RUMFORD — Police seized $70,000 worth of fentanyl and cocaine Thursday afternoon after a traffic stop and search of a local man’s apartment, according to Police Chief Tony Milligan.
Jeffrey M. Hill Rumford Police photo
Jeffrey M. Hill, 33, of 323 Cumberland St. was charged with aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs-fentanyl, aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs-cocaine, operating without a driver’s license and violation of conditions of release.
Hill was transported to the Oxford County Jail in Paris and held without bail.
Milligan said Hill has served time in prison for felony drug trafficking in Rumford. His residence falls within 1,000 feet of two statutorily-protected drug-free zones, the Rumford Elementary School and the Hosmer Field Recreation Complex.
The volume of drugs seized, his prior conviction and proximity to drug-free zones mean he could face between five and 30 years in prison for each felony.
Milligan said Rumford Police and the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office had been investigating Hill on suspicion he was running a drug-trafficking operation from his third floor apartment. Rumford police Cpl. Lawrence Winson was on routine patrol Thursday when he saw Hill driving on Lincoln Avenue and knew he was on bail and didn’t have a license.
Winson stopped Hill and arrested him on charges of operating without a license and violation of conditions of release.
Milligan said Winson found nearly 18 grams of suspected cocaine, nearly six grams of suspected fentanyl and a wad of cash totaling $4,380 on Hill. He was taken to the Rumford Police Department as the investigation continued.
After receiving a warrant to search Hill’s apartment, the Rumford K-9 team, the Sheriff’s Office and Maine State Police were called to assist. They seized a cache of bulk fentanyl and cocaine, packaging materials, digital scales and suspected drug records. About 230 grams of fentanyl, including 21 fingers, and nearly 92 grams of cocaine were found.
“The amount of fentanyl seized in this case is significant for us,” Milligan said. “Two hundred thirty-six grams of this drug represents as much as 2,360 potential fatal doses. Depending on the tolerance of the user, a single dose of this drug could be as small as one-tenth of a gram.”
He noted the going rate for each one-tenth gram in the region is $25, making the estimated street value of the fentanyl $59,000. The estimated street value of the cocaine is $11,500.
“Overdoses continue to rise throughout the state, and the flow of dangerous drugs continues to pour into our community,” Milligan said. “The Rumford Police Department has very limited resources, but is committed to target those who chose to bring this poison into our town for profit. We can’t do it all on our own and believe that a collaborative approach is the best way for us to handle this crisis.”
The Rumford Police Department has become the county’s host agency for Maine’s OPTIONS (Overdose Prevention Through Intensive Outreach Naloxone and Safety) initiative, partnering with a local clinician as a co-responder and resource coordinator for those suffering with substance use.
The department has also partnered with the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office, the Mexico Police Department and the Maine State Police to combat the drug problem in western Maine, not to replace but to supplement the work of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the chief said.
“Everyone is spread thin, but this is an all-hands-on-deck problem that requires cooperation and collaboration on treatment, education and enforcement if we’re going to have any kind of impact. All three are equally important,” Milligan said.
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