AUGUSTA, Maine — Two men were arrested Wednesday afternoon after a state trooper witnessed what appeared to be a drug deal in the parking lot of a restaurant, according to Augusta police.
Off-duty trooper Andrew Hardy contacted Augusta police around 5:30 p.m. when he noticed a suspicious vehicle in the Red Robin parking lot, according to Augusta Deputy Chief Jared Mills.
When Officer Laura Drouin arrived in the area, the vehicle containing Rory Kavanaugh, 20, of Georgetown, Massachusetts, and Nicholas Caponigro, 24, of Amesbury, Massachusetts, had moved to the Wal-Mart parking lot, Mills said.
A search of the vehicle turned up 2.17 pounds of marijuana and $420 in cash, Mills said. A state police dog unit aided with the search of the car.
Both men were charged with unlawful trafficking of drugs, a Class C crime. Caponigro also was charged with criminal forfeiture of property.
Both were taken to the Kennebec County Jail, where bail for Kavanaugh was set at $1,000 and $2,000 for Caponigro.
