Midcoast cocaine seizure reported

CAMDEN – Several police agencies working together reportedly seized more than $45,000 worth of cocaine Thursday evening from a local residence and an additional $1,200 worth of cocaine from a South Thomaston home.

Edward Spencer, 55, and Amy Calnan, 49, both of Camden, and Jarod Rackliff, 33, of South Thomaston were arrested on cocaine charges, according to Roy E. McKinney, director of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Special Agent Supervisor James Pease of the MDEA Mid-Coast Regional Task Force.

The arrests occurred about 7:45 p.m., said Knox County Chief Deputy Ernie McIntosh, whose agency helped prepare the warrants.

The MDEA task force, Knox County Sheriff’s Department, Lincoln County Drug Task Force, Maine State Police, and officers from the Camden, Rockport and Rockland police departments served two search warrants at the Spencer and Calnan apartment on Matthew John Avenue in Camden and at the Rackliff home on Waterman’s Beach Road in South Thomaston.

Agents at the Spencer and Calnan home reportedly seized 1 pound of high-quality cocaine with a street value of $45,500. The cocaine was packaged in a variety of different bags ready for resale, said the MDEA report. Agents also seized $6,000 in cash and drug paraphernalia and an unloaded .32-caliber semiautomatic handgun.

Agents allegedly seized a half-ounce of cocaine at Rackliff’s home with a street value of $1,200. That cocaine was packaged in small bags ready for resale.

The three were arrested and taken to Knox County Jail. Calnan and Spencer were charged with aggravated trafficking in cocaine, a Class A felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Bail was set at $100,000 surety or $50,000 cash. As of noon Friday, they were still in jail.

Rackliff was charged with trafficking in cocaine and released on $5,000 cash bail.

The arrests were part of a multiagency effort targeting cocaine dealers in the midcoast area. McKinney said the cocaine likely was to be sold in the region and illustrated the continuing trend his drug agents are seeing throughout the state of larger quantities of drugs being seized, accompanied with firearms.

gchappell@bangordailynews.net

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