Tyler Poland, 31-year-old from Auburn, Maine, was arrested and charged by a criminal complaint unsealed today in U.S. District Court with illegal Ecstasy and marijuana trafficking.

According to the complaint, the charges arose from an investigation into a drug trafficking organization located in the Lewiston-Auburn area that is alleged to have grown and distributed large quantities of marijuana in violation of federal law, and under the cover of, but in violation of, Maine’s Medical Marijuana program. The organization cultivated marijuana at numerous warehouses in Androscoggin County and distributed marijuana to people who were not participants in Maine’s Medical Marijuana program, including out-of-state customers.

On February 27, federal, state and local law enforcement agents executed over 20 search warrants in the Lewiston-Auburn area.  The defendant’s Merrow Road residence and warehouses were searched.  Agents seized about 608 marijuana plants, 366 pounds of processed marijuana, hundreds of Ecstasy pills (weighing more than a kilogram), hundreds of alprazolam pills, and over $156,000.

If convicted, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. The defendant is expected to make an initial appearance in U.S. District Court today at 3:30 p.m. in Portland.

The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the FBI; the Maine State Police; and the Lewiston, Auburn, Windham, Biddeford and Scarborough Police Departments.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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