Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Drug Trafficking after OD in Maine

A 27-year-old man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking after an overdose and failing to appear in court.

15 Years for Drug Trafficking

Marcus Mello from Portland was charged with distributing fentanyl, using or carrying a dangerous weapon in a drug crime, and failing to appear before the court.

Pleaded Guilty

Mello will serve 181 months and will also have four years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty on February 6.

Woman Died from Overdose

Mello sold 12 Percocet or Oxycodone pills to a 59-year-old woman who later died in a parked car from an overdose in May. A chemical analysis determined the pills contained fentanyl.

Victim’s Phone Showed Texts with Suspect

Police also recovered text messages from her phone showing she bought the drugs from Mello. A baggie with skull images containing 10 pills was found in her clothing.

Continued to Sell after OD

Court records said Mello continued to sell the “percs” after receiving a text from the woman’s friend saying she died. The text demanded to know what was in the pills.

Sold to Confidential Informant

Mello also sold pills to a confidential informant before his arrest.

Drugs and Loaded Gun Seized in Backpack

Police seized approximately 10 round white tablets and approximately 417 blue pills marked “M 30” divided into plastic baggies from his backpack. A loaded handgun with 14 full-metal-jacket bullets in the magazine and $6,300 in suspected drug proceeds were also seized.

Pills Contained Fentanyl and Oxycodone

The blue pills contained fentanyl and weighed approximately 45.6 grams. The white pills tested positive for Oxycodone and weighed approximately 3.8 grams.

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Drug Trafficking Information on Phone

His phone had information about suppliers and trafficking dates and quantities.

Failed to Appear in Court

Mello did not appear in court on October 16, 2023. He was reached by phone and said he could not make court and was going to plead guilty.

Warrant Issued

He failed to appear the next day and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

MDEA Arrest and more Drugs Seized

MDEA Agents located him at a South Portland residence on November 3, 2023. A bag of white powder was seized from a bathroom where he had fled. A second bag was found in his shirt pocket and a third bag in a shoebox in a bedroom.