By Ryan McLaughlin
BDN Staff
SCARBOROUGH — Two pounds of heroin were seized and a Connecticut man was arrested July 1 after a two-hour search in Cumberland County, according to officials.
The series of events leading to the arrest of James Jamison, 33, of Waterbury, Connecticut, began when drug agents intercepted him in South Portland with heroin destined for Aroostook County, according to Maine Drug Enforcement Agency Cmdr. Peter Arno.
Jamison’s heroin dealing in Aroostook County has been under investigation for several months, and the investigation has included undercover drug purchases, according to Arno.
As agents intercepted Jamison on Maine Mall Road and tried to take him into custody, he intentionally rammed an MDEA vehicle containing an arrest team and fled toward Scarborough, Arno said.
South Portland police tried to stop Jamison but a pursuit did not occur, and Jamison was involved in a multi-vehicle crash on Payne Road in Scarborough. Arno said Jamison fled the scene on foot.
After a two-hour search, Jamison was found and taken into custody inside a Scarborough hotel. More than 2 pounds of heroin packaged into more than 10,000 individual bags reportedly were seized.
Jamison was brought to the Cumberland County Jail and is facing charges of aggravated assault, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, eluding a police officer, driving to endanger and leaving the scene of a crash. Three MDEA agents suffered minor injuries and were treated and then released from Maine Medical Center. Bail was set at $100,000.
Arno said aggravated trafficking heroin charges, in what is believed to be the largest heroin seizure in state history, will be brought by the Aroostook County grand jury at a later date. The street value of the heroin is approximately $450,000.
Assisting in the investigation were the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Fairfield police and the Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force.
