After an overdose, a 27-year-old man was given 15 years in jail for drug trafficking and no show in court.
15 Years for Drug Trafficking
Marcus Mello, who is from Portland, was charged with selling fentanyl, using or having a dangerous weapon during a drug crime, and not showing up to court.
Pleaded Guilty
Mello will be locked up for 181 months and will also be closely watched for four years after he gets out. He said he was guilty on February 6.
Woman Died from Overdose
The woman, 59 years old, bought 12 pills of Percocet or Oxycodone from Mello. In May, she died of an overdose in her stopped car. A chemistry test showed that the pills did contain fentanyl.
Victim’s Phone Showed Texts with Suspect
The police also found text messages on her phone that showed she bought drugs from Mello. In her clothes, a baggie with skull pictures on it and 10 pills were found.
Continued to Sell after OD
Court papers show that Mello kept selling the “percs” even after getting a text message from the woman’s friend saying that she had died. The writing asked what the pills were made of.
Sold to Confidential Informant
Before he was caught, Mello also sold pills to a secret source.
Drugs and Loaded Gun Seized in Backpack
The police took about 10 round white pills and about 417 blue pills marked “M 30” that were separated into plastic bags from his backpack. A loaded handgun with 14 full-metal-jacket bullets in the clip was also found, along with what police think is $6,300 in drug money.
Pills Contained Fentanyl and Oxycodone
There was fentanyl in the blue pills, which weighed about 45.6 grams. Oxycodone was found in the white pills, which weighed about 3.8 grams.
Drug Trafficking Information on Phone
There was information on his phone about the suppliers, as well as the dates and volumes of the trafficking.
Failed to Appear in Court
Regarding the court date of October 16, 2023, Mello did not show up. When he was reached via phone, he stated that he was going to enter a guilty plea and that he was unable to appear in court.
Warrant Issued
The next day, he did not show up for his scheduled appointment, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
MDEA Arrest and more Drugs Seized
On November 3, 2023, MDEA agents found him at a home in South Portland. A bag of white powder was found in the bathroom where he had run away. He had a second bag in his shirt pocket and a third bag in a shoebox in a bedroom.
