DENMARK – A child welfare and drug use investigation on Thursday led to three people being charged with drug trafficking and marijuana cultivation.

According to Roy E. McKinney, director of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and MDEA special agent Gerry L. Baril, a citizen complained to the Department of Human Services about the child’s welfare and drug use at the West Main Street home of James Monson.

An Oxford County Sheriff’s Office deputy and DHS caseworker went to investigate.

“They developed an immediate concern for the welfare of a 4-year-old female child who was observed in the front window with no one coming to the door,” Baril said.

The deputy called for backup and before it arrived, Monson came to the door.

The report stated that after entering the home, Agostino Samson and Beverly Commoss, parents of the child, appeared. It also stated there was a plain view of illegal drug activity.

Deputies discovered a marijuana grow room hidden in the basement and 16 marijuana plants and 5 pounds of dry, processed marijuana, one-quarter ounce of cocaine, $482 and written records and notations of drug sales.

Samson, 50, was charged with aggravated trafficking in cocaine and marijuana and aggravated marijuana cultivation.

The charges were elevated to aggravated status because of his convictions in 1999 for felony cocaine and marijuana possession and furnishing charges, for which he served a concurrent sentence of four years in prison.

Commoss, 44, and Monson, 45, were charged with trafficking of cocaine and marijuana and marijuana cultivation.

Baril estimated the street value of the marijuana to be $8,000 and the cocaine to be $600.

The trio was transported to the Oxford County Jail.

The child was taken into temporary protective care by DHS.