PARIS — A Peru man is scheduled to appear in Oxford County Superior Court to face multiple aggravated drug trafficking counts.

John R. Gallant, 20, of Stage Coach Road, is expected to appear in court July 9. He pleaded not guilty to multiple drug-related charges, including a Class B unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs, one count of Class B aggravated drug trafficking, two counts of Class A aggravated drug trafficking and one count of Class B receiving stolen property, according to court records.

Gallant faces up to 30 years in prison on each Class A charge and up to 10 years in prison for Class B charges.

He is currently out of prison on $10,000 secured bail.

According to a grand jury indictment, Gallant is accused of trafficked in cocaine, marijuana and oxycodone this past spring. He faces aggravated charges related to possession of a stolen firearm during drug sales. 

On May 22, 2013, Maine Drug Enforcement Special Agent Tony Milligan was granted a search warrant for Gallant’s residence, a 1986 purple Chevrolet Monte Carlo and a cellphone.

Police also seized multiple bags of marijuana, cocaine, oxycodone and pysilocybin mushrooms, as well as a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber handgun, a Benneli 12-gauge shotgun and $4,427 in cash.

According to a deposition from Milligan, information from a confidential informant and cooperating defendants led to an investigation into the trafficking of oxycodone and cocaine in the area.

In July 2012, an unidentified defendant told Maine DEA agents Gallant, among others in the area, grew marijuana and was responsible for selling large quantities of it, along with cocaine.

Later, the informant told police Gallant regularly traveled to Boston to purchase oxycodone and marijuana for resale in Maine.

“What I have found and learned to be common is for drug traffickers to save up proceeds and/or money intended for the purchase of drugs, from bulk customers or other subordinate or accomplice dealers in advance and take those funds with them on drug runs such as this [to Boston], purchase the drugs at wholesale price in bulk, and then return back to their base of operations,” Milligan wrote.

Another informant told agents Gallant got oxycodone from the Lewiston-Auburn area and sold it from his home, Milligan wrote.

Gallant was arrested during a traffic stop in March, and a search of his vehicle and residence produced quantities of marijuana and cocaine, police said. He was not charged for drug trafficking at the time.

The trial was pushed backed from May to July so Gallant could finish school.

Copy the Story Link