Warren, Friendship family of five arrested on fentanyl trafficking charges

Tue, 03/06/2018 - 4:00pm

    Following a two-month investigation, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency said five members of the same family have been arrested for importing and selling fentanyl in the Midcoast.

    Those arrested include:

    Steven Libby, 49, of Warren, for Aggravated Trafficking Fentanyl (Class A). Bail has been set at $2,500 cash. The aggravated charge is due to a prior drug conviction, according to the Maine State Police.

    Michelle Libby, 47, of Warren, for Aggravated Trafficking Fentanyl (Class A).  Bail has been set at $1,500 cash (The aggravated charge is due to firearm during transaction, according to the Maine State Police.

    Amanda Thurston, 29, of Friendship, for trafficking Fentanyl. Bail has been set at $1,500 unsecured.

    Joseph (Joey) Thurston, 30, of Friendship, Conspiracy to Traffic Fentanyl (Class C). Bail has been set at $1,500 unsecured.

    Ryan Carballo, 34, transient, for trafficking Fentanyl (Class B) and Violating Conditions of Release. Carballo was on bail for a pending fentanyl trafficking charge.

    Over the past two months, agents from the MDEA Midcoast District Task Force, with assistance from the Knox and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Offices, and Rockland and Maine State Police, have been investigating a family selling the drug in Knox County, Maine State Police said.

    During the investigation, agents learned family members were traveling to New Bedford, Massachusetts, several times a week to purchase fentanyl, which they would resell in Knox and Lincoln counties, according to a news release from the State Police.

    On March 2, MDEA searched the family’s two homes in Friendship and Warren. The house on Harbor Road in Friendship is occupied by the Thurstons,  and the Libby residence is on Depot Street in Warren. MDEA seized 20 grams of fentanyl, a handgun, $1,800 of suspected drug proceeds and other evidence of drug trafficking.   

    The five were arrested without incident and transported to the Knox County Jail.  The Libby’s are the parents of Amanda Thurston, and Ryan Carballo is the Libby’s son-in-law, police said.

    Several more arrests are expected in the upcoming weeks and additional charges will likely be brought against the five arrested, police said.