Three Massachusetts men have been indicted in connection to a February daytime shootout in Saco that led to a shelter-in-place order and school lockdown, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine Darcie McElwee announced at a press briefing alongside local and federal law enforcement Thursday.
The two-count indictment, returned on Wednesday, May 15, by a federal grand jury, charged Joshua “Mac” Estrada , 19, Yancarlos “Glizzy” Abrante), 20, and Jason “Ouda” Johnson-Rivera, 18, all of New Bedford, Mass., with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and perpetrating a drive-by shooting.
At about noon on February 9, Saco Police responded to a report of shots fired between a red Dodge Charge and a gray Honda HRV at the intersection of Elm and Temple Streets in Saco.
The two vehicles then proceeded to the intersection of Elm and North Streets where the Honda CRV crashed into another vehicle in the intersection, and then into a Old Orchard Beach school bus, which was transporting students. Police said no students were injured.
Police said at the time of the incident that four people ran away from the scene — later revised down to three suspects — and at least one suspect had been shot in the arm. A handgun was found in the back seat of the Honda CRV.
As a result of the shooting and subsequent manhunt, a shelter-in-place order was issued for the City of Saco and nearby Thornton Academy was put in lockdown.
“Brazen violent crime of this magnitude is not something the City of Saco is accustomed to, but when it happens, Maine law enforcement responds,” said Chief Jack Clements of the Saco Police Department in the Thursday press briefing.
According to Wednesday’s federal indictment, Estrada, Abrante and Johnson-Rivera fired at least five rounds from a 9mm handgun into another vehicle occupied by their “adversaries” in a drug trade dispute.
The three men are accused of trafficking cocaine in and around Saco and Biddeford since at least January 2024.
Estrada was arrested in New Bedford, Mass., on May 6, 2024, and made his first appearance in federal court in Maine on Thursday, where he pleaded not guilty to both counts.
He was ordered detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for next Tuesday, May 21.
Abrante and Johnson-Rivera are currently being held in Massachusetts on unrelated charges, and will be in Maine next week for their initial court appearances and arraignments, U.S. Attorney McElwee said Thursday.
The three men face up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million on the drug trafficking charge, and 25 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000 on the drive-by shooting charge.
“While an indictment is merely an accusation, and the three men charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, we hope these charges bring a sense of peace to the community of Saco and the surrounding area,” McElwee said Thursday.
“We also hope it demonstrates the collective strength of Maine’s law enforcement community,” she added, thanking the Saco Police Department and local and federal law enforcement partners who assisted in the investigation.
McElwee was joined at the press briefing by Saco Police Chief Jack Clements, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Johnathan Nathans and Noah Falk, and representatives of the FBI’s Southern Maine Gang Task Force, including FBI Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Christopher Peavey, ATF Special Agent in Charge James Ferguson and Resident Agent in Charge Nicholas Dilello, and Acting U.S. Marshal Kevin Neal.
“Immediately following this brazen, drive-by shooting and the ensuing chaos that followed, the FBI’s Southern Maine Gang Task Force hit the streets collecting information, intelligence, and evidence to help our partners identify those responsible and bring them to justice. We believe the three Massachusetts men we have in custody conspired with each other to traffic cocaine and were the instigators of this drive-by shooting,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.
“Violent drug traffickers have a corrosive effect on our communities, and we want everyone to know that the FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to help make Maine safer for the folks who live, work, and visit here,” Cohen said.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Johnathan Nathans and Noah Falk, speaking during the press conference, did not know whether “Glizzy,” “Ouda” and “Mac” are U.S. citizens, but after conferring with McElwee they determined that there was insufficient information available to say anything conclusive about the potential immigration status of the indicted individuals.
Watch the full Thursday press briefing by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine below, via WGME:
The Three Amigos will be back on the streets in no time. Thanks to Joey and Janet.
