An Owls Head resident, Felix Jose Bautista, received a 78-month prison sentence in the U.S. District Court in Portland for trafficking illegal substances. The court, presided over by U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., also imposed four years of supervised release following his prison term.
Court records reveal that from January to June 2024, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted an undercover operation on a suspect distributing fentanyl, cocaine, and other drugs. These substances were sourced from New York City and distributed in Maine. The investigation identified three delivery locations, including Bautista's residence in Owls Head.
During a search at Bautista's home, law enforcement recovered $11,319 in cash, 154 grams of cocaine, and 62 grams of fentanyl. Bautista confessed to purchasing drugs from a coconspirator, mistakenly identifying them as cocaine and heroin. He admitted to storing cash for his accomplice and claimed to have been in operation for five months, regularly ordering cocaine and heroin to meet customer demand.
The case was investigated through the collaborative efforts of HSI, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.