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Selected Editorials from the Editor

Suns & Shields Christian Inspirational Writings by Rachelle Hamlin

Selected editorials from Dr. Katherine Albrecht, Ed. D.

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The Roberts Trap is Sprung

By:  Bill Dunne
www.americanthinker.com
One of the most overlooked aspects of the year just ended is the vindication of Chief Justice John Roberts -- a vindication that showed up as the national catastrophe known as ObamaCare got rolling.  Roberts may have also doomed Hillary Clinton's chance to live in the White House again... click here to read whole editorial

 

MDEA Has Busy Week Busting Illegal Drug Dealers in Maine

By: David Deschesne

Fort Fairfield Journal, February 19, 2014

 

In the first week of February the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) was busy cracking down on hard-core drug manufacturers and traffickers with a total of fourteen arrests across the State.

 

Gone are the old days of simple pot plants and marijuana joints. Today, the MDEA is finding the battle stepped up to much more dangerous and even deadly drugs such as custom manufactured methamphetamine (“meth”) and the new designer drug concoctions labeled under the generic name, “bath salts” which are highly addictive and lead quickly to anorexia, psychosis and death in those who use them.

 

On Thursday February 6, Maine Drug Enforcement Agnecy (MDEA) agents from the Aroostook County Task Force, assisted by the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Department, executed a search warrant on the home of Lance and Kathryn Ellison in Woodland.

 

This warrant was the result of a several month investigation into the distribution of synthetic hallucinogens, so-called “bath salts”, in Central Aroostook County.

 

During the search of the house, agents and deputies located and seized, a shotgun, a loaded 9mm handgun, $6,760., 3.39 pounds of a-PVP aka: “bath salts”, with a street value of $308,000, numerous laptop computers, cell phones, along with other evidence of drug trafficking. In addition to the a-PVP, agents also seized a quantity of the prescription drugs Suboxone and Fentanyl.

 

As a result of the investigation, 44 year old Lance Ellison, was charged with Aggravated Trafficking in a Schedule W drug (Synthetic Hallucinogens)- Class A and possession of a firearm by a felon- Class C. At the time of his arrest, Ellison was also on probation for being in possession of a firearm by a felon. Ellison’s criminal record includes a 1990 armed robbery conviction for which he received a 10 year sentence, a 2003 aggravated trafficking in heroin conviction for which he received an 8 year sentence, and a 2013 conviction for possession of a firearm by a felon.

 

Ellison’s current drug charges were aggravated due to the seizure of a loaded firearm located near where the drugs were seized and because of his 2003 heroin conviction.

 

Ellison’s wife, 41 year old Kathryn Ellison, was charged with Aggravated Trafficking in Schedule W drugs (Synthetic hallucinogens) Class A. Both Ellisons were arraigned in Houlton. Currently, bail is set at $100,000 cash on Kathryn. A probation hold was placed on Lance Ellison and bail has not currently been set.

 

MDEA Director Roy McKinney states this seizure highlights the disturbing fact that bulk quantities of these synthetic hallucinogens or “bath salts” continue to dominate the illicit drug market in all areas of this state, to include rural Northern Maine.

 

On February 7, The MDEA busted a massive Methamphetamine manufacturing/trafficking ring in Oxford County which led to the arrest of eight people.

 

Arrested were: David Thompson, 52 of Gilead; Mico Thompson, 31 of Gilead; Rodney Levesque, 35 of Oxford; Scott Hart, 36 of Albany; Amanda Thompson, 28 of Albany; Joshua Spencer, 28 of Greenwood; Heidi Owens, 24 of Greenwood; and Joel Mills, 38 of Mason Township.

 

For the past three months, agents assigned to the Western District Task Force Office of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency conducted an investigation into the manufacturing and distribution of Methamphetamine throughout Oxford County. The investigation revealed an organized group of individuals who routinely purchased components used to manufacture Methamphetamine. The group was systematic in their methods of acquiring many of the components, particularly Pseudoephedrine, a common cold decongestant essential to the manufacturing process. The Methamphetamine produced was then sold throughout Oxford County.

 

MDEA agents with the assistance of the Oxford County Sheriff’s Department, Oxford Police Department, and Maine State police secured houses in Oxford, Greenwood, Albany, Gilead and Mason Township pending the execution of search warrants. A total of six search warrants were executed throughout the day to also include one on a vehicle belonging to Rodney Levesque. This vehicle along with two homes in Mason Township and Gilead required the use of the Maine Drug Enforcement Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement Team (CDLET).

 

Due to the extremely toxic and explosive nature of Methamphetamine manufacturing, the CDLET was activated and responded in order to safely dismantle and seize the clandestine laboratories.

 

Specially trained agents from around the state along with two State of Maine Chemists, utilizing specialized equipment and protective gear dismantled five “One Pot” laboratories in the vehicle and residences. They also retained samples of the laboratories for criminal prosecution in the future. Assisting MDEA CDLET were specially trained members of the US Drug Enforcement Administration’s Clandestine Laboratory Team. The State’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) assisted in the safe disposal of the hazardous waste products related to the laboratories.

 

All eight arrestees were transported to and are presently being held at the Oxford County Jail. Bail has been set at $100,000 dollars, surety or $75,000 dollars cash for David Thompson. Bail was set at $75,000 dollars, surety or $50,000 dollars cash for the other seven. Hart is also being held on a Probation violation.

 

These arrests and search warrants have dismantled an organized group responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of Methamphetamine throughout Oxford County. Similar investigations are ongoing and additional arrests are expected.

 

Also on February 7, the MDEA says four people were arrested in overnight raids in Bangor and Dedham. Seized were heroin, oxycodone and over $13,000. The drugs originated from New York and were due to be sold in Penobscot and Hancock counties.

 

MDEA agents, assisted by Bangor Police and Homeland Security Investigation Agents Thursday night searched the apartment of Robert Wood Jr., age 46, and Nicole Kelley, age 34, on Langley Street, after evidence was gathered the pair were trafficking in the prescription painkiller Oxycodone. Agents seized eight Oxycodone tablets and $500. Both Wood and Kelley were arrested and transported to the Penobscot County Jail charged with Class B Trafficking in Schedule W Drugs (Oxycodone) and Class C Possession of Schedule W Drugs (Oxycodone).

 

As part of the same investigation, drug agents and State Police later conducted a search of a lakefront house on Granite Road in Dedham during the early morning hours . Seized from that location was approximately 15 grams of heroin, 144 Oxycodone tablets, $13,000, and two handguns. The street value of the Oxycodone was $7,200 and the heroin would have sold for $4,000.

 

Charged as a result of the Dedham search were Jonathan Baez, 29, of Bronx, New York and Jerald Hiland, 34, of Old Town. Each are charged with Aggravated Trafficking in Schedule W Drugs (Heroin and Oxycodone), both Class A felonies. Baez’s charges are elevated due to the guns seized and Hiland’s charges are elevated as the result of a December 2012 drug conviction of Trafficking in Schedule W Drugs for which he received a 4 year sentence, with all but 9 months suspended. Both Baez and Hiland were transported to the Hancock County Jail and both were due in court today.

 

MDEA Director Roy McKinney states that these arrests highlight the continued disturbing trend of out-of-state drug traffickers who are coming to this state for the sole purpose of distributing illicit drugs - in this case opiate prescription drugs and heroin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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