Fatal overdose investigation leads to 3 arrests in Warren

Three people have been arrested after a search of a Warren home that had been the site of a fatal overdose.

On Wednesday afternoon agents from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and Knox County sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant at the home of Denise Richards, 63, at 1094 Eastern Road in Warren.

Richards had been the focus of a drug trafficking investigation since the suspected overdose death of a 52-year-old woman at Richards’ home on March 5, the MDEA said in a news release.

During the investigation, undercover agents bought fentanyl from Richards and Marissa Widdecomb, 34, of Union, at Richard’s home. In Wednesday’s search, agents seized 30 grams of methamphetamine, 12 grams of fentanyl and a loaded .380 caliber handgun from the residence, according to the MDEA.

Richards, Widdecomb, and Claire Turner, 33, of Warren were at the home at the time of the

search. All three were arrested without incident and brought to Knox County Jail, according to the MDEA.

Richards was charged with five counts of aggravated unlawful trafficking in schedule

drugs (fentanyl and methamphetamine), and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Her bail was set at $25,000.

Widdecomb was charged with two counts of aggravated unlawful trafficking in schedule drugs  (fentanyl). Bail has not been set.

Turner was charged with unlawful possession of schedule drugs (fentanyl) and is being held without bail.