Brendan Palmer Jr. Brunswick Police Department photo
Police say a Waterville man stopped for speeding Thursday morning was arrested for allegedly possessing fentanyl and driving a stolen car while under the influence.
Brenden Palmer Jr., 23, was charged with aggravated trafficking of scheduled drugs (fentanyl), a Class A felony punishable by up to 30 years incarceration and a $50,000 fine.
Brunswick police say they stopped Palmer on Interstate 295 at around 11 a.m. for allegedly driving 83 mph in a 65 mph zone, said Cmdr. Martin Rinaldi.
Palmer was charged with operating under the influence and operating without a license, both misdemeanors, according to Rinaldi.
Police also found Palmer had about 11 grams of fentanyl, Rinaldi said.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid approved for treating severe pain according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most recent cases of fentanyl-related overdoses and death in the U.S. are linked to illegally produced fentanyl sold through illegal drug markets for its heroin-like effect.
Rinaldi said the car Palmer was driving, a Pontiac G6, had been stolen from a car dealership in Taunton, Massachusetts.
Palmer was charged with theft by unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, a Class C felony punishable by up to five years incarceration and a $5,000 fine. He was also charged with attaching false plates, a misdemeanor.
The car was impounded until it can be returned to the owner or the agency investigating the theft.
Palmer’s bail set at $7,000 and he was taken to Cumberland County Jail in Portland. He remained at the jail Friday morning awaiting an initial court appearance at 1 p.m., according to the jail’s booking office.
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