Three people were arrested on drug trafficking charges after police seized more than $5,600 worth of fentanyl during a search at a Rumford hotel, according to the Rumford Police Department.
Rumford Police say officers responded to the Best Western Plus hotel on Prospect Avenue in Rumford on Thursday, Feb. 29, after receiving a tip about possible drug activity occurring in one of the hotel rooms.
Upon arrival, police confirmed that three suspects with prior convictions along with another individual were sharing a room at the hotel, Rumford Police said.
According to Rumford Police, a search of the hotel room resulted in the seizure of approximately 28,000 milligrams — or roughly 280 doses — of fentanyl, two grams of cocaine, a cutting agent commonly used in the processing of scheduled drugs, and other drug paraphernalia.
Police estimated the potential street value of the seized fentanyl at more than $5,600.
Rumford Police arrested Rashaud Lavoie, 31 of Lawrence, Mass.; Terrence Johnson, 30 of Rumford; and Kayla Day, 35 of Albany Township, and charged each with felony aggravated trafficking in fentanyl and trafficking in cocaine.
Police said that Lavoie was serving a two-year term of probation following a November 2021 conviction for felony possession of fentanyl with prior drug convictions, and that Day was serving a one-year probation for theft convictions in November 2023.
If convicted, Lavoie, Johnson and Day are each facing a potential four-year minimum mandatory sentence and up to 30 years in prison for the fentanyl charge, while Lavoie may face up to an additional two years in prison, and Day up to an additional 1 year in prison, for the alleged probation violations.
Rumford Police Chief Tony Milligan issued the following statement on Saturday in response to the drug bust:
Our newest hotel in Rumford isn’t accustomed to criminal activity like drug trafficking. We maintain an excellent working relationship with staff there to help ensure the safety of their guests and employees and protect their zero-tolerance policy for such illegal activity. We are committed to doing everything we can to discourage would-be drug traffickers from setting up shop like all-to-often happens at other hotels.
The hotel in Rumford, like the rest of Maine, had better get used to the arrival of the druggies from away. They have our state tagged as “easy to do business,” with lots of handouts. With the liberal Democrats in charge, that won’t be changing anytime soon.
Is it my imagination or is there always 2 guys and a girl in these drug busts? Is there some modus operandi in the criminal world that they have to work as this select gender trio?
Don’t be hard on the Day Girl she was just looking to get a “Mud Shark ” of her own .