FARMINGTON — A judge Thursday dismissed all criminal charges against a Gray man accused in a drug bust in Rangeley in January, because the primary investigator has missed two hearings.

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency officer was not available to appear twice on motion hearings. On Thursday, Assistant Attorney General David Fisher said the investigator was attending federal law enforcement training in Georgia.

Tyler McFarland, 32, who has been in custody since his arrest, still faces several probation violations related to the bust and other matters.

Justice Michaela Murphy ordered him to continue be held without bail on the probation violation matters at Franklin County Superior Court.

McFarland was indicted in May on three felony counts of unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs, one felony charge of criminal conspiracy and a count of criminal forfeiture of property.

Murphy dismissed those charges at Fisher’s request.

Two co-defendants have pleaded guilty to charges in the case.

Maine drug agents and several law enforcement agencies seized 257 prepackaged bags of heroin, 20 grams of prepackaged crack cocaine, 3.5 grams of powder cocaine, about 60 30-gram pills of oxycodone, amphetamine capsules, digital scales and $8,200 in suspected drug money during the Jan. 28 bust. The drugs had a street value of about $10,000, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency Supervisor Matthew Cashman said at the time.

The agency had been conducting an investigation on a large crack cocaine and heroin distribution ring operating out of Rangeley, Cashman said previously.

Police and agents said at the time they went to a Rangeley residence and found Michael Chandler, 34, of Philadelphia, Pa., with some bags, a scale and packaging with some residue of heroin, he said.

They also found $7,000 in cash, Cashman said previously. Based on that evidence, agents and officers went to Saddleback Motor Inn. They found McFarland and Jami Lee Driscoll, 23, of Auburn there, he had said.

“McFarland admitted to possession of the drugs,” according to an MDEA affidavit.

McFarland is on probation for armed robbery and aggravated assault out of Cumberland County, Cashman said. Due to his probation status, the room was searched.

A Maine Public Safety Department release in January said McFarland was on probation for a vicious baseball bat attack on a man in Gray in 2007, where drugs were stolen. He was convicted of robbery, burglary and elevated aggravated assault in that case.

McFarland’s attorney, Charles Ferris, said after McFarland’s court appearance that McFarland has four or five probation violations, some of them related to the Rangeley case.

“This is a case that resulted in probation violations being filed,” Fisher said.

McFarland has 14 years remaining on his sentence related to the elevated aggravated assault, he said.

McFarland was sentenced to serve four years of an 18-year sentence and four years probation for the beating and robbery, according to the Portland Press Herald. One of the probation violations is based on McFarland’s arrest in the Rangeley bust, Fisher said.

“We will be seeking 14 years,” Fisher said. “That doesn’t mean we will get it, because ultimately, it is up to the judge. This in no way resulted in his release. He has multiple probation holds, and he has new charges in addition to a probation violation since he has been incarcerated.”

Chandler pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge to traffic illegal drugs in September. The higher level of aggravated trafficking drug charges were dismissed. Under the plea agreement, Justice Murphy sentenced him to 239 days in jail, a $400 fine and forfeiture of $7,000. He had already served that time and was given credit for it.

The state also dismissed felony drug charges against Driscoll in September. She pleaded guilty to a felony charge of unlawful possession of oxycodone. Sentencing has been deferred for one year. If she completes conditions of an agreement, including 50 hours of community service, she will be able to withdraw her plea to the felony charge and be required to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge and pay a $500 fine.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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