Nine overdoses are reported in 4 counties in a single night; police warn of bad heroin

Maine law enforcement officials are warning of bad batches of heroin after nine overdoses in four counties were reported Friday night.

Police are assuming the heroin was laced with fentanyl, which is far more powerful than heroin, The Associated Press reported.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Department posted a warning on its Facebook page urging people to “please spread the word and urge caution.”

The AP reported that all of the victims were revived with the overdose antidote Narcan.

Police said five overdoses occurred in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties.

Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety, issued a statement Sunday saying that Maine State Police and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency arrested three people in connection with three heroin overdoses that happened Friday within 30 minutes of each other in Washington County.

“Law enforcement in six other Maine communities have also reported similar overdoses although none have been fatal,” McCausland said.

He said state troopers and detectives from the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit investigated three overdoses Friday: two in Machiasport and one in East Machias. The victims, two men and one woman, were revived with Narcan and hospitalized Friday night. They were released Saturday. A fourth overdose, which police suspect was related to the Washington County incidents, was reported in the Hancock County town of Franklin.

“All (the overdoses) are suspected to have a connection to the three arrests,” McCausland said.

Arrested were Jon Wright, 50, of Cutler Road in Machiasport; Leanza Boney, 20, of Harlem, New York; and Jesse Michaud, 38, of Machias.

Wright and Boney were each charged with unlawful trafficking in heroin, while Michaud was charged with violating bail conditions. Drug agents seized 12 grams of crack cocaine, 3 grams of suspected heroin, and $934 in cash from Wright’s home, according to McCausland. All three men were taken to the Washington County Jail and additional charges are expected to be filed.

McCausland said heroin overdoses were also reported in Bangor, Brewer, Corinth, Guilford, Hartland and Hermon, but drug agents do not believe they are connected to the Washington County drug overdoses.