David Edwards of Oxford was arrested on a drug charge Thursday night in Lewiston.
LEWISTON — Seven people were arrested, drugs were seized and at least one fight was broken up Thursday night during a police operation.
The effort involved Lewiston, Auburn and Maine State Police along with drug agents and officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. In all, 33 officers took part in the effort, checking on probation violators, and making traffic stops and arrests.
The seven arrested were charged with crimes ranging from probation violations to aggravated drug-trafficking. Seized during the effort were two pounds of a heroin/fentanyl mix, 50 grams of methamphetamine, assorted prescription pills, including methadone and suboxone, and $3,800 in cash, police said.
Lewiston police said the operation was an effort to combat recent violence that has occurred in and around the downtown. That violence involved a string of shootings: In June, two men were taken to hospitals with gunshot wounds after shots were fired on Birch Street. On July 4, a man was shot in the legs during a fracas believed to have taken place in the same area.
With nearly three dozen extra plainclothes and uniformed police officers on the street, response was quick. A fight at Pierce Street Park early in the evening drew half a dozen officers who quickly broke it up.
Police said 15 probation checks were conducted and 30 vehicles were stopped. The most serious charge came when police arrested 38-year-old David Edwards of 105 Tiger Hill Road in Oxford at 1440 Lisbon St. at about 8:15 p.m. on a charge of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs.
Also arrested were:
- Darian Lavoie, 27, of 2342 Auburn Road, Turner, on a charge of unlawful possession of scheduled drug;
- Sarah Barry, 36, of 87 Pine St., Lewiston, on a charge of violating probation;
- Singh Kulcharan, 20, of 92 Pierce St., Lewiston, on a charge of disorderly conduct;
- Vincent Bryan, 38, of 247 Bates St., Lewiston, on a warrant charging failure to pay a fine;
- Keith Levasseur, 36, of 1093 Sabattus St., Lewiston, on a probation hold; and
- Morgan Sewell, 30, of 88 Bartlett St., Lewiston, on a probation hold.
Police said similar operations will be conducted throughout the summer.
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