Rumford police found 3,700 doses of fentanyl with a street value of $148,000 and two loaded handguns in a Jeep Compass after a York County man passed out and narrowly missed hitting a gas pump at a convenience store on Sunday.
Dustin Homewood, 22, of Hollis was tased by police after he ran about 50 yards from them during a search of his vehicle at the Circle K Convenience Store on Bridge Street at about 11:15 a.m. The officers were called to the store by witnesses to the near-miss. according to a statement from Police Chief Tony Milligan.
When police awoke Homewood, he was excessively nervous, gave the officers a false name, and when they searched him, had a .22 caliber pistol and a set of brass knuckles in his pants pocket. Homewood ran from police after police Officer Bradlee Gallant and his drug-sniffing dog, “Niko,” allegedly discovered the fentanyl in the Jeep, Milligan said.
Police allegedly found 10 doses each of methamphetamine and ethylphenidate, an amphetamine-like psychostimulant, and 6 doses of Suboxone in the Jeep. A loaded 9-mm pistol, $972 in cash, several hypodermic syringes, digital drug scales and small plastic bags commonly used by drug dealers to distribute individual dosage units of drugs for sale to customers were also discovered, Milligan said.
Police also found court paperwork in the Jeep that indicated that Homewood had been arrested by Buxton police on May 13 on drug charges after police seized 240 doses of fentanyl, scales, three firearms and other drug trafficking evidence at his Buxton home, Milligan said.
Homewood was charged with four class A charges of aggravated trafficking in fentanyl, methamphetamine, suboxone and ethylphenidate and the lesser charges of carrying a concealed weapon, refusing to submit to arrest, possession of firearms by a prohibited person, and violation of conditions of release, Milligan said.
Each class A charge carries a prison sentence of up to 30 years and a $50,000 fine.
Homewood is being held on 10,000 bail at Oxford County Jail in South Paris following a court appearance on Monday, Milligan said.