Three-month probe yields nine arrests in Durham drug bust
By MARCUS WEISGERBER
Democrat Staff Writer
mweisgerber@fosters.com
DURHAM — Police on Friday released the names of nine individuals arrested during a three-month joint investigation of illicit drug trafficking in the Durham-UNH area.
Information from a variety of sources about the trafficking of ecstasy, marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms in the community initiated the investigation, Deputy Chief Rene Kelley of the Durham Police Department said.
Durham and UNH police detectives arrested the individuals over the past three months with the help of the Portsmouth Police Department and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.
Police executed a number of search warrants on vehicles and residences, Kelley said. They confiscated “thousands of dollars” worth of drugs, cash and drug paraphernalia.
On Friday afternoon, police showed Foster’s some of the items confiscated, including cash, marijuana, pills, a scale and plastic bag. There were also several bongs, including one that was attached to a gas mask by a tube.
Six of the nine arrested are University of New Hampshire students living on and off campus. One individual lived in a residence hall on Main Street downtown and two lived in fraternity houses.
Jaques Rheaume, 21, of Manchester, who lives at the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity on Strafford Avenue, was charged with the sale of a controlled narcotic. He was released on personal recognizance bail and will be arraigned May 5.
Jim Curtis, 19, of Merrimack, was charged with being an accomplice to the sale of a controlled narcotic. He was released on $750 personal recognizance bail. He lives at the Zeta Chi fraternity on Madbury Road. The fraternity is not recognized by the university Greek system.
John Davis, 20, of Franklin, Mass., was charged with two counts of sales of a controlled narcotic. He lives locally in Hetzel Hall on Main Street. Davis was released on personal recognizance bail and is scheduled for arraignment on May 12.
Ryan Leary, 19, of Amesbury, Mass., was charged with the sale of a controlled narcotic. He is a UNH student who lives locally on Madbury Road. Leary was released on personal recognizance bail and is scheduled for arraignment on May 5.
Sean Delaney, 20, of Conway, was charged with the sale of a controlled narcotic. He was released on $1,000 personal recognizance bail and has an arraignment scheduled for May 5.
Mike Benson, 21, of Goffstown, was charged with possession of a controlled narcotic. He was released on $500 personal recognizance bail and is scheduled for arraignment May 5.
Both Delaney and Benson are UNH students and live locally on Madbury Court.
Gabriel Kanakis-Hines, 33, of Portsmouth, was charged at the federal level with the sale of a narcotic and possession with the intent to sell. He was released on $500 cash bail. Kanakis-Hines has already been arraigned and awaits indictment.
Joshua Meier, 20, of Durham, was charged at the federal level with the sale of a controlled narcotic. He was released on $2,500 cash bail and is scheduled for arraignment on May 5.
Mathew Bordalo, 24 of Kittery, Maine, was charged at the federal level with two counts of accomplice to a sale and two counts of transportation of drugs. He was released on $2,500 cash bail, was arraigned March 31 and awaits indictment.
Kanakis-Hines, Meier, and Bordalo were all charged federally because the alleged crimes occurred within 1,000 feet of the university.
Kelley said police will continue to investigate and he anticipates more arrests.
At this time the university has not sanctioned any of the students and an investigation will be conducted through the student affairs office, UNH spokeswoman Kim Billings said Friday afternoon.
It is unclear whether UNH Greek Affairs will be taking any action against Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Phone calls to the Greek Affairs office and the Sigma Phi Epsilon president were not immediately returned.
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