Out CAC me....(ongoing)
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7 men arrested for robbing truckers, rest stop visitors of thousands in cash, jewelry
According to police, travelers were targeted and robbed at rest stops along the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Andrew Havranek
Thu, April 20, 2023, 5:36 PM EDT·3 min read
Seven men are behind bars after police say they stole thousands of dollars in cash, jewelry, and other belongings from truck drivers and rest stop visitors along the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Interstate 70.
They were arrested at three locations across Westmoreland County on Wednesday.
“Well, I mean, like I said, it’s shocking but not shocking,” said Alexandra Briseno, a driver from Virginia who made a stop at the New Stanton rest stop, where one of the traffic stops was made. “I guess people have to be more diligent about their surroundings. You can’t take anything for granted.”
According to court documents, Pennsylvania State Police believe the robberies started at the welcome center on I-70 in Donegal around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. There, they said a man from Canada was robbed of nearly $200 in U.S. currency, and between $200 to $400 Canadian dollars.
About an hour later, police say the men stopped at the Flying J in South Huntingdon.
There, police say the men claimed a trucker had won $50,000 on the lottery and was giving out cash.
They promised to double the victim’s money in their wallets and the value of their rings.
Instead, police say they ran with more than $300 and 11 rings valued at $42,000.
Then, police say the men pulled the lottery scheme again at the South Somerset service plaza, stealing $1,000 in cash and another $24,000 in rings, and ripped a necklace from a woman’s neck.
An alert was issued after they were spotted near Harrisburg on Wednesday.
Troopers on the turnpike spotted three cars believed to be connected to the robberies following one another on the turnpike and were able to pull them over shortly after at three different stops in Westmoreland County, including the New Stanton rest stop on the turnpike, the Hempfield exit on the Turnpike, and on Route 30.
Robert Murphy, Adam Smith, Robert Chandler, Danny Williams, John Black, Darrell Noel and Wendell Compton are all behind bars in Westmoreland County being held without bond.
Court documents say before asking for a lawyer, Noel told police this wasn’t robbery, instead saying the men were ‘gambling.’
“It’s pretty scary,” said Arian Brooks, a truck driver from New York City who made a quick stop in New Stanton on Thursday afternoon.
He said he’s thankful these men were arrested rather quickly.
“Just got to be alert of everywhere we go now,” Brooks said. “We’re in some rough times, a lot of people are not working, not willing to work, we’ve just got to be aware of everything.”
All seven men are facing multiple charges. They’re due in court on May 1.
Arkansas dad is arrested for piercing son's ear in state where body art is banned on children under 16 regardless of parental consent - as viral arrest video shows FIVE cops barging into family home
Arkansas cops barge into home to arrest dad for piercing son's ear
Jeremy Sherland, 45, of Tontitown, Arkansas, was arrested on Thursday after he pierced his son's ear. Under Arkansas law, it is forbidden to 'perform body art on a person under 16 years of age.'
damn i'm speechless
More people with guns they say........
Judge’s socialite ex Eleanor Hoppe charged with distributing child porn, planning to sexually abuse girl
ByRonny Reyes
April 21, 2023 4:41pm
Updated
A federal judge in Virginia has asked for full custody of his two young daughters after his socialite ex-wife was charged with distribution of child pornography and attempted child sex trafficking of an 8-year-old girl.
Eleanor Hunton Hoppe, 45, who comes from a prestigious law family in Richmond, was caught in an FBI sting last month after sending an undercover agent a 30-second video containing explicit child sexual abuse, along with messages about other sickening pedophile activities.
She was arrested after agreeing to meet the agent with his fictitious 8-year-old daughter at a hotel in Warrenton, Virginia, where she allegedly planned to abuse the girl.
Eleanor’s ex-husband, Joel Hoppe, a magistrate judge in the Western District of Virginia, has since filed for full custody of their daughters, ages 10 and 12, according to documents filed to the Albemarle Circuit Court on March 23.
The exes had previously agreed to joint custody following their divorce in 2021, which took place after Joel accused his then-wife of looking for sex with other men and women.
In his latest court filing, Joel wrote: “The criminal charges, the facts underlying the charges, and the consequences of the charges constitute a material change in circumstances regarding custody, visitation, spousal support and child support.”
Representatives for Eleanor and Joel did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
Eleanor — whose family led the state’s second-largest law firm of Hunton, Andrew, Kurth — was taken into custody on March 16 after she began chatting with the undercover agent, who was based in Washington D.C.
