WATERVILLE, Maine — Two men were arrested and another charged Wednesday as police seized 37 baggies of heroin and about $1,000 in cash.
Arrested were Zachary Gilbert, 31, of Waterville and Charles Santana, 26, of Vienna, while Noah Michaud, 22, of Waterville was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia but not arrested, Waterville Deputy Chief Charles Rumsey said.
Gilbert is facing a Class A felony charge of trafficking in schedule drugs while Santana is accused of possession of schedule drugs, a Class C felony, according to Rumsey.
The sequence of events started shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday when Det. Duane Cloutier went to a Main Street apartment rented by Michaud to conduct a search warrant after an investigation into heroin trafficking in the downtown area, Rumsey explained.
As Cloutier arrived, he saw Michaud meet up with Santana and Gilbert in the parking lot of Rite Aid, just up the street from Michaud’s apartment, Rumsey said.
Michaud was detained as he started to walk back while the other two were followed into the Rite Aid, and Rumsey said Cloutier observed them making “a hand-to-hand transaction believed to be a drug deal.”
Gilbert and Santana were arrested upon coming outside, and a search of Michaud’s apartment turned up drug paraphernalia, needles and small baggies used to package heroin, Rumsey said.
An additional search of an apartment rented by Gilbert revealed digital scales, packaging materials, drug paraphernalia, marijuana and cash, Rumsey explained.
Gilbert was taken to the Kennebec County Jail on a probation hold while Santana was released on bail from the Waterville police station.
