Two of the people involved in a gunfire incident in the Augusta Walmart parking lot almost a year ago have been indicted on federal narcotics conspiracy charges.
Diana Davis, also known as “Little C” and “CC,” 29, and her brother, Frankie Dejesus, 27, both of Rochester, New York, were charged along with eight other people. Additional names of those charged have been redacted from the indictment, indicating arrest warrants have been issued for some people.
The indictment was handed up by a federal grand jury May 17, 2017, but sealed until recently.
All the suspects face a charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, which are heroin fentanyl and cocaine base. Several are charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and maintaining drug-involved premises from June 14, 2015 to March 9, 2017, in central Maine.
Davis and Dejesus faced state charges after the June 26, 2016, incident, in which shots were exchanged between people in two cars in the parking lot at the Walmart at the Marketplace at Augusta, which was followed by an alleged shooter being attacked when he got out of one vehicle. No one was shot. Police said the incident was drug-related.
The fracas was broken up after armed civilian bystanders intervened.
Davis originally faced state charges of aggravated assault and pleaded no contest in December 2016 to a reduced charge of assault. She was found guilty automatically and sentenced to 100 days in jail, which she already had served. The prosecutor said Davis had no prior criminal record.
Davis was arrested June 7, according to information in the electronic case files in U.S. District Court for the District of Maine. She was ordered held pending trial on the charge, which is indicated as “10-plus year drug offenses.”
Attorney Ronald Bourget was appointed as her defense attorney in the federal case.
Dejesus received a two-year deferred disposition after pleading guilty March 8, 2017, to a charge of reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon in connection with the Walmart incident. The special conditions of his deferred disposition require that he depart Maine by 4 p.m. the next day and return only for meeting with his attorney or for court proceedings.
If he succeeded on the deferred disposition, he was to be sentenced to the time he spent in jail while awaiting trial, which is over eight months. If he is unsuccessful, the sentence would be determined by a judge and could be up to five years in prison. In exchange for his plea, charges of attempted murder and aggravated assault against him were dismissed by the state.
Dejesus and Melina Snead, known as “Lady,” 23, also of Rochester, New York, were arrested June 9 in Rochester. Dejesus is set for arraignment Monday in U.S. District Court in Bangor.
Snead and the others facing the federal conspiracy charges were not involved in the incident at Walmart.
Here is a list of those who have been named so far:
Jeffrey Johnson, 56, of Gardiner, is accused of using a residence at 200 Hideaway Acres, Chelsea; and Russell Truman, 49, of Gardiner is accused of using 21 Highland Ave., Gardiner, to distribute and use controlled substances.
Darrell Newton, 37, also known as “Coast” and “D-Coast,” of Rochester, New York, faces a mandatory 20 years in prison if convicted of the class A conspiracy charge because he has a prior conviction. He is accused of having more than a kilogram of heroin and 280 grams or more of cocaine base.
He and Brent Hercules, 29, also known as “Herc,” also of Rochester, New York, were arrested June 6 in New York.
Jamie M. Betances, 30, also known as “Booger,” “Booga,” “Buga” and “Ice.” Betances was one of five people arrested in May 2017 in connection with an alleged drug ring in Somerset County. He is in state custody after pleading guilty to aggravated trafficking of scheduled drugs that occurred May 10, 2016, in Fairfield. Betances was ordered to serve an initial five years of a 15-year prison term, the remainder was suspended during a three-year probation.
Alex Brumfield, 29, also known as “Bob” and “Izzo,” formerly of Rochester, New York, and more recently of Augusta, is set for arraignment Wednesday in Bangor. Attorney Joseph M. Bethony has been appointed to represent him.
Brumfield is serving a 30-month prison term for dealing heroin.
Donald Morang, 37, also known as “DW,” of Augusta, is serving a four-year state prison sentence for cocaine trafficking. He is represented in the federal case by Verne Paradie Jr.
Betances, Brumfield, Truman, and Morang were already in state custody.
Truman is serving an eight-year state prison term for drug trafficking.
Truman is scheduled for arraignment at 1 p.m. Wednesday in Bangor by Magistrate Judge John Nivison. Attorney David Bate has been appointed to represent Truman.
Betty Adams — 621-5631
Twitter: @betadams
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