Howard Rowe Old Orchard Beach Police Photo
OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Police responding to the report of a man wounded by gunshot at an apartment at 20 Staples St. at about 5 p.m. Sunday noticed there seemed to be a lot of guns and related items around the apartment.
Police treated the man for a gunshot wound to the leg until the arrival of emergency medical personnel.
“They applied a tourniquet and took other lifesaving steps until rescue personnel arrived on scene,” wrote Detective Corporal Jeffrey Regan in a news release issued Monday afternoon. “The male was immediately transported to Maine Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.”
As Old Orchard Beach Police treated the victim, they noticed a large number of firearms, ballistic vests, ammunition, and other items, Regan said. Later, at around 10:15 p.m., officers executed a search warrant at the apartment.
“During the search, officers located an additional 36 firearms, several ballistic vests, replica police identification, thousands of rounds of ammunition, diverted pharmaceuticals, approximately 165 grams of methamphetamine and $13,200 in suspected drug proceeds,” Regan wrote.
After treating a victim at an Old Orchard Beach apartment for a gunshot wound to the leg – the man was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries – police executed a search warrant on the Staples Street apartment and turned up 165 grams of methamphetamines, more than $13,000 in cash, 36 firearms and more. They arrested a local man on drug charges and say additional charges may be forthcoming. Old Orchard Beach Police Photo
Based on the investigation, police said they arrested Howard Rowe, 35, who was charged with Class A felony aggravated trafficking in methamphetamine and violating conditions of release.
Regan said at the time of the alleged incident Rowe was free on bail in connection with an unrelated drug charge.
As of Monday, he was held without bail at York County Jail in Alfred.
Regan said the case is currently under investigation and more charges may be forthcoming.
This story will be updated as additional information becomes available.
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