From left, Terrence Johnson, Kayla Day, Rashaud Lavoie
RUMFORD — Three people with prior drug convictions were arrested Thursday morning at the Best Western Plus hotel and charged with trafficking in fentanyl and cocaine, Rumford Police Chief Tony Milligan said in a news release Friday.
Rashaud Lavoie, 31, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, Terrence Johnson, 30, of Rumford, and Kayla Day, 35, of Albany Township were each charged with aggravated trafficking in fentanyl and trafficking in cocaine, the chief said.
The arrests were the result of a tip received of possible drug activity in a room at the hotel on Prospect Avenue, according to the Police Department statement.
When police arrived to investigate, they confirmed Lavoie, Johnson, Day and another individual were sharing a room and that Lavoie, Johnson and Day had prior drug convictions.
Police also confirmed that Lavoie was serving two years of probation after his conviction in November 2021 of possession of fentanyl with prior drug convictions, which stemmed from a Rumford police case. They also confirmed Day was serving one year of probation for theft convictions in November 2023, the statement said.
Police contacted Lavoie, Johnson and Day in the hotel room and a search resulted in the seizure of about 28,000 milligrams, or roughly 280 doses of fentanyl according to the police, and roughly 2 grams of cocaine, a cutting agent commonly used in the processing of scheduled drugs intended for distribution, and other associated drug paraphernalia. The potential street value of the fentanyl is estimated at more than $5,600, the statement said.
Lavoie, Johnson and Day were taken to the Oxford County Jail in Paris to await a court appearance.
A probation hold has been ordered for Lavoie and Day.
Lavoie, Johnson and Day are each facing a potential four-year minimum mandatory sentence and up to 30 years in prison if convicted of the fentanyl charge. Lavoie may face up to an additional two years in prison and Day up to another year in prison if convicted of violating probation, Milligan said.
The case will be reviewed by the Office of the Maine Attorney General to determine if additional or different charges are warranted, which could affect how much prison time the defendants are facing, he said.
“Our newest hotel in Rumford isn’t accustomed to criminal activity like drug trafficking,” Milligan said. “We maintain an excellent working relationship with staff there to help ensure the safety of their guests and employees and protect their zero-tolerance policy for such illegal activity. We are committed to doing everything we can to discourage would-be drug traffickers from setting up shop like all-too-often happens at other hotels.”
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