Officials said Eleanor reached out to the agent about “taboo parenting,” directing him to a social media app that encrypts messages.
The messages, which appear to begin on February 23, show that Eleanor allegedly asked for details about how the agent was supposedly abusing his daughter.
Officials allege that Eleanor has shown interest in traveling to Washington to help the man abuse the fictitious child, and agreed to meet him at a hotel on March 12.
“I can’t wait and then of course, putting her to bed and waking her up to do a few extra things will be so fun,” Hoppe wrote to the agent.
Prior to the meeting, Eleanor also told the agent that she had a pink “big girl robe” ready for the child as she also sent him the child porn video.
After being arrested, Eleanor claimed that she was there to find and rescue the undercover agent’s daughter, according to court records.
Police, however, conducted a search of her car and found the pink silk robe, silk underwear and a pink child’s bag containing lubricant.
Eleanor worked in special events with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge, according to the Daily Progress. The executive director there told the outlet that she had passed a background check and left the organization three years ago.
Her LinkedIn also noted that she worked for two years as a victim’s advocate in the office of the Richmond commonwealth’s attorney about 20 years ago.
Records show Eleanor also tried to levy her family’s reputation in a failed bid to win her pretrial release from the DC Central Detention Facility.
She was charged with distributing child porn, enticement of a minor and attempted transportation of a minor with attempt to engage in sexual activity.
Eleanor pleaded not guilty and faces a minimum of 15 years if convicted.
Judge’s socialite ex Eleanor Hoppe charged with distributing child porn, planning to sexually abuse girl
By
Ronny Reyes
April 21, 2023 4:41pm
Updated
A federal judge in Virginia has asked for full custody of his two young daughters after his socialite ex-wife was charged with distribution of child pornography and attempted child sex trafficking of an 8-year-old girl.
Eleanor Hunton Hoppe, 45, who comes from a prestigious law family in Richmond, was caught in an FBI sting last month after sending an undercover agent a 30-second video containing explicit child sexual abuse, along with messages about other sickening pedophile activities.
She was arrested after agreeing to meet the agent with his fictitious 8-year-old daughter at a hotel in Warrenton, Virginia, where she allegedly planned to abuse the girl.
Eleanor’s ex-husband, Joel Hoppe, a magistrate judge in the Western District of Virginia, has since filed for full custody of their daughters, ages 10 and 12, according to documents filed to the Albemarle Circuit Court on March 23.
The exes had previously agreed to joint custody following their divorce in 2021, which took place after Joel accused his then-wife of looking for sex with other men and women.
In his latest court filing, Joel wrote: “The criminal charges, the facts underlying the charges, and the consequences of the charges constitute a material change in circumstances regarding custody, visitation, spousal support and child support.”
Representatives for Eleanor and Joel did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
Judge Joel Hoppe (left) is seeking full custody of his two daughter after his ex-wife, Eleanor Hunton Hoppe (right), was arrested on child pornography and abuse charges.Facebook/Eleanor Hunton HoppeEleanor Hoppe — mom to a 10- and 12-year-old — was busted last month in an undercover sting.Facebook/Eleanor Hunton HoppeEleanor Hoppe — pictured with one of her daughters — was accused of texting an undercover agent to share this “taboo parenting.”Facebook/Eleanor Hunton Hoppe
Eleanor — whose family led the state’s second-largest law firm of Hunton, Andrew, Kurth — was taken into custody on March 16 after she began chatting with the undercover agent, who was based in Washington D.C.
Officials said Eleanor reached out to the agent about “taboo parenting,” directing him to a social media app that encrypts messages.
The messages, which appear to begin on February 23, show that Eleanor allegedly asked for details about how the agent was supposedly abusing his daughter.
Joel Hoppe is looking to gain full custody of his two daughters — pictured together at a Christmas event.Facebook/Eleanor Hunton Hoppe
Officials allege that Eleanor has shown interest in traveling to Washington to help the man abuse the fictitious child, and agreed to meet him at a hotel on March 12.
“I can’t wait and then of course, putting her to bed and waking her up to do a few extra things will be so fun,” Hoppe wrote to the agent.
Prior to the meeting, Eleanor also told the agent that she had a pink “big girl robe” ready for the child as she also sent him the child porn video.
Eleanor comes from a prestigious family who led the South Carolina’s second-largest law firm of Hunton, Andrew, Kurth.Facebook/Eleanor Hunton Hoppe
After being arrested, Eleanor claimed that she was there to find and rescue the undercover agent’s daughter, according to court records.
