WILTON – After several months of undercover investigation, police arrested 18 people throughout Franklin County in a drug operation that culminated Thursday. Nine others are still at large.
According to Detective Thomas White of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, who is the project coordinator for the drug sweep, almost 40 law enforcement agents from throughout the region were dispatched from the Wilton Police Department about 8:30 a.m. to execute a second round of search and arrest warrants in the culmination of “Operation Crack Sealer,” a narcotics sting operation funded by “thousands of dollars” from the New England State Police Information Network.
“Anytime something like this happens it sends a message,” said Jay Police Chief Larry White. “It sends a message to any dealer in Franklin County there’s more to come.”
According to Gerry Baril, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency supervisor, agents used two informants during a five-month period to make undercover narcotics buys from several locations and dealers in Franklin, Oxford, Androscoggin and Kennebec counties.
After more than 50 undercover buys, search and arrest warrants for 23 people were issued; most live in Franklin County.
Officers from almost a dozen law enforcement agencies throughout the county and state were briefed in Wilton before executing two nighttime no-knock search warrants in Jay around 4 a.m. that resulted in three arrests.
Jennifer Marks, 22, was arrested at her home at 58 Main St. in Jay after agents confiscated evidence of drug trafficking, including an electronic scale with cocaine residue on it, a usable amount of marijuana, paraphernalia, $400 cash and a cell phone with another suspect’s photo on it, police said.
Her arrest was based on previous purchases of drugs, including crack. No crack was found there Thursday, but police believe the suspect whose photo is on the telephone is her supplier. He is still at large and is believed to be from the Boston area. Marks was charged with Class B trafficking in Schedule W drugs, crack cocaine.
Angela Taylor, 34, was also arrested after a search of her home at 8 Free St. in Jay turned up about 3 ounces of cocaine and other evidence of trafficking, including a digital scale and $600 cash, according to police.
An arrest warrant was issued for Taylor and her brother, John Zenonos, who was not home at the time.
Zenonos, 21, was picked up by police at about 6:30 a.m. when the vehicle he was reported driving was spotted at Motel 4 in Livermore. He was discovered in a room there smoking marijuana with a 17-year-old from Livermore Falls, police said.
The juvenile was taken home by state police.
Both Taylor and Zenonos were charged with Class B trafficking in cocaine. It is unclear if the 17-year-old will be charged.
Both Zenonos and Taylor, neither on the original list of suspects, were in the “bonus” list on a white board at the Wilton command center, where police were tracking their success executing the 23 arrest warrants.
Police also arrested Chad Harding, 27, of Farmington, who was recently featured in the Sun Journal as a drug informant who claimed he was clean at the time. He had 30 narcotic methadose pills in his possession at the time of his arrest, according to Baril of the MDEA. Harding was also charged with Class B trafficking.
Also arrested later in the morning was Jeffrey Witt, 18, of Farmington, after police searched his home on Dutch Lane. Witt and his roommate, still at large, are alleged to be involved in trafficking pharmaceuticals from their home where several undercover purchases of prescription narcotics had been previously made.
According to White, two suspects also called police about their warrants, though neither had turned themselves in yet.
“It’s good to get a small part of what’s available out there off the street,” said Farmington Police Chief Richard Caton III as he stood by an evidence table in the conference room at the command post.
“This is just the very, very, very tip of the iceberg,” he added.
Also arrested Thursday were Eddie Levigne, 51; Ricky Adams, 19; Thomas Cook, 24; Victor Silva, 23; all of Farmington. Also, Billie Jo Elliott, 32, of Livermore Falls; and Heather Biedinger, 22, and Elizabeth Ross, 23, of Wilton.
All were charged with Class B trafficking charges. Andrew Giordano, 23, of Farmington was charged with Class A trafficking in connection with an undercover purchase of pharmaceuticals within 1,000 feet of the Mallett School, according to White. Jeffrey Brochu, 35, of Stratton, was arrested and charged with Class C criminal conspiracy. Arrested Wednesday was Shawn Lord, 22, of Stratton, also charged with Class B trafficking.
Also, Derek Viles, 22, of Jay, pleaded guilty to charges of Class B trafficking on April 29 as a result of the operation. He was sentenced to three years with the Department of Corrections.
Two others listed on the command center’s “bonus” arrest list were Michael Gatcomb, arrested with Thomas Cook on a probation hold, and Christopher Elliott, husband of Billie Jo Elliott, who was arrested for probation violations.
Police also have issued warrants for Paul Paytas, 22; Floyd Patrick, 25; George “Joey” Legere, 23; and Leo Lindley, 31; all of Farmington. Also, Kenny Storer, 23, of Litchfield; Darreyl Wright, 27, of Wilton; and Joshua Rollins, unknown date of birth, of Jay. A man whose name authorities would not release was also still at large.
All of the suspects except Rollins are wanted for Class B trafficking charges. Rollins, when apprehended, will be summoned on a Class D trafficking charge.
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