COBURN GORE — A Canadian man followed GPS directions right into some trouble when about a pound of packaged marijuana was found in his truck at the border.
Darrell P. Fudge, 54, of Newfoundland, never intended to enter Maine on Sunday, Drug Enforcement Supervisor Gerry Baril said Tuesday. He said Fudge was trying to go from the Province of British Columbia back to his Newfoundland home.
His GPS system gave him the shortest route. That meant he ended up at the port of entry checkpoint in Coburn Gore, Baril said.
It also meant he and his vehicle were subject to inspection.
Fudge was arrested on a felony charge of unlawful trafficking in marijuana. About 1 pound was found in a cooler in his vehicle, Baril said. It was prepackaged and shrink-wrapped, he said.
The U.S. Custom and Border Protection agency offered the case to MDEA after federal prosecutors declined to prosecute, MDEA Agent Mathew Casavant and Trooper Aaron Turcotte traveled up to handle the case.
It is still against the law in Maine to have a pound of prepackaged marijuana, Baril said.
An investigation revealed that Fudge had no intent to enter the state and no intent to sell marijuana in Maine, Baril said.
Fudge appeared Monday in Lewiston District Court. Defense lawyer Richard Charest told the court that Fudge never planned to leave the country; he didn‘t even have his passport with him. Fudge wanted to settle the charge Monday but was told he would have to wait until he was before a Superior Court justice.
Charest said Fudge had a mentally handicapped family member at home and had to get back there.
Assistant District Attorney Patricia Redan asked the court to set bail at $10,000 cash. She said Fudge didn’t have a criminal history in Maine. The bail should be enough to extradite him from Canada, Redan said.
Judge Rick Lawrence set bail at $5,000 cash. Fudge remained in Franklin Count jail in Farmington on Tuesday and was expected to go to court again on Wednesday to try to settle the charge.
NOTE: This story has been modified to include the correct federal agency.
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Demon weed
Here we have another instance of a member of a foreign drug cartel, the Newfie Tokers, trying to illegally infiltrate our borders with their evil poison to addict our children, rape our women, pillage our dwellings and force us to partake of their vile drugs, all while wearing their outlandish garments (tuques and Canadiens jerseys), brandishing their hockey sticks, and devouring doughnuts and back-bacon washed down with two-fours of Molsons and LaBatts. Ridiculous? So are the marijuana laws in this country.
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