Quantcast

Hollis man set up drug ring in Maine: DEA

By Courtney Dentch

Charles Thompson, 27, whose last known address was 188-48 Woodhull Ave. in Hollis, allegedly sold drugs to undercover narcotics agents twice in September, said Special Agent Sean Lally, of Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.

“He was going to New York City, picking up crack, cocaine and heroin and selling it up here,” Lally said. “We made two undercover buys from Thompson, himself.”

Thompson reportedly went to Maine a few years ago and allegedly set up a drug trafficking operation with a friend from New York City and three local residents, Lally said. In Maine, Thompson allegedly made a greater profit because of the markup value, the agent said. A $10 rock of crack in the city would sell for $50 to $100 in Maine, he said.

In early September, Thompson allegedly sold drugs to undercover DEA agents on two occasions, Lally said.

He could face up to 20 years in prison on trafficking charges if he is arrested and convicted. The charges were elevated because Thompson was allegedly selling drugs within 1,000 feet of an elementary school, which automatically pushes the class of the crime up a level, Lally said.

Thompson was arrested on charges of trafficking drugs in Portland in 2002, but he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, Lally said.

Thompson's associates were arrested in September and they may have warned him that police were looking for him, Lally said.

David Rivera of the Bronx and three others were convicted of the trafficking and dealing charges against them, Lally said.

“They're all pretty much cooperating and they implicated Thompson as the leader,” he said.

He is believed to be in the area of his last known address in Hollis, Lally said. The New York Police Department and other local agencies are working with the Maine agents to find him, a spokesman for the city police said.

Thompson was described as a black man, 5-foot-9, 140 pounds. He has a number of tattoos, including a dog's head on his left shoulder, the words “Only the Strong Survive” on his right shoulder, the word “Focus” on one wrist and a skull on the other, according to information from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Thompson may be carrying a weapon, Lally said, advising people not to approach him. Anyone with information should call their local precinct or the NYPD's Crime Stoppers line at 1-800-577-TIPS.

Reach reporter Courtney Dentch by e-mail at news@timesledger.com, or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.