HOULTON, Maine — Members of a Maine Drug Enforcement Agency Task Force arrested a Concord, New Hampshire, man and Houlton woman Wednesday evening in connection with heroin trafficking in the Houlton area.
Peter Arno, commander of the MDEA, said in a press release Thursday afternoon that Matthew A. Perry, 31, of Concord, New Hampshire, and his companion, Makayla P. McGuire, 19, of Houlton were both in custody at the Aroostook County Jail as a result of a drug bust conducted at an apartment at 65 Court Street Wednesday night following a month-long investigation.
Agents with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency arrested Makayla P. McGuire, 19, of Houlton in Houlton on Wednesday evening and charged her with trafficking heroin.
(Courtesy of MDEA)
“I believe that it is the first one (case of heroin in Houlton) in recent memory by MDEA,” Arno said. “I can’t speak for other law enforcement agencies. We have had other heroin cases in other parts of The County though.”
As part of the ongoing effort focused on the importation of heroin into Aroostook County, agents from the MDEA’s Aroostook Task Force in Houlton executed a search warrant at around 8 p.m. Wednesday at the apartment.
“The search warrant was the result of a month-long investigation into the sale of heroin and other drugs from this residence,” Arno said. “The case involved the undercover purchase of suspected heroin from this apartment.”
During the raid, agents recovered about 90 grams of suspected heroin and several grams of methamphetamine. Agents estimated the street value of the recovered drugs at about $10,000.
Other evidence consistent with drug trafficking also was seized, according to the MDEA.
Perry was charged with two counts of unlawful trafficking in schedule W drugs. One of those counts is a Class A felony aggravated charge due to the amount of suspected heroin seized. The other was a Class B offense. The most serious Class A charge is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.
When Perry was taken into custody, there were five outstanding warrants for his arrest — three from New Hampshire and two out of Maine. Perry also was on probation from the state of New Hampshire for aggravated assault.
McGuire was charged with a single count of Class A aggravated trafficking in schedule W drugs.
Bail for each was set at $10,000 cash. The two remained at the Aroostook County Jail on Thursday.
Agents with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency arrested Matthew A. Perry, 31, of Concord, New Hampshire, in Houlton Wednesday evening and charged him with trafficking heroin. (Courtesy of MDEA)
Members of the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office and Houlton Police Department assisted with the investigation. Arno said more arrests are possible as the case remains under investigation.
“This investigation highlights the continuing trend of out of state drug traffickers who are coming to all parts of this state in order to traffic in these highly addictive drugs,” Arno said. “The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency stands committed to working with all partners in order to target, infiltrate and arrest individuals who come here in order to distribute drugs.”