Police, however, conducted a search of her car and found the pink silk robe, silk underwear and a pink child’s bag containing lubricant.
Eleanor worked in special events with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge, according to the Daily Progress. The executive director there told the outlet that she had passed a background check and left the organization three years ago.
Her LinkedIn also noted that she worked for two years as a victim’s advocate in the office of the Richmond commonwealth’s attorney about 20 years ago.
Eleanor allegedly tried to use her family’s name to get a pretrial release from a DC prison.Linkedin/Eleanor Hunton Hoppe
Records show Eleanor also tried to levy her family’s reputation in a failed bid to win her pretrial release from the DC Central Detention Facility.
She was charged with distributing child porn, enticement of a minor and attempted transportation of a minor with attempt to engage in sexual activity.
Eleanor pleaded not guilty and faces a minimum of 15 years if convicted.
Video: Ex-kickboxer & Bellator fighter Joe Schilling in violent barroom confrontation
Former GLORY Tournament champ and Bellator middleweight Joe Schilling was involved in a recent dispute at a bar that was caught on video. It went exactly howwww.bloodyelbow.com
MMA's Joe Schilling KOs Bar Patron W/ Violent Flurry Of Punches, Claims Self Defense
MMA fighter Joe Schilling -- who last fought professionally in 2019 for Bellator -- knocked out a man at a bar with a vicious combo of punches ... and the violent incident was all caught on video.www.tmz.com
Video: Joe Schilling viciously knocks out bar patron during confrontation, claims ‘self-defense’ afterwards
Bellator veteran Joe Schilling was involved in a violent altercation at a bar just recently where he knocked out a fellow bar patron during a confrontation that he later claimed was "self-defense."www.mmafighting.com
Joe Schilling - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
he fucked around and found out!
Dude who shot him kind of looked like Norman Reedus
Woman accused of stealing $103K from Strip hotel room, police say
Las Vegas Review-Journal
April 28, 2023 - 11:26 am
A man had $103,000 in cash stolen from his Strip hotel room by a suspected prostitute, according to a Las Vegas police report.
Savannah Cisneros was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of grand larceny of more than $100,000.
On April 9, the victim called police to report a woman had stolen a black duffel bag containing more than $103,000 he won on bets at MGM Grand. The man had exchanged numbers with Cisneros while at the resort, and later texted her to meet him at a bar, the report said.
The man and Cisneros then agreed to get a room and drove to the Tropicana since all rooms at the MGM Grand were booked.
The man attempted to hide the duffel bag once they got inside the room, and when he was going to his car to get something, he attempted to take the bag with him. Cisneros became upset and accused him of not trusting her around his money so the man stayed in the room, the report said.
The victim went to take a shower and told police he heard his duffel bag being moved. He quickly exited the shower and found Cisneros and his duffel bag gone.
A records search of the phone number Cisneros gave the victim showed she had multiple priors, including trespassing at other Strip resorts.
Police said they believe the theft is a trick roll, a common occurrence on the Strip and downtown area properties where those who commit thefts enter and exit a hotel room immediately after stealing property.
Cisneros, who posted bail Thursday and was released, is scheduled to appear in Las Vegas Justice Court on June 1 for a status check.
Woman accused of stealing $103K from Strip hotel room, police say
The victim called police April 9 to report a woman had stolen a black duffel bag containing more than $103,000 he won on bets at the MGM Grand.www.reviewjournal.com
Bro, this is 2023 wire my fuckin' money into my account
Exactly this. Even if it cost money to do so I am still holding a bag.
Epstein’s Private Calendar Reveals Prominent Names, Including CIA Chief, Goldman’s Top Lawyer
www.wsj.com
WSJ News Exclusive | Epstein’s Private Calendar Reveals Prominent Names, Including CIA Chief, Goldman’s Top Lawyer
Schedules and emails detail meetings in the years after he was a convicted sex offender; visitors cite his wealth and connections
www.wsj.com
Ex-Hopkinton Deputy Police Chief Charged With Child Rape
A former top official at the Hopkinton, Massachusetts, Police Department has been charged with three counts of child rape over incidents that allegedly took place in 2004 and 2005, officials said Monday. John “Jay” Porter, who’d been deputy police chief in Hopkinton, was indicted by a grand jury...
www.nbcboston.com
Ex-Hopkinton Deputy Police Chief Charged With Child Rape
John "Jay" Porter is accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old student in 2004 and 2005 while he was a school resource officer in Hopkinton's school system
By Asher Klein and Kaitlin McKinley Becker • Published May 1, 2023 • Updated 3 hours ago
0:22Ex-Deputy Police Chief Charged With Child Rape
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Hopkinton’s former deputy police chief faces three counts of child rape over incidents that took place in 2004 and 2005, when he was Hopkinton’s school resource officer.
