A Lyman man is facing felony drug charges after a police dog found drugs in his groin area during a traffic stop in Kennebunk.

Trooper Benjamin Smith stopped a car driven by Matthew Petrucci, 20, for a traffic violation on Alfred Road around 7:05 p.m. Tuesday. After the trooper determined Petrucci was driving with a suspended license, he was removed from the car, according to Maine State Police.

Smith found a scale in Petrucci’s possession, but he denied possessing drugs, police said. A state police narcotics K-9 responded to the scene and sniffed around Petrucci. The dog provided a positive alert to the odor of an illegal narcotic on Petrucci, police said.

Petrucci was placed under arrest for operating under suspension and taken to York County Jail. As Petrucci was being led into the jail, he admitted he had drugs on him, police said.

Officers found 21 grams of suspected heroin in Petrucci’s groin area. He was subsequently charged with aggravated trafficking in heroin, a Class A felony, and his bail was set at $10,000. He is scheduled to apear in York County Superior Court on July 22.


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