The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a Crane Drive property on Wednesday, seizing more than 370 grams of fentanyl and crack cocaine worth an estimated $40,000.
The raid occurred at 5:45 a.m. on April 16, following a month-long investigation into alleged drug trafficking at the property.
Sheriff’s officers detained three people on aggravated narcotics trafficking charges and issued a summons to a fourth.
George Walker, 34, of New York, was charged with two counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled substances and violating his release conditions.
Walker was already on bail and faced arrest warrants in Cumberland and Franklin counties for drug trafficking.
Olguita Colon, 42, of New York, and Margaret Visconti, 41, of Fairfield, were each charged with two counts of aggravated trafficking in controlled substances.
Julia Maxim, 31, of Burnham, was issued a summons for unauthorized possession of controlled narcotics.
The search team, directed by Detective Lieutenant Carl Gottardi II, consisted of sheriff’s detectives, patrol deputies, and Waterville police detectives.
Over 370 grams of fentanyl and crack cocaine were recovered, along with controlled pills, a big container of chloroform, $15,932 in suspected drug proceeds, digital scales, and drug-related documents and accessories.
The quantity of drugs seized led to an increase in Walker, Colon, and Visconti’s narcotic charges.
Sheriff Lancaster cautioned that recent investigations have indicated that drug traffickers are infusing crack cocaine with fentanyl without alerting clients, raising the risk of addiction and overdose.
Officials stated that the amount of fentanyl recovered equates to nearly 185,000 possible lethal dosages, with only 2 milligrams considered potentially fatal.
Additional charges may be filed following a review by the Somerset County District Attorney’s Office.
Walker, Colon, and Visconti are expected to appear in Somerset County Unified Criminal Court at 8:30 a.m. on August 6.