SOUTH PORTLAND — A Brooklyn, N.Y., man faces charges of unlawful trafficking in cocaine base and violating conditions of release.

Akeem Cruz, 20, was arrested Tuesday after authorities received complaints of suspected drug trafficking from a South Portland motel room, according to the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Cruz is the boyfriend of Megan Waterman, a 22-year-old Scarborough woman who went missing in early June. She was last seen at the Holiday Inn Express in Hauppauge, N.Y., the weekend of June 5. Police believe Waterman worked as an escort and that she traveled to Long Island with Cruz for that purpose.

According to the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, agents seized 13 grams of suspected crack cocaine base that was packaged for street sale and had an estimated street value of $1,300. Agents also seized $564 in cash.

Cruz was free on bail for criminal threatening and criminal mischief charges arising from a June incident in Portland. According to the agency, his bail conditions subjected him to court-ordered searches.

Cruz is now being held without bail at the Cumberland County Jail.

Scarborough police are still handling Waterman’s disappearance as a missing persons case and are treating Cruz as a witness, according to Detective Don Blatchford.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.