LEWISTON — Two local men, one of them who recently graduated from drug court, are charged in connection with a pair of pharmacy robberies in early November.

Cumberland County Sheriff’s deputies on Thursday arrested Ryan White, 24, of Pettingill Street, Lewiston, and Alexander Madore, 24, of Fifth Street, Auburn. Each was charged with two counts of robbery.

The men are accused of robbing a Rite-Aid in Gray and attempting to rob another in Lewiston on Nov. 4.

On that day, deputies went to Rite-Aid on West Gray Road in Gray where a man had handed a pharmacist a note demanding prescription drugs. The suspect fled the store after receiving an undisclosed amount of pills.

While investigating that heist, deputies learned there had been a similar robbery attempt in Lewiston. Police in both cities began investigating, aided by surveillance camera photos that showed the suspects inside and outside the stores.

As a result of the investigation, White and Madore were found and arrested Thursday. Both remained at the Androscoggin County Jail where White was being held on a probation hold. Madore was being held on $15,000 cash bail.

In 2009, White was arrested on similar charges of robbing pharmacies in Lewiston to get oxycodone. He was convicted and only recently completed counseling through Family Treatment Drug Court as part of his sentence, according to a court official.

Drug investigators say the rising cost of prescription painkillers on the street has driven some addicts to other forms of drugs or to commit crimes in attempts to get them.

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