FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — A Florida resident who was released from a Miami prison in February and wanted on several outstanding warrants from that state was arrested here Thursday and charged with trafficking in heroin.
Ignacio D. Roque, 37, was arrested after a joint operation of the Fort Fairfield Police Department and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
The investigation included the undercover purchase of heroin from Roque, according to Peter Arno, commander of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
On Thursday, MDEA investigators, Fort Fairfield Police officers, deputies from the Aroostook Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Border Patrol agents executed a search warrant on a residence inside the Border View Apartments in Fort Fairfield, where Roque had been living since shortly after his release from prison, Arno said Friday.
In the apartment, agents found more than 2 ounces of bulk unpackaged heroin with a street value of more than $20,000, according to Arno.
Other evidence of drug trafficking reportedly was seized during the search.
Supervisory Special Agent Craig Holder of the MDEA’s Aroostook County Task Force said Friday afternoon that Roque has a 51-page criminal history extending back to when he was a juvenile. The history includes multiple convictions for drug offenses, as well as burglary, theft and resisting arrest. All the offenses took place in Florida.
At the time of his arrest, Roque was wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant from Florida for parole violations, Arno said.
Fort Fairfield Police Chief Bill Campbell said Friday afternoon that his department first heard rumors about heroin being in the community about two weeks ago. He said the apartment complex where Roque set up his operation was right in the middle of the community and not in a rural location.
The chief said the suspect had connections to Fort Fairfield through friends.
Campbell also said he was not surprised someone from Florida traveled to Aroostook County to sell drugs.
“With Internet and cellphones, it’s a small world today,” the chief said. “Wherever there is a need and buyers, people will travel there and sell it. During my time at the MDEA, people came here from other states and countries to sell methamphetamine, cocaine — any number of drugs.”
Roy E. McKinney, director of the MDEA, said Friday that heroin is not readily available or made in Maine and is imported through a lot of networks.
McKinney said that investigations into crimes involving heroin in Maine have increased by about 300 percent over the last two years or more.
“Heroin has been around for a long time, even in Maine,” he said. “It was coming into the state packaged, but now we are seeing bulk quantities. It is cut in order to increase its amount and packaged for sale.”
Roque was taken to the Aroostook County Jail in Houlton, where he has been charged with trafficking in Schedule W drugs.
He made an initial court appearance Friday afternoon in Aroostook County Superior Court in Caribou, according to a court clerk. Bail was set at $20,000 cash or $100,000 surety. Should he make bail, conditions include he not use or possess drugs or alcohol and submit to random searches and testing. Roque also can have his bail reviewed once he is appointed an attorney.
If convicted of heroin trafficking, a Class A felony, Roque faces up to 30 years in prison.