Three Arrested for Trafficking in Heroin

The heroin trade in Maine is keeping drug agents busy. Three people were arrested this week for trafficking in heroin in two different communities.

Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland said in a press release that, as part of an ongoing investigation into the distribution of heroin in the Ellsworth area, Alfred Ruiz Garcia, 50, of Portland was arrested in Ellsworth on Monday, July 21st. He was charged with Aggravated Trafficking of Schedule W drugs (heroin)  after he drove from Portland to distribute a significant amount of heroin in Hancock County. When he was stopped, he was in possession of approximately seven grams of heroin with a street value of $4,000.

Garcia was taken to Hancock County Jail. He was recently released from federal prison after serving a lengthy sentence for drug distribution and was still on federal supervised release. Bail has been set at $25,000 cash. The Ellsworth Police Department and the Hancock County Sheriff's office assisted MDEA with this investigation.

In an unrelated case, drug agents this week re-arrested a New York man for selling heroin in Bangor, a month after his arrest on similar charges. At the time of his latest arrest, Isaiah Lammar Orane, known as 'Izzy', was out on bail.

He was initially charged on June 26th with aggravated assault, aggravated criminal mischief, and trafficking in Schedule W drugs. At the time of that arrest, he was found to be in possession of heroin and crack cocaine. He posted $20,000 cash bail and was released, only to be arrested again on July 21st after selling heroin to an undercover drug agent. He's facing another charge of trafficking in Schedule W drugs and Class C Violation of Bail Conditions.

Also arrested Monday as part of Orane’s investigation, was 22 year old Noelle Hansen of Ellsworth. Hansen also sold heroin to an undercover MDEA agent and has been charged with Class B Trafficking in Schedule W drugs. At the time of her arrest, she was found to be in possession of a gram of heroin. She was transported to the Hancock County Jail in Ellsworthand is being held on $10,000. bail.

Drug agents say the investigation continues and more arrests are expected. MDEA was assisted in this investigation by the Bangor and Brewer police departments, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.