Joshua Noorda was taken into custody on the street near Lafayette School not far from the apartment where he lived, said Sanford Police Det. Sgt. Matthew Jones. The charge is a Class A felony because the alleged trafficking took place within 1,000 feet of a school.
Noorda was taken to York County Jail in Alfred where he was held in lieu of $10,000 bail. He is expected to make a first court appearance on Friday.
The arrest comes days after a woman who lives in the neighborhood, Kari Zielke, organized a sit-in to draw attention to suspected drug dealing in the area around an Island Avenue tenement.
Sanford Police Chief Tom Connolly in a prior interview said those who see signs of drug activity in their neighborhood should call police.
“I love it when citizens take an interest in their community,” said Connolly. “ I wish everyone would call police when there’s something going on. If you see something, call me and tell me.”
The arrest of Noorda was a collaborative effort with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, said Jones.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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