Two men from Massachusetts were arrested in Bangor after nearly 1.5 pounds of fentanyl was recovered from the Hollywood Casino Hotel and Raceway on Wednesday.
Lawrence Camillo, 26, and Joel Peralta, 26, both of Lowell, Massachusetts were arrested on Wednesday evening after a monthslong investigation into the distribution of scheduled drugs in the Bangor area which were suspected to have contributed to a 2021 overdose death, according to Shannon Moss, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety.
The investigation into Camillo and Peralta started nearly two years ago when officials believed that a group from Lowell, Massachusetts, had trafficked drugs that led to the overdose death of a Bangor woman in 2021, according to Moss.
Undercover investigations found that Camillo would often frequent Bangor hotels and motels in order to distribute fentanyl in the area, Moss said.
A search warrant executed at around 10:30 p.m. at rooms at the Bangor Hollywood Slots Cason where Camillo and Peralta were staying turned up approximately 670 grams of fentanyl, 110 grams of cocaine and $14,000 in suspected drug proceeds, according to officials.
That amounts to nearly 1.5 pounds of fentanyl and nearly a quarter of a pound of cocaine.
Both Camillo and Peralta were charged with Class A charges of aggravated trafficking in Schedule W drugs and Class B charges of trafficking in Schedule W drugs. Camillo’s charges are considered aggravated for the role that fentanyl played in the 2021 overdose death, and Peralta’s charges are considered aggravated due to the amount of drugs recovered from the hotel, Moss said.
Bail has not been set for Peralta, while Camillo’s bail is set at $120,000 cash. While a court date has not been set for either of the men, additional charges are expected, according to Moss.
