PARIS — Five River Valley residents were indicted on prescription drug trafficking charges Friday in Oxford County Superior Court.
John P. Bernard, 46, of Mexico, Melinda M. Blodgett, 28, of Rumford, Gregg J. Gibbons, 25, of Mexico, Robert D. Lemieux, 57, of Rumford, and Chanda L. Sanfratello, 32, of Rumford were indicted on drug charges and other charges.
Bernard faces two counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, a Class A offense, three counts of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs and violation of condition of release. Bernard was arrested Dec. 27 on charges he trafficked morphine.
Blodgett faces one charge of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, a Class A offense. She was arrested Dec. 28 on charges that she trafficked Suboxone, a drug used to treat pain or opiate addiction.
Gibbons faces one charge of unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs, a Class B offense. He was arrested Dec. 28. Police say he was trafficking in Hydrocodone, a prescription painkiller.
Lemieux faces two Class A charges of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and two counts of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs. He was arrested Jan. 11 on a warrant charging aggravated trafficking in synthetic narcotic Oxycodone. Rumford police Detective James Bernard said in January that Lemieux sold the drug to undercover operatives in a drug-free zone.
Sanfratello faces two Class A charges of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, as well as charges of endangering the welfare of a child, aggravated unlawful furnishing of scheduled drugs and violation of condition of release. On Dec. 27, police arrested her on charges of aggravated trafficking in Suboxone and morphine sulfate.
The arrests were the result of investigations by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency with assistance by Rumford, Mexico and Dixfield police.
In December, MDEA agent Tony Milligan said the agency is working to stop pharmaceutical diversion in the Rumford area and reduce the number of accidental overdose deaths that result from prescription drug abuse.
treaves@sunjournal.com
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- John Bernard
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- Melinda Blodgett
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- Gregg Gibbons
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- Robert Lemieux
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- Chanda Sanfratello
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