PARIS — Three residents of Rumford and Mexico were charged Thursday morning with smuggling heroin and cocaine into the area. 

Police arrested Daniel Batty, 31, of Mexico, and Rumford residents Kathryn Todd, 23, and Heather Buotte, 29, on Route 108 in Canton.

According to an affidavit by Maine Drug Enforcement Agency agent Tony Milligan, the three were preparing to travel to Lawrence, Mass., to purchase the cocaine and heroin intended for resale in the Mexico and Rumford area. 

Following police surveillance, Batty was stopped by an unmarked police car on his return early Thursday morning. Police found 10 grams of cocaine on Batty and one gram of heroin on Todd who was sitting in the back seat with Buotte, according to Milligan. 

According to Milligan, the three confessed to knowingly possessing cocaine with the intent to sell it across state lines. 

Each was charged with unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. Batty faces an additional charge of illegal importation of scheduled drugs, Todd with possession of cocaine and violating the conditions of release, and Buotte with violating the conditions of release and failure to appear in court. 

Additional charges are pending a presentation before a grand jury, Milligan said.

Batty, Todd and Buotte remained at the Oxford County Jail on Friday night, each on $5,000 bail or a contract with Maine Pretrial Services, a supervised release program. 

ccrosby@sunmediagroup.net 

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