A former top official at the Hopkinton, Massachusetts, Police Department has been charged with three counts of child rape over incidents that allegedly took place in 2004 and 2005, officials said Monday.
John "Jay" Porter, who'd been deputy police chief in Hopkinton, was indicted by a grand jury in Middlesex County, District Attorney Marian Ryan announced. Porter had been placed on leave last year but no details were given at the time.
On Monday, Ryan said that Porter is accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old student in 2004 and 2005 while Porter was a school resource officer in the town's school system. The alleged assaults, investigated by the Ryan's office and state police, took place off school property.
Porter was removed from the police department as of Friday, prosecutors said.
Hopkinton Town Manager Norman Khumalo and Police Chief Joseph Bennett released a joint statement Monday afternoon saying that Porter retired from the department and that the town accepted that separation immediately. He had been on leave since August 2022.
They added that they were "deeply disturbed" by the allegations.
"These alleged crimes have no place in our community or anywhere else, and we extend our sympathies to the victim. The Hopkinton Police Department continues to cooperate fully with the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office," the statement read.
It wasn't immediately clear if Porter had an attorney who could speak to the charges, and the date of his arraignment hadn't been set as of Monday morning.
Porter had been with the Hopkinton Police Department since 1992, and was honored in July with by being added to the police department's 30 Years of Service Award plaque. At the time, Chief Chief Joseph Bennett raved about Porter, saying the department was "thrilled" to recognize him and all he had achieved during his 30 years with the department.
According to the post on the department's Facebook page, Porter served as a patrol officer, detective, sergeant and lieutenant before being appointed deputy chief in October 2021.
He was the department’s first school resource officer, as well as Hopkinton’s first accreditation manager, and had been selected as the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Officer of the Year four times. Additionally, Porter had served on the Massachusetts Accreditation Committee’s standards and training board.
[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9)]Ex-Hopkinton Deputy Police Chief Charged With Child Rape
[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4)]John "Jay" Porter is accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old student in 2004 and 2005 while he was a school resource officer in Hopkinton's school system[/COLOR]
By Asher Klein and Kaitlin McKinley Becker • [COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9)]Published May 1, 2023 • Updated 3 hours ago[/COLOR]
[/COLOR][COLOR=var(--text-color)]0:22
Ex-Deputy Police Chief Charged With Child Rape
Replay
Up Next
Ex-Deputy Police Chief Charged With Child Rape
Replay
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-
Ex-Deputy Police Chief Charged With Child ...
NBC Universal, Inc.Hopkinton’s former deputy police chief faces three counts of child rape over incidents that took place in 2004 and 2005, when he was Hopkinton’s school resource officer.
[COLOR=rgba(13, 13, 13, 0.9)][COLOR=rgba(13, 13, 13, 0.9)]A former top official at the Hopkinton, Massachusetts, Police Department has been charged with three counts of child rape over incidents that allegedly took place in 2004 and 2005, officials said Monday.
John "Jay" Porter, who'd been deputy police chief in Hopkinton, was indicted by a grand jury in Middlesex County, District Attorney Marian Ryan announced. Porter had been placed on leave last year but no details were given at the time.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=rgba(13, 13, 13, 0.9)]On Monday, Ryan said that Porter is accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old student in 2004 and 2005 while Porter was a school resource officer in the town's school system. The alleged assaults, investigated by the Ryan's office and state police, took place off school property.
Porter was removed from the police department as of Friday, prosecutors said.
Hopkinton Town Manager Norman Khumalo and Police Chief Joseph Bennett released a joint statement Monday afternoon saying that Porter retired from the department and that the town accepted that separation immediately. He had been on leave since August 2022.
They added that they were "deeply disturbed" by the allegations.
"These alleged crimes have no place in our community or anywhere else, and we extend our sympathies to the victim. The Hopkinton Police Department continues to cooperate fully with the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office," the statement read.
