AUGUSTA — A judge on Monday set bail for two of the people arrested on drug trafficking charges in Winthrop last week.
Michelle St. Laurent, 28, of Winthrop, and Tyrone Steve Lindsay, 20, of Waterbury, Connecticut, spent the weekend at the Kennebec County jail following their arrests Friday afternoon on charges of aggravated trafficking in heroin and unlawful trafficking in heroin.
Justice Donald Marden set bail for St. Laurent at $5,000 cash, the amount requested by the prosecutor, Assistant Attorney General Katie Sibley, with conditions that include a curfew for St. Laurent of 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
When St. Laurent was first arrested, she was held without bail.
Sibley told the judge that St. Laurent had been out on bail on an earlier charge for unlawful possession of scheduled drugs.
“Most importantly, your honor, this is a very serious case,” Sibley said, adding that Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigators located 139 individual bags of heroin at St. Laurent’s home on Mt. Pisgah Road. Sibley said that is likely to result in 14 grams of pure heroin.
An aggravated trafficking conviction carries a minimum mandatory sentence of four years in prison.
A condition of the bail on the newer charges prohibits her from contact with Lindsay, a co-defendant.
“Miss St. Laurent appears to have legitimate, non-drug ties to the area,” Sibley said.
Marden asked whether a sale had occurred.
“The state was targeting a separate individual,” Sibley said. “St. Laurent answered the door, and the transaction occurred inside the residence.”
Marden set bail for Lindsay at $15,000, the amount requested by Sibley, with conditions that prohibit him from leaving Maine.
Stephen Bourget, serving as attorney for the day, objected, telling the judge, “I don’t see any reason why his bail should be any different.”
“The largest reason is Mr. Lindsay has no ties to the state,” Sibley said. She said the heroin was found in or around his belongings at St. Laurent’s.
Sibley characterized Lindsay as “an absolute flight risk in this circumstance” and added, “The state has no faith he will return” to face the charge. Sibley also said Lindsay had no prior criminal history.
Bourget said Lindsay had been at a friend’s house and “contends he had nothing to do with these drugs.”
Two other men also were charged.
Daniel Ackerley, 30, of Winthrop, remained in the Kennebec County jail on Monday in lieu of $500 bail and a Maine Pretrial Services contract. He was arrested Thursday and had an initial hearing on Friday.
Frederic Werner, 59, of Winthrop, was charged with trafficking in heroin and was free on $2,500 unsecured bail. He was not jailed, and his name was not mentioned in the affidavits for St. Laurent and Lindsay.
According to an affidavit by Maine Drug Enforcement Agent Nathan Walker, an undercover agent sought to purchase a gram of heroin for $200 from Ackerley on July 7. Ackerley then went to St. Laurent’s home, followed by Walker, and went inside for five minutes.
The undercover agent then met Ackerley in the Hannaford Bros. parking lot in Winthrop. “Ackerley handed the (undercover agent) an off-white powder wrapped in tin foil,” according to the affidavit. The substance tested as heroin.
Ackerley was arrested at that time, and a search warrant prepared for St. Laurent’s home, Walker wrote. During the search on Friday, police reported finding 139 bags weighing 76 grams as well as $2,158 in cash.
Betty Adams — 621-5631
Twitter: @betadams
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