FARMINGTON — A father and son from Carthage were indicted Thursday by a Franklin County grant jury on heroin charges.

Russell C. Smith, 51, was indicted on felony charges of unlawful trafficking in schedule drug, unlawful possession of schedule drugs and conspiracy. He also was indicted on criminal forfeiture.

His son, Anthony W. Smith, 30, was indicted on felony charges of unlawful trafficking in a schedule drug, conspiracy, misdemeanor charges of unlawful possession of a scheduled drug, falsifying evidence/destroy and criminal forfeiture. He was also indicted on a felony charge of violation of bail on a different day.

Assistant District Attorney Joshua Robbins previously told a Farmington court that evidence led to a search warrant for the two Carthage residences, where it appeared a large volume of heroin was being supplied to the Rumford, Carthage, Mexico and Farmington areas.

Franklin County Detective Stephen Charles arrested Russell Smith at his residence on Winter Hill Road on July 30, 2015. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Maine State Police and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency conducted search warrants at his home and Anthony Smith’s home on Tainter Corner Road.

According to Charles’ probable cause affidavit, a search of the older Smith’s residence revealed:

• A container of heroin in Russell Smith’s dresser drawer in his bedroom;

• A pill crusher with powder that Russell Smith admitted was heroin and that tested positive for the drug;

• A plastic bag containing numerous empty gel capsules that Russell Smith admitted were used for individual heroin packaging;

• A set of scales with powder residue; and

• A large amount of U.S. currency.

Russell Smith told Charles that several thousand dollars were from a loan on a retirement account but law enforcement suspected the money was drug proceeds.

Also found was a large amount of paraphernalia consistent with ingesting powdered narcotics such as heroin or cocaine through nasal passages, as well as for processing and smoking cocaine, the affidavit states.

Russell Smith told a drug agent that he had a substance abuse problem and said he had been using a half gram of heroin per day for a significant period of time, the document states.

He also told the agent that his sons had been using heroin heavily and selling it as well, the affidavit states. He said his sons were storing heroin in a car, which is at Russell’s house.

According to Charles’ affidavit, Anthony Smith told him that he had used the last two .1-gram packages of heroin on July 29, 2015, because he was aware law enforcement was getting close. Anthony had fresh marks on the back of his left hand, consistent with needle marks. Anthony Smith admitted they were from his recent intravenous heroin use. He did not admit or deny that he was selling heroin, but told Charles he had cleaned everything out of his residence and did not have anything there at the time, according to the document.

During the Smiths’ initial appearance in court, Robbins said that apparently Anthony Smith swallowed a bag of heroin while his residence was being searched. After he was booked at the Franklin County jail in Farmington, the drug started to take effect and he was taken to a hospital. He also attempted to commit suicide by tying a shoelace around his neck while at the jail prior to being taken to the hospital, according to Charles’ affidavit filed with the court.

Seized in the search of Anthony Smith’s home were ketamine, a horse tranquilizer, used hypodermic needles, a set of digital scales with powder residue consistent with heroin and/or cocaine, other drug paraphernalia and Anthony’s cellphone, according to the affidavit.

Charles said he had obtained direct information regarding Anthony Smith arranging and agreeing to sell amounts of heroin and crack cocaine to different people over several weeks.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net

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