It wasn't immediately clear if Porter had an attorney who could speak to the charges, and the date of his arraignment hadn't been set as of Monday morning.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=rgba(13, 13, 13, 0.9)]Porter had been with the Hopkinton Police Department since 1992, and was honored in July with by being added to the police department's 30 Years of Service Award plaque. At the time, Chief Chief Joseph Bennett raved about Porter, saying the department was "thrilled" to recognize him and all he had achieved during his 30 years with the department.
According to the post on the department's Facebook page, Porter served as a patrol officer, detective, sergeant and lieutenant before being appointed deputy chief in October 2021.
He was the department’s first school resource officer, as well as Hopkinton’s first accreditation manager, and had been selected as the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Officer of the Year four times. Additionally, Porter had served on the Massachusetts Accreditation Committee’s standards and training board.[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]
Dem hoes salty!
Man wins women’s poker tournament in Florida, sparks heated debate
WPT Seminole Hard Rock Ladies Event crowns an unwelcome champion
Yesterday, amid a full schedule of World Poker Tour tournaments, one event that many players look forward to was on the schedule. The Ladies Event is a favorite of many women in poker, often circled on calendars well in advance, and sometimes the sole event some women plan to play.
The vibe of these events is usually refreshing, light, fun, and positive. Players often find a comfortable, safe, and welcoming experience. The energy and overall feel in the room is usually electric and positive.
Yesterday was not one of those days.
Ebony Kenney shows the Twitter world the lone man in the Ladies Event
Among the field of women playing the event sat one man named Dave. Dave chose to enter the 4pm Ladies Event after busting the Main Event. Now, Dave’s not the first man to enter a Ladies Event. Believe it or not, it’s not against the rules. The problem, really the reason I’m writing this article, is how Dave treated others during his eventual winning run.
Dave wasn’t exactly respectful towards the spirit of the event
Why is it allowed?
Maybe right now you’re thinking, “Dave didn’t do anything wrong. It’s not against the rules, right?” You’re not wrong.
Casinos often aren’t allowed to restrict entry into an event based on sex. Or, more often, casino legal teams don’t want to go down that path for fear of potential legal issues.
The World Series of Poker has mitigated the issue by charging 10x the buy-ins for men to enter these events. That, too, is often denied by legal teams for the same reason.
Listen to respected community members Jamie Kerstetter and Rob Yong
So, given the casino can’t restrict entry, these events are offered by organizers in good faith, hoping that men will respect what they’re for, respect what they’re intended to be. Dave chose to go against that good faith and enter anyway.
Just because you can, it doesn’t mean you should
So, why did Dave decide to enter the field, knowing full well that many likely wouldn’t appreciate or want him there?
“He said, ‘If I don’t win this event I should quit poker,” said one woman in the field. To the dismay of many, we didn’t get to see if he was serious. Dave obviously thought he had an edge in the field and wanted to win some money. Maybe he was a favorite, I don’t know Dave or his game. Clearly, (after multiple re-entries), Dave did win, after all. But, just because he could do it, and it might earn him some money in the long run, is that enough reason to do so?
A good adage my grandpa used to say to guide me through moral dilemmas was, “If everyone made the same choice you did, would the world be better or worse off?” That advice usually steers you right. It has me many times. It’s clear that if every person took every small edge they could find at the expense of other people’s needs or feelings, the world would not be a better place. That’s what happened yesterday.
If you saw someone drop $100 from their pocket on the street, would picking it up and keeping it technically be stealing? If it’s not breaking any rules, why shouldn’t you do it? If that’s where your brain goes, my hope for you may be lost.
Imagine if the situation was different. Imagine for a minute that Daniel Negreanu really wanted to win a WSOP ring this summer. He looked at the Senior’s Event and thought he had a huge edge in the field. At 48 years old, Negreanu couldn’t enter the event, which is catered to those 50 years or older. But, what if it wasn’t against the rules? What if they couldn’t restrict entry based on age? Negreanu enters because they “allow anything nowadays,” against the obvious intention of the event, and takes it down, capitalizing on the opportunity to play an event in which he thinks he’s a favorite.
Does that not feel wrong? It wouldn’t be against any rule. If it doesn’t feel wrong to you, I’m sorry you’ve read this far, because you’re probably not going to agree with the below message.
Women’s events are meant for women. They are a place where women can feel safe, included, respected, and play poker among their peers.
The final takeaway
When Dave reached the final table, the reality became evident that he may win the whole thing. After one player fell to Dave late in the event, she said, “I feel like I let all the other women down.”
