand jury indicted Charles McKenney Jr. on two counts of Class A aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, namely oxycodone; and misdemeanor counts of possession of scheduled drugs, namely oxycodone; criminal forfeiture; and endangering the welfare of a child.
The charges stemmed from incidents allegedly occurring between April 12 and May 12, according to the indictment.
McKenney’s charges were elevated because of his long history of drug convictions, Cutliffe said Tuesday, including aggravated trafficking in OxyContin, unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, aggravated assault and aggravated forgery.
Lori McKenney was indicted for two Class A counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, namely oxycodone.
Lori McKenney, was charged following the search with violation of probation after allegedly testing positive for oxycodone and marijuana, Cutliffe said. She was on probation at the time for a previous conviction of felony unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs.
In an unrelated incident, the McKenneys’ son, 20-year-old Christopher McKenney, also of Brunswick, was also indicted this month by a Cumberland County grand jury for felony theft for an incident that allegedly occurred on June 19.
McKenney allegedly stole an iPod from a Mid Coast Hospital medical building, Detective Sgt. Martin Rinaldi of the Brunswick Police Department said.
The charge was elevated to a felony because of McKenney’s prior convictions for theft and drugs.
What’s a “month week”?
a misplaced word .. duh..
Proof positive that anyone can make or give birth to a child, but that does not necessarily make them a parent.
No drug problem in this State.
Sounds like Senior wanted to pass his business to Junior. Father of the year!
Wow what a huge bust, taking those 14 pills and two ziploc bags of marijuana off the street are going to make a big dent in the drug problem. These people are obviously not big players in the drug trade, such a small amount could easily be for personal use.
14 oxycontin pills is only a day or two supply for some people, which leaves me wondering why they are charged with aggravated trafficking. What a waste of judicial resources. When will we ever learn that the war on drugs is pointless and costs far more money than it is worth.
We should focus on providing rehabilitation services rather than incarceration. Incarceration often leads to small players like this getting an education on how to become big time dealers. It also allows people like this to forge connections with other like minded individuals who they would otherwise not have the opportunity of meeting.
The system is broken yet no one seems to care and no one wants to fix it.
The sentences were harsh because of mandatory drug sentencing and the bastard child of the three strikes law. Because these people had been sentenced before for drug crimes the new crimes became compounded and larger in the eyes of the law.
Oh and the government gets to keep the forfeitures if they charge them with “trafficking”. Notice that I did not say convicted of trafficking? That is because you do not have to have been proven guilty of anything for the government to seize all of your cash and property. You only have to be charged. Which really throws a monkey wrench in the deal for finding the funds to hire a lawyer. Or if only one person from the household is charged then the rest of the family is left destitute; no car to get to work, no money to pay the bills, no home to live in.
Again, when this transpires no one has yet been found guilty of a crime. This is the worst part of the scam that is the “War on Drugs”. It has devastated nearly as many families as drug abuse itself. Only with drug abuse one still might have the opportunity to be a functioning member of society and care for their children. Once the Gov. gets its hands on all your assets though, you and your family are doomed to poverty for many years to come.
And here’s the nitty gritty on this little legal charade; even if you are not found guilty. If you prove your innocence beyond the shadow of a doubt, you may or may not have your assets restored. If cash was seized that is a little less complicated, but you still have to file a butt load of legal papers, but your physical property is another matter. Quite often homes, cars, boats, etc., once seized are left to rust, rot or fall into ruin, assuming that they are not being used by different goverment agencies for their own purposes while you await trial. When/if you do ever get them back the value of your property is substantially reduced and there will be NO consideration regarding compensation for the original value.
This war on drugs has to stop. It has torn our society apart for the sole purpose of supporting law enforcement and now the private prison industry. (well there is also the corporate bottom line that was at the root of the whole escapade but that is for a different day) There is not now nor has there ever been a logical reason for the criminalization of drugs other than some misguided notion that making it illegal will keep people from doing it. A four year old can explain to you in pretty short order how ridiculous that notion is.
Firstly, no plant in its natural state should ever be illegal. That is utter bollocks. Secondly, even if you believe that using drugs is damaging and certainly for some drugs that is true, where is the logic for throwing people in prison for behavior that hurts only themselves? Shouldn’t poisoning one’s body fall under personal responsibility? In this country there is a lot of lip service given to the ideas of freedom and liberty, but where are they really when your personal behavior, assuming that you are breaking no laws other than drug laws, can find you incarcerated for life? Third, and last but not least on my list, billions of dollars have been thrown away on this useless and cruel mindset. Those billions of dollars could have been much better spent on alleviating the social problems that lead to drug abuse in the first place: poverty, lack of education etc. It seems in this country throwing good money after bad is not only acceptible, it is high government policy, no matter the costs to our country, society or our citizens.
Stop the madness.