LEWISTON — A Topsham man and a local woman were arrested Monday after a routine traffic stop and charged with trafficking fentanyl, a powerful synthetic form of heroin.

Wany Anyit, 27, of 113 Whitehouse Crossing Road, Topsham, was charged with unlawful trafficking and possession of scheduled drugs. They are felonies punishable by up to 10 years in prison and up to five years in prison, respectively.

Police confiscated nearly $1,800 cash, which they believe is drug money. 

Prosecutors seek forfeiture of the cash.

Anyit was a passenger in the Toyota Corolla that was stopped in Auburn after midnight.

Like Anyit, Judith Pereyra, 21, of 242 Park St., Lewiston, was charged with unlawful trafficking and possession of scheduled drugs.

She also was charged with driving-related crimes, including criminal operating under the influence, operating after suspension and violating condition of release, all misdemeanors.

Police eventually stopped the car driven by Pereyra that was spotted operating erratically on the Maine Turnpike near the Auburn exit. Auburn police caught up with the car and pulled behind it after turned into a driveway on Main Street in Auburn.

“The way that Wany was acting did not feel right and it felt like he was trying to hide something,” Officer John Chamberlain wrote in an affidavit. He called for an officer with a drug-sniffing dog to the scene.

During a search of the vehicle, which was allowed because Pereyra was on bail that allowed for random searches without suspicion or probable cause, a brown bag with two plastic bags was found in the spare tire compartment.

One of these bags contained 45.8 grams of fentanyl; the other bag contained 21.4 grams of confectionery sugar, commonly used as an agent to cut fentanyl.

Anyit and Pereyra appeared Monday in 8th District Court in Lewiston.

Assistant District Attorney Nathan Walsh sought $25,000 cash bail for Anyit, noting he had nearly $1,800 in cash when he was arrested. He also had a history of failing to appear in court and violating conditions of release.

Defense attorney Richard Charest noted that Anyit was a full-time student at the University of Maine at Augusta in Brunswick and that he had no money for bail. Charest said Anyit had little money for bail and asked that it be lowered to $500 cash. He said he didn’t know there were drugs in the car and that they must have belonged to the owner.

Justice William Stokes said “the quantity of fentanyl is significant,” calling the charge a “pretty serious offense. He set bail at $15,000 cash. If released, Anyit may have no contact with Pereyra and must refrain from having illegal drugs and alcohol and he may be searched and tested for both at random. He may not have any firearms either.

Bail for Pereyra was set at $10,000 cash with similar conditions, including no driving a motor vehicle.

cwilliams@sunjournal.com

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