DIXFIELD — Ten people arrested this week in a heroin and cocaine distribution investigation that began this past spring in Mexico are expected to appear in a Paris courtroom Friday, according to officials.

According to a news release issued Thursday by Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety, most were arrested Wednesday after being indicted last week by an Oxford County grand jury.

Charged are Angelo Ismael Cabrera, 21, Lawrence, Mass.; Angel Ariel Cabrera, 25, Mexico; Kelvin “Jason” Caceras, 25, Lawrence, Mass.; Jeffrey D. Waite, 55, Dixfield; Joshua L. Tozier, 30, Lewiston; Dillen K. Bronish, 25, Jay; Feleisha M. Burgess, 22, Dixfield; Steven J. Knockwood, 42, Jay; Courtney Rene Dyke, 23, Peru; and Matthew Duka, 25, of Hanover.

The arrests are the culmination of an investigation that began when Maine Drug Enforcement Agency agents began looking into Duka, a substitute teacher at Mountain Valley Middle School in Mexico suspected of selling heroin and crack cocaine in the community, according to the news release.

Agents found no evidence of any drug sales at the middle school, according to the release.

McCausland wrote that 50 to 80 grams of heroin and 28 grams of cocaine base were smuggled into Maine weekly by the group before it was shut down earlier this year.

The release said MDEA, Rumford police and Maine State Police used an undercover agent to purchase heroin/fentanyl from Duka in Mexico. As the investigation continued, investigators learned that Duka was selling heroin and crack cocaine for Angel Cabrera and Kelvin Caceras, who were using a house at 21 Coolidge Road in Dixfield as their headquarters. The house is owned by Waite.

Angel Cabrera, one of the ring leaders of the drug sales, solicited Waite to use his home as a distribution point and Cabrera then utilized Kelvin Caceras to help run the drug trafficking business out of the house, according to the release.

All of the heroin and crack cocaine was supplied by Angel Cabrera’s younger brother, Angelo Cabrera. Angel Cabrera hired local drug customers and drug users to smuggle the heroin and crack cocaine from Lawrence, Mass., to Dixfield and to help him sell the drugs locally in Dixfield, Rumford, Mexico, Peru and Jay. In exchange, Angel Cabrera supplied each of them with free small amounts of heroin and crack cocaine, McCausland wrote.

Drug sales took place during the winter of 2016 through the late spring of 2017 when MDEA arrested Duka and Angel Cabrera. As the investigation continued, MDEA gathered additional evidence to support charges for drug sales by Tozier, Bronish, Burgess, Knockwood and Dyke, the release said.

Dixfield Police Chief Jeffrey A. Howe said in an email Thursday, “It is unfortunate that such an operation was in play in a town like ours, however, as we all know, there are no borders when it comes to drugs.”

Angelo Cabrera, Angel Cabrera, Caceras, Waite, Tozier, Bronish and Burgess were all indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit aggravated trafficking in heroin, conspiracy to commit aggravated trafficking in cocaine base, conspiracy to commit aggravated importation of heroin and conspiracy to commit aggravated importation of cocaine base, the release said.

Angel Cabrera was also indicted on charges of aggravated trafficking in heroin, aggravated trafficking in cocaine base and violation of conditions of release, according to the release.

Caceras was also indicted on charges of aggravated trafficking in heroin and aggravated trafficking in cocaine base.

Waite was also indicted on charges of aggravated trafficking in heroin and aggravated trafficking in cocaine base.

Duka was indicted on charges of unlawful trafficking in heroin/fentanyl, conspiracy to commit aggravated trafficking in heroin, conspiracy to commit aggravated trafficking in cocaine base, conspiracy to commit aggravated importation of heroin and conspiracy to commit aggravated importation of cocaine base.

Knockwood was indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit aggravated trafficking in heroin, conspiracy to commit aggravated importation of heroin and conspiracy to commit aggravated importation of cocaine base.

Dyke was indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit aggravated importation of heroin and conspiracy to commit aggravated importation of cocaine base.

Bail was set as follows: Angelo Cabrera, $50,000 cash; Caceras, $50,000 cash; Waite, $10,000 cash; Tozier, $10,000 cash; Bronish, $5,000 cash; Burgess, $5,000 cash; Knockwood, $5,000 cash; and Dyke, $2,500 cash.

Warrants of arrest were issued for all defendants except Duka and Angel Cabrera, who were previously arrested in this case and have been summonsed to appear in court.

Assisting with the arrests were Dixfield and Rumford police, state police and the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office.

“I was happy my department was able to play a part in cleaning up this operation,” Howe wrote.

“I also wish to encourage citizens to keep up the good work and not be afraid to speak up when they see what they suspect to be drug activity. It is with their help that operations like this are stopped,” he wrote.

He urged people to reported suspected drug activity to any officer they see, or call the station at 562-4517, or call  1-800-452-6457 to leave a confidential tip with MDEA.

bfarrin@sunmediagroup.net

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