“Massachusetts men”
In Maine? Criminals from out of state? How about from out of country…”was insufficient information available to say anything conclusive about the potential immigration status of the indicted individuals.” The Gov keeps it’s own citizens under scrutiny, why not illegals? I’m sure these criminals will get off the hook, somehow. Maine Wire, please do a follow up.on this story. Great job as usual! Thx
Remember: Mills wants to import 75,000 more of these fine individuals
I bet you will never see a N-word flashing his W2 form.
“Brazen violent crime of this magnitude is not something the City of Saco is accustomed to.” With the lunatic Left in so many positions of power, we can expect more of the same.
Sen. KING and 1st..Districk congrass woman, Home land Security figures, just shown on TV, that from the start of this year to present, that 27,000+ Chines nationals have come over the Mexican Boarder. What is going on Here!!!!!!!!
T the current rate Northen Maine will be clear cut to grow grass.
Because the 3 Saco shooters were from Mass. does not mean they were US citizans. The Government double talk most likely means they are illegals.
There is a lot of missing data here. And mumbles Joe will never explain it.
If it took from Feb. till now to catch 3 shooters, then it would take 27,000 / 3 = 9,000 as long the catch the Chines illegals Chines.
Open your eyes Mainers.
.
Whether illegals or not, Glizzy, Ouda, and Mac, are definitely not law abiding local Mainers!
Thank you to the Maine Wire for shining light on what the leftists news outlets would like to hide from the public.
Routinely, when illegals have committed crimes the one-sided news outlets only give the city where the crime occurred and avoid disclosing the legal or illegal status of the perp. This practice is misleading to those who are falsely led to believe that Maine is still safe. It is not! If a crime of this magnitude occurred in Saco, it could happen anywhere!
Many thanks to the only news outlet that has our backs, The Maine Wire!
Maine The Way Life Should Be? HA!
We are all waiting to see the out come of court action in Portland this week. I except our elected folks in DC to have words to show us some action. The police have done their job now let us see the layers and judges do their jobs this week and the law maker in DC shut down the drug sales in this Country.
Isn’t this just exactly what Paul Lepage said ?
All the libs cried and complained .
He’s a bad and insensitive man …..LOL
Wake up folks …you get what you vote for .
IF Democrats win again we will go right over the edge .
Google “ D-Money , Smoothy , and Shifty
made the national news
guess he was right after all ….LOL
Lepage was right on and the libs wet their pants over it.How are those tough Mass gun laws working out?
“adversaries” need to be outed, stop patting yourselves on the back. Who were the people in the other car and why did they find it in rural Maine. Are these pieces of shit alone in the shootout NO Do your jobs. The citizens of Maine want things to change now! Get tough on CRIME!
That’s pretty much full up gangsta’ kinda look from a gang that’s not from around here.
One look at them in the old days and we’d a said: you’re not from around here, are ya.
🤣
‘How Queer and Trans Converts Are Saving America’s Red State Synagogues’
Haaretz
19 May 2024
“A new trend emerged in recent years: Lapsed Christians from the LGBTQ community in the U.S. heartland converting to Judaism after discovering a religion that actually welcomed them. They are quickly becoming the lifeblood of previously ailing non-Orthodox congregations“
Maine isn’t what it used to be.
Where were Shifty, D-Money and Smoothy when this all went down?
Yup ….LePage called it correctly !
And all the time we thought New Bedford was a quiet fishing village ?
Now we learn it’s the new home to illegal alien gang members selling dope .
This is what awaits Portland .
Gun battles in the streets from people who should be sent home to the shit holes they came from .
Who was it that called them “ shit holes “:?
I guess it just goes to prove that great minds think alike
Vote OUT the Democrats in 2024 !
It’s about time we barred anyone from Mass to enter Maine. They’ve turned our state into a cesspool.
Th guy says …..”Brazen violent crime of this magnitude is not something the city of Saco is accustomed to ”
Well you better get used to it pal , because Janet Mills wants to bring seventy five thousand of these creeps to Maine .
This is our future !