DRUG SQUAD BUSTS MAJOR HEROIN RING

BELFAST - A raid that took place simultaneously in Northport and
Brooks last week netted what local law enforcement officials are
calling the largest drug bust in history in Waldo County.

Arrested during the raids were Robert Orchard, 54, of Northport, and
Russell Belden (spelled "Beldon" in court documents), 38, of Brooks.
They were each charged with aggravated trafficking in heroin and
cocaine, along with possession of a firearm by felons and importation
of heroin and cocaine.Police seized a half-kilogram of cocaine and
almost 1,700 bags of "Red Devil" heroin in the two raids, in addition
to cash and guns.

The "brand-name" heroin is said to have come from larger-scale urban
distributors in northern Massachusetts, "along the Route 495
corridor," according to George Connick of the Maine Drug Enforcement
Agency.

The drugs move up the East Coast from New York City, where operations
turn the bulk heroin into tenth-gram packets complete with a
"corporate logo" of a devil holding a firecracker resembling a
hypodermic syringe.

"It's hot!" boasts the label. Dealers can buy packets for $5 to $7 in
Massachusetts, and sell them for as much as $35 in Waldo County. The
cocaine seized at the Orchard residence represented about a $12,000
to $14,000 investment, which could return as much as $50,000 to the
dealers depending on how much it is diluted, said Connick.Waldo
County Sheriff's deputies transported Orchard and Belden in
hand-and-ankle irons from Waldo County Jail to District Court on
Monday, May 13, where they appeared briefly before Judge Patricia G.
Worth, to face the five counts against them.

Worth continued their cases to establish probable cause to 8:30 a.m.
June 11 in District Court. The justice noted that during the interim
she would review the evidence to see if there is enough for the case
to go forward.

Meanwhile, if the men, both convicted felons, are to get out of
custody, each will need to come up with cash bail of $500,000 or $1
million in real estate surety. In the event of their release, both
are prohibited from possessing or using alcoholic beverages or
scheduled drugs, dangerous weapons, and must submit to chemical tests
and searches at all times. Further, each may not have contact with
the other, and must report to the Waldo County Jail daily. They are
also required to stay in Maine and notify the court immediately of
any address change. Finally, each must keep proof of any narcotics
prescription upon his person.

While in the courtroom, the men appeared tired. Belden, the shorter
of the two, looked about apprehensively. Orchard, a man with long,
unkempt, graying hair sat hunched over with head bowed.

Later, after the ruling, one of the two threatened to throw himself
down the stairs within the courthouse as sheriff's deputies attempted
to leave the building by the back entrance where media people waited.
To avoid an incident, deputies rerouted the men away from the
stairs.Family members and friends were present in the courtroom as
Belden, the first of the two to be heard, approached the bench
looking visibly worried.

"Are you all right?" inquired the judge after reading aloud the five
counts against him and informing him of his rights. Belden's yes was
barely audible. When Worth set the bail bond, Belden's wife began to
sob and left the courtroom, accompanied by two other women. As she
left, she said would never be able to post such a large amount.

On his way out of the courtroom, Orchard addressed a woman and told
her to get the money for his bail. She assured him she would get it
somehow.Belfast Police Chief Allen Weaver said the recent raids had
their genesis in December 2001 when he, Waldo County Sheriff Scott
Story and Lt. Jeff Trafton of the Maine State Police began discussing
the possibility of a heroin task force to strike at area
dealers.Belfast police, said Weaver, have seen a 63-percent increase
in drug-related offenses in the past three years.

The Maine Attorney General's Office, the MDEA, as well as Maine State
Police, Waldo County Sheriff's Department and the Belfast Police
Department, bolstered by a grant from the New England State Police
Information Network, began surveillance and undercover work in late
December.

The task force was dubbed "Operation Red Devil." Weaver stressed
during a press conference Tuesday at Belfast Free Library the
cooperative nature of the inter-agency group.

"This operation is an excellent example of what can be accomplished
when agencies come together and work toward achieving a common goal,"
he said.

"We're all standing here, but it was the street-level officers that
brought this to us," Story added. "That's why this task force was
formed."

Weaver praised Jason Trundy of the Waldo County Sheriff's Department,
Scott Bryant of the Maine State Police, officers Michael McFadden and
Michael Rolerson of the Belfast Police Department, Connick and the
special agents of MDEA for their work in the project.April 9, the
operation hit Belfast and Searsport in the first simultaneous raids.
Tami Lynn Day, 39, of Belfast, and Edward Mylan, 22, of Searsport,
were arrested and charged with trafficking in cocaine.

A month later, police netted Orchard and Belden, who Weaver described
as "partners in crime." "I've known both these individuals my entire
21-year career in the Belfast Police Department," Weaver said.

The police chief said he has alerted the hospital to be ready for an
influx of addicts suffering the flu-like symptoms of heroin
withdrawal in the wake of the bust.

"This past weekend, there were probably a lot of people who were
sick, having withdrawals, because they couldn't feed their habits.
I've talked with people in the emergency room. They're prepared to
deal with that," he said. "How long this impact will last? I'd like
to say forever, but I'm a realistic individual."

Belden was described as the "mule" of the operation, journeying to
Massachusetts to transport the drugs into the county, financed by
Orchard, according to Weaver.He said the heroin ring had been
operating for nearly two years and the investigations were
continuing. "This is a large problem in Waldo County. There are a lot
of players involved. I don't see it ending for a long time. We don't
intend to give up. As long as we have the manpower and resources,
we're going to try to stop heroin coming to the state of Maine and
especially Waldo County," he said.

State and federal judicial officials were discussing the case, Weaver
said. He expected future arrests to occur "all over," not just in
Waldo County.Orchard, said Weaver, was selling single packets of
heroin as well as larger quantities, which were sold by other,
smaller-scale dealers. "There's a large cast of characters out
there," he said. "If you talk to one individual, in 10 minutes you
can fill a page with names of people who are using or somehow
connected with heroin," he said.

Orchard and Belden were both heroin addicts, Weaver said. When asked
if there were higher-level dealers in the immediate area, Weaver had
no comment.

"By putting a dent in this, we're certainly hoping to put a dent into
some of the other related crimes we're experiencing," Story said.
"The important thing to remember is this is just a small dent.
There's a lot of it going on out there. There's a lot more work to do
and we're excited about keeping this program going," he said. "I
don't think anybody here is satisfied that we've finished up in Waldo
County. There's a lot more work to do."