AUGUSTA, Maine — Three men, including one wanted by police in Ohio in connection with a homicide, were arrested Wednesday afternoon following a tip from a neighbor who suspected drug activity at an Augusta residence.
Matthew A. Mason, 18, of Sandusky, Ohio, had a warrant out for his arrest after a March 22 shooting in Lorain, Ohio, according to Cleveland media.
“We responded to a call about a man being shot and when we got there we found a male with a gunshot wound to the chest,” Lt. Ed Super said Thursday by phone from Ohio. “Mason and the man got into an argument over money and he shot him in front of three or four witnesses. It’s pretty straightforward.
“We’ve been looking for him ever since,” the lieutenant said.
Ricardo Calloway, 18, was shot on West 22nd Street in Lorain, a town on Lake Erie about 20 miles east of Cleveland, Super said.
After the homicide, police charged Mason but didn’t have him in custody. They initially believed he may have been hiding in Lorain and considered him armed and dangerous. They later learned he may have been heading towards New York City, Super said.
It’s unclear when he made the trip to Maine.
Police found Mason at a Bridge Street address when they went to ensure Larry Murphy, 43, of Augusta was complying with the conditions of his bail stemming from a November drug trafficking arrest. Police received a tip from a local resident who suspected drug activity.
Police found Murphy inside, as well as two other men and a woman. One man was Mason, the other was Trevon Orman, 22, of Sandusky, Ohio.
One of the men fled when police arrived and was caught after a short foot chase, but police didn’t say which one. Afterward, police found 17 grams of heroin and 12 grams of cocaine inside.
Murphy faces two counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and violating bail conditions. Orman faces the same charges. Both men are being held at Kennebec County Jail. Mason is charged with being a fugitive from justice, in addition to his murder charge, and likely is being sent back to Ohio to face those charges.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and more charges could be filed.
The woman who was in the residence at the time hasn’t been charged with any crime yet, according to police.
“The message is clear: The great citizens of Augusta will not tolerate people selling drugs in our community,” Augusta Deputy Chief Jared Mills said in a Thursday morning news release. “They will call us when it is happening and sooner or later you will get arrested.”
Follow Nick McCrea on Twitter at @nmccrea213.