Mammoth drug bust in Sanford nets drugs, cash, guns

Included in items seized were cash, guns and drugs. (MDEA photo)

SANFORD - A Sanford man along with three from Massachusetts have been arrested on drug trafficking charges after Maine Drug Enforcement Agents seized nearly three pounds of cocaine and heroin/fentanyl in Sanford earlier this week.

Among those arrested were Nathan Frechette, 39, of Sanford:

Aggravated Trafficking in a Scheduled Drug (Cocaine) Class A

Yarlin Garcia, 24, of Lowell, Mass.: Aggravated Trafficking in Scheduled Drug (Cocaine) Class A

Pedro Igyedi, 21. of Lowell: Aggravated Trafficking in a Scheduled Drug (Cocaine) Class A

Luis Rosario-Diaz, 21, of Lawrence, Mass.: Aggravated Trafficking in a Scheduled Drug (Cocaine) Class A

Drug agents were working on this case for the past two months and the investigation revealed that the drugs were coming into Maine from Lawrence and Lowell, according to a Maine DEA press release.

Nathan Frechette

The group would sell coke and heroin by the pound to Frechette, which he would then resell.

On Tuesday afternoon agents searched Frechette's residence at 19 Nason Street in Sanford. Seized were drugs, a handgun, a sawed off shotgun and more than $35,000 dollars in suspected drug proceeds. Frechette was arrested without incident and transported to the York County Jail.

Then late Tuesday night, the three from Massachustts were arrested at they arrived in Frechette's home from Lowell. Found hidden in the engine compartment of the rental vehicle they were in was 1¼ pounds of cocaine and more than a pound and a half of heroin/fentanyl. Garcia, Igyedi and Rosario-Diaz were taken to the York County Jail.

Bail for all four men was set at $50,000 cash. Additional charges are likely to be lodged against the men once drug testing has been completed on the heroin. The street value of the seized drugs is in excess of $140,000.

Working with MDEA on this case was the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, State and Sanford Police and the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office Investigations Division.