Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Robert McKenna, 48, of Indian Township, Maine; Renita Honea, 57, of Jonesport, Maine; Chandra Hanscom, 44, of Cutler, Maine; Barry McCarthy, 43, of Columbia, Maine; Cody Look, 30, of Cutler; William Smeal, 32, of Hancock, Maine; Ralph Sawtelle, 27, of Lubec, Maine; Vestin Drisko, 40, of Beals Island, Maine; Cinque Grasette, 42, of New York, New York; Mujahedeen Hasan, 28, of Bronx, New York; Miquel Angel Franco, 22, of Bronx; Milo Danell Germany, 21, of Bronx;  Julian Lloyd, 24, of Bronx; and Jordy Collado, 18, of New York, New York were arrested yesterday and charged by criminal complaint in U.S. District Court with distribution of cocaine base, commonly known as “crack,” heroin, fentanyl or cocaine and/or maintaining a drug-involved premises.  Kevin Leroy Barner, 53, of Bronx, was also arrested yesterday, having been charged by indictment on March 28 with possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack.  Christopher Cruz, 30, of Bronx; and Christopher Martinez, 29, of Bronx, were charged today by criminal complaint in U.S. District Court with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base.  Timothy Cates, 40, of Cutler was charged today by criminal complaint in U.S. District Court with maintaining a drug-involved premises.

McKenna and Hasan were charged with distributing crack. Honea and Drisko were charged with distributing crack and heroin and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Hanscom was charged with distributing heroin. Look, Collado, Cruz, and Martinez were charged with possession with intent to distribute crack. Smeal and Lloyd were charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. McCarthy, Sawtelle, and Cates were charged with maintaining a drug-involved premises. Grasette was charged with distributing crack and heroin. Franco and Germany were charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

According to the complaints and indictment, the charges arose from an investigation into the acquisition of crack, cocaine, heroin and fentanyl in New York City and its distribution in Washington and Hancock Counties, in Maine.  The investigation resulted in the execution of seven search warrants yesterday that resulted in the seizure of several firearms, including, but not limited to, a sawed-off shotgun, and large quantities of crack and fentanyl.

If convicted, Barner faces between five and 40 years in prison and up to a $5,000,000 fine.  The other defendants charged with drug trafficking face up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Defendants charged with maintaining a drug-involved premises face up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.  The charges in the complaints and indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

The investigation is being conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, Maine State Police, FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Border Patrol; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Marshals Service; and Maine Marine Patrol.

The prosecution is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, a partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate, and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state, and local law enforcement.