Rumford Drug Bust Nets 3 Arrests, 47.5K Milligrams of Fentanyl

Rumford Police have arrested three people after seizing over 47,000 milligrams of fentanyl.

How Were Police Alerted to the Drugs?

The investigation began when Rumford Police intercepted a gray Nissan Altima that they had heard was bringing fentanyl into the area for distribution. Officer Dakota Wilhoite monitored traffic along Route 108 and spotted the vehicle as it drove into the area. The car was stopped and Rumford's Officer Lawrence Briggs and his K-9 Niko were called to help with a search.

Where Were the Drugs Found?

Niko positively indicated the smell of drugs, but a search of the car only resulted in officers finding drug paraphernalia. The dog then gave a sniff to the suspects and indicated positively to drugs in the female suspect's groin area. The woman subsequently surrendered 5 'fingers' of bulk-compressed fentanyl weighing approximately 47,510 milligrams, which had been hidden in her body cavity. No drugs were found on any of the other people.

Who Was Arrested?

Rumford Police say the amount of fentanyl seized in this case represents as much as 23,755 dosage units or potential opportunities for overdose deaths. The estimated street value in Rumford is potentially $9,500.

As a result of the search, three people were arrested:

• Marianela Rodriguez, 47, of Rumford is charged with aggravated trafficking in fentanyl
• James Lynch, 35, of Rumford is charged with aggravated trafficking in fentanyl and violation of conditions of release
• Andrew Mills, 25, of Sumner is charged with aggravated trafficking in fentanyl and on a warrant for his arrest charging failure to appear in court for unrelated charges of unlawful possession of schedule drugs and violation of conditions of release

A judge ordered all three suspects held on personal recognizance bail provided they agree to and are accepted by Maine Pretrial Services for supervision and testing while their cases are pending. Rodriguez and Mills were accepted into the program and released earlier this week. Lynch is still in custody at the jail pending an eligibility assessment or someone posting $1,000 cash bail.