Seven people were arrested during a “High Risk” Search Warrant at apartment 402, at 658 Congress Street, Portland, according to a press release issued this morning by Shannon Moss, Public Information Officer for the Maine State Police. Those arrested yesterday morning are:  Bruce Cavallaro, 46, Portland; Chanta Gaddist, 38, Yarmouth; Michael Walbridge, 38, Portland; James Williams, 50, Portland; David Covington, 38, Portland; Monica Miller, 30, Portland; Erica Mathies, 25, Portland.

Over the past two months, Portland Police responded to over a dozen “Calls for Service” to 658 Congress Street, a multi-resident apartment building.  The calls included, but were not limited to suspectd drug trafficking, threatening display of weapons, to include firearms and disorderly persons.  Residents of the building and visitors reported being intimidated and harassed by groups of people who frequented apartment 402.

During this time, agents from the Maine Drug Enforcement’s Cumberland District Task Force were investigating illegal drug trafficking from apartment 402.  During the investigation it was revealed the apartment renter, Bruce Cavallaro and others were distributing illegal drugs from apartment 402 as well as the common hallways and the front and rear entrances of the apartment building.

On February 7, Cavallaro was served with an eviction notice ordering him to vacate the apartment within 48 hours. He and others refused to leave the apartment.  Yesterday morning, Tuesday,  law enforcement entered the apartment and secured it.  The seven were detained, arrested and transported to Cumberland County Jail without incident.

A susequent search of the apartment resulted in the seizure of fentanyl, methamphetamine, crack cocaine, as well as evidence of drug trafficking.