OCEAN CITY — Serving as evidence of the heroin problem in northern Worcester County, Ocean City narcotics officers last week made two significant busts of dealers after a pair of undercover operations in the West Ocean City area.
During the month of December, OCPD narcotics officers began an investigation into the alleged distribution of heroin in Worcester County and identified Maureshio Dennis, 30, of Salisbury, as a possible dealer. On Dec. 13, an OCPD undercover narcotics officer made contact with Dennis via cell phone and arranged to purchase $100 worth of heroin.
The officer made arrangements to meet with Dennis in the bathroom of a West Ocean City convenience store at 1:15 p.m. Undercover OCPD narcotics officers in 2011 were sworn in as fully vested law enforcement officers of the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, giving them full police powers throughout Worcester County. Around 2 p.m. on Dec. 13, Dennis arrived at the West Ocean City convenience store and the transaction with the undercover officer was completed in the store’s restroom.
Last Wednesday, the OCPD undercover officer again arranged a deal to purchase heroin from Dennis via text message and again the appointed location for the transaction was the West Ocean City convenience store bathroom. This time, however, when the officer went to the convenience store, he was instructed by Dennis to walk over to a restaurant on the opposite side of Route 50. The officer complied and went in and sat down at a table in the bar area.
Dennis arrived in the same gold Honda and entered the restaurant, found the undercover officer sitting at a table and completed the transaction. Dennis then exited the restaurant and left the area in the same vehicle. That transaction was recorded visually and audibly. Around 11:50 a.m. last Friday, OCPD officers observed Dennis and another suspect driving eastbound on Route 50 into Ocean City. Ocean City Police followed Dennis’ vehicle to a condo building on 32nd Street and a perimeter was set up. A short time later, Dennis came out and got back in the vehicle and headed south on Philadelphia Ave.
The vehicle was stopped and Dennis was arrested. During a search incident to the arrest, Dennis was found in possession of $150 in cash and a digital scale along with marijuana. Based on the weeks-long investigation, Dennis was charged with two counts of distribution of heroin and two counts of possession of heroin.
Also last Friday, the same Ocean City Police narcotics officers arrested another suspected heroin dealer after a series of transactions were set up and completed at different locations all over West Ocean City. On Dec. 10, OCPD narcotics detectives contacted suspected dealer Michael Sellers, 34, of Salisbury, via cell phone and arranged to purchase $100 worth of heroin and the deal was set up for a West Ocean City fast-food restaurant. However, when the officer arrived, Sellers instructed the officer to walk across Route 50 to the lobby of a bank on the opposite side of the highway.
However, as the undercover officer was crossing the highway, Sellers got out of the same gold Honda and motioned for the detective to walk across to a pizza restaurant on the opposite corner. The transaction was then completed at the gas pumps near the restaurant and other retail businesses.
Two days later on Dec. 12, OCPD narcotics detectives again contacted Sellers to arrange another transaction. The detective was instructed to meet with an unidentified female at a pharmacy on 17th Street. When the detective arrived at the appointed place and time, he was instructed to cross over to the parking lot of a hotel on the opposite side of the highway where the transaction was completed.
Last Friday, the undercover OCPD officer again contacted Sellers via cell phone and made arrangements to purchase $300 worth of heroin. Sellers agreed to meet the detective later in the day and the transaction was set up at the parking lot of a grocery store in West Ocean City. At the appointed time and place, Sellers contacted the officer, who had observed the suspect back into a parking spot at a hardware store on the opposite side of Route 611.
A short time later, Sellers contacted the officer and told him to walk toward the pizza restaurant on the corner nearby. A few minutes after that, members of the Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team approached Sellers’ vehicle and removed the suspect, placing him under arrest.
At the time of his arrest, Sellers was found in possession of suspected heroin, cocaine and marijuana. Sellers was charged with two counts of distribution of heroin, three counts of possession of heroin, possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of cocaine. At a bail review on Monday, Dennis was ordered to be held on a $50,000 bond. Also on Monday, Sellers was ordered to be held on a $50,000 bond.