HOULTON, Maine — A Houlton man, charged with multiple drug trafficking offenses, remains in the Aroostook County Jail following a court session Thursday.
Jordan Brown, 29, appeared in Houlton District Court via Zoom from the Aroostook County Jail. He was unable to post $50,000 cash bail or a $90,000 surety bond, according to the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office.
District Court Judge Robert Langner said Brown’s charges included a recent complaint with eight counts alleging aggravated trafficking of a schedule drug, eluding an officer, driving to endanger, violation of conditions of release, failure to report an accident, unlawful trafficking of schedule drugs, unlawful possession of schedule drugs and a criminal forfeiture.
The hearing addressed other matters, including failure to appear, a motion by the state for revocation of bail and an outstanding arrest warrant for unlawful drug trafficking.
“Do you understand because some of these are felonies, meaning they are higher-level charges, I can’t hold an arraignment with you here today?” Langner asked Brown.
The eight-count complaint will likely be presented to the Grand Jury to determine if there is probable cause to issue an indictment against Brown, Langner said.
Defense attorney Jeffrey Pickering asked for $50,000 cash bail or $70,000 surety bond on the drug trafficking complaint..
Assistant District Attorney Chris Chu requested that the surety bond be set higher.
“Seventy over 50 doesn’t seem proportional,” Chu said.
Langner agreed with the state and imposed $50,000 cash bail or $90,000 surety, along with the conditions that Brown not possess or use alcohol or drugs, commit to search and testing upon suspicion, not operate a vehicle, and be held under house arrest.
Regarding a second matter, Langner told Brown he had an arrest warrant for a charge of unlawful trafficking of schedule Class D drugs.
In this matter, investigators with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency interviewed a cooperating person who told investigators they bought fentanyl 15 times from Brown, often at his Houlton home. Generally, the person bought one finger, or 10 grams, a week from Brown at about $1,000 a finger or a total of about $15,000, according to court documents.
On Dec. 13, the person worked with drug enforcement agents to set up a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Brown. Brown met the person, who was wearing an electronic monitoring device, in the Walmart parking lot on Ludlow Road in Houlton, investigators said.
Unable to locate Brown, investigators issued a warrant for his arrest.
“I am imposing $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 surety, but it is concurrent with the other bail,” Langner said.
Regarding a Class D, domestic violence assault charge from 2021, the state asked the court to revoke Brown’s bail based on the allegations in the most recent drug-related complaint.
Langner ordered Brown held without bail on the domestic violence assault charge.
There will be a hearing on the state’s motion to revoke bail at 1 p.m. March 6. Brown’s next appearance related to the most recent drug trafficking charges is 8:30 a.m. May 2 in Houlton.
