2 charged with trafficking cocaine

Posted Dec. 23, 2008, at 9:15 p.m.
Last modified Feb. 13, 2011, at 10:44 a.m.

BANGOR, Maine — The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency arrested a Bangor man and a Glenburn woman last week for allegedly selling cocaine.

“They were doing it together,” Garry Higgins, MDEA supervisory special agent for the Bangor-based North Central Regional Taskforce, said Tuesday.

Gabriel Makonnen, 46, of Bangor and Denise Randall, 38, of Glenburn were arrested by MDEA agents and Bangor police about 6:45 p.m. Friday at Makonnen’s apartment.

Both were charged with felony Class B trafficking in cocaine, Higgins said. If convicted, they each would face up to 10 years in prison.

Police released few facts in the case against the alleged drug dealers.

“We had an investigation and learned that they were involved with the selling of cocaine, … that they were in fact trafficking [in] cocaine,” Higgins said. “We got the proof needed to charge them” and then did so.

Both Randall and Makonnen were taken to the Penobscot County Jail, then released. They are scheduled to appear in Penobscot County Superior Court at the end of January.

According to court documents, Makonnen was convicted in February for the sale or use of drug paraphernalia and sentenced to pay a fine of $300; theft by unauthorized taking or transfer, jail 48 hours; criminal trespass, jail 48 hours; and violating conditions of release, jail 48 hours.

Randall’s father, Robert Randall, 76, also from Glenburn, recently was arrested for alleged trafficking in morphine, but the two trafficking cases are not connected, Higgins said.

“The two cases as are totally unrelated,” he said. “It’s kind of a coincidence.”

Those with information on the drug trafficking cases, or who want to report other drug problems in their communities, may contact the MDEA at 800-452-6457.