Judge orders Union Street homeowner facing drug charges held without bail until hearing

Apr. 26—A Bangor homeowner accused of allowing her house to be used for drug distribution in Greater Bangor will be held without bail until a hearing can be held later in the week to determine if there are conditions under which she could be released, a federal judge ruled Monday.

Brenda Shaboski, 65, of Bangor is charged with maintaining a drug-involved premises and distribution of fentanyl in U.S. District Court in Bangor.

Shaboski was arrested Wednesday when the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency raided her home at 1702 Union St. She made her first court appearance remotely Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge John Nivison from the Somerset County Jail in East Madison. The hearing began Thursday but was continued after Shaboski told the judge she was too sick.

She was not asked to enter pleas because Shaboski has not yet been indicted by a federal grand jury.

Federal prosecutors are asking that she be held without bail, arguing that she is a flight risk and to protect the safety of the community.

Shaboski allegedly sold drugs to support her own crack cocaine habit, estimated to cost her up to $70,000 in 2020, and allowed customers "to flop" there, according to a complaint filed.

Two men also were arrested Wednesday in a bedroom at Shaboski's home. Cesar Crespo, 23, and Sergio Figueroa, 25, are charged with distribution of fentanyl and cocaine. Their addresses are listed as unknown in one set of court documents but in the complaint against them, their drivers licenses listed separate addresses in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

A cooperating witness allegedly told investigators that they would give money to Shaboski and she would take it into the bedroom and return with the drugs.

The house has been the scene of violence twice since June 2019.

On Dec. 10, 2020, Bangor police responded to the home for a report of an unresponsive male, Syies Adams, 28, of Brooklyn, New York. His death was ruled a homicide. Police have not yet made an arrest.

A year-and-a-half earlier, on June 18, 2019, Albe Lagasse, 53, of Bangor pulled out a gun and shot another man during an argument over a woman. The other man shot Lagasse in return. Neither was killed.

Lagasse pleaded guilty last year to elevated aggravated assault, a Class A crime, and tampering with a witness, a Class C crime. He was sentenced in September to 18 years in prison with all but seven years suspended, to be followed by four years of probation.

Shaboski has not been charged in connection with either incident.

She and her husband purchased the home near Sprague's Nursery in 1999, according to the complaint filed in federal court in Bangor. He died a decade later.

Agents began conducting surveillance of drug activity at the residence in November, the complaint said. In January, they interviewed a confidential source who allegedly said the home was referred to locally as "the farm" and that Shaboski had two suppliers, one from Boston and one from New York.

On March 4, a confidential informant took part in a controlled buy for the DEA that was recorded, according to the complaint. He allegedly bought half a gram of suspected fentanyl and half a gram of suspected crack cocaine from Shaboski for $100 each.

If convicted, Shaboski faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count and fines of up to $500,000 on the maintaining a drug-involved premises charge and up to $1 million on the drug distribution charge.

Her co-defendants face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1million if convicted.

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