Is that how we want people to feel at these events? Demoralized and sad that the cards fell the way of their opponent? All about the one guy who entered to take advantage of the situation, instead of about the hundreds of women who came out to play the event?
There are many commendable efforts to get more women into poker. We want everyone to feel safe in the game. We want women to feel included, enjoy their experience, and not feel targeted in any way. The Women’s Events (a term I prefer, but that’s for another day) allow many to play our beautiful game in a space that’s set aside for them. When men enter that space–because they can–it strips the event of that intended purpose.
Even within poker, I hope to live in a community where money isn’t the most important thing. For the good of the game, let’s be better.
I leave you with what it’s all about, courtesy of the same Ebony Kenney.
WPT Seminole Hard Rock Ladies Event crowns an unwelcome champion
The WPT Ladies Event saw a man crowned champion, and not everyone was happy with that. Why did he enter the event, and should we care?
www.poker.org
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ASSOCIATED PRESS
1.6k
Associated Press
Sun, April 30, 2023, 3:58 PM EDT·1 min read
AUBURN, Maine (AP) — Employees of a Maine restaurant got a surprise when they opened a large wooden crate that they thought was a shipment of mugs they had recently ordered.
Instead, they found a plastic tote that contained what law enforcement suspect is 14 kilograms (31 pounds) of the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl with an estimated street value of $3 million, Auburn police Deputy Chief Timothy Cougle said in a statement Saturday.
The tote had a shipping label with the restaurant's address but the name of someone who did not work there. Employees who opened it saw what they thought looked like drugs, so they contacted police, Cougle said.
The crate from Arizona that arrived in the Maine town about 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Portland was taken to the police department, where a chemical field examination confirmed it contained fentanyl.
About an hour later, the man whose name was on the shipment showed up looking for the crate and was arrested, police said.
Jeremy Mercier, 41, of Auburn, was charged with drug offenses and for violating bail conditions. He is being held in a county jail without bail. It could not be determined if he had an attorney.
Mercier previously spent time behind bars on a 2007 federal drug conviction, Cougle said.
The investigation is ongoing, and Cougle said he anticipates state and federal law enforcement getting involved.
Mike Peters, the co-owner of Mac's Grill, told WMTW-TV in an email that he is glad the drugs did not make it to the streets.
“The instances of overdose in our, and surrounding, communities is awful, and fentanyl seems to be front and center when it comes to fatalities,” he said. “It is very sad.”
Man arrested after $3M worth of drugs shipped to restaurant
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Drug Shipment Restaurant
This photo provided by Maine's Auburn Police Department on Saturday, April 29, 2023, shows Jeremy Mercier, who was arrested after employees of a Maine restaurant opened a large wooden crate that they thought was a shipment of mugs, but turned out to contain 14 kilograms (31 pounds) of the synthetic opioid fentanyl. Mercier showed up looking for the crate and was arrested, police said. (Auburn Police Department via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS
1.6k
Associated Press
Sun, April 30, 2023, 3:58 PM EDT·1 min read
AUBURN, Maine (AP) — Employees of a Maine restaurant got a surprise when they opened a large wooden crate that they thought was a shipment of mugs they had recently ordered.
Instead, they found a plastic tote that contained what law enforcement suspect is 14 kilograms (31 pounds) of the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl with an estimated street value of $3 million, Auburn police Deputy Chief Timothy Cougle said in a statement Saturday.
The tote had a shipping label with the restaurant's address but the name of someone who did not work there. Employees who opened it saw what they thought looked like drugs, so they contacted police, Cougle said.
The crate from Arizona that arrived in the Maine town about 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Portland was taken to the police department, where a chemical field examination confirmed it contained fentanyl.
About an hour later, the man whose name was on the shipment showed up looking for the crate and was arrested, police said.
Jeremy Mercier, 41, of Auburn, was charged with drug offenses and for violating bail conditions. He is being held in a county jail without bail. It could not be determined if he had an attorney.
Mercier previously spent time behind bars on a 2007 federal drug conviction, Cougle said.
The investigation is ongoing, and Cougle said he anticipates state and federal law enforcement getting involved.
Mike Peters, the co-owner of Mac's Grill, told WMTW-TV in an email that he is glad the drugs did not make it to the streets.
“The instances of overdose in our, and surrounding, communities is awful, and fentanyl seems to be front and center when it comes to fatalities,” he said. “It is very sad.”
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