Three nabbed for drugs

Nicholas Allen Levine and Jeffrey Steven Trainor, both 19, and Ila May Payne, 17, were arrested on Monday, September 29, by the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team.

Levine was charged with one count of manufacture and two counts of delivery and possession of more than one ounce of marijuana.

Trainor was arrested for delivery and possession of more than one ounce.

The CODE team seized more than one-half pound of what they described as high quality marijuana in the bust. Manufacture and delivery are Class A felonies, possession is a Class B felony.

Ila Payne was arrested for conspiracy to deliver more than one ounce, a Class B felony.

Levine had been the target of an investigation into street level dealing of marijuana in Sisters area, according to CODE team member Detective Rob Short, of the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office.

"At 2:30 p.m., members of the CODE team watched a drug transaction in the Sisters City Park. Immediately after, we arrested the involved persons," said Detective Short.

The investigation had been ongoing, "but intensified in the last few weeks," Short said.

"We recovered over one-half pound of marijuana $360 in cash and a 1985 GMC 'Jimmy,' owned by Trainor that was seized for facilitation of the delivery," said Short.

The marijuana had an estimated street value of $3,200, according to Short.

The two male suspects were lodged at Deschutes County Jail. Ila Payne was taken to juvenile detention center.

"Some people may think this is a minor deal. We hear from a lot of parents who are aware of and accept their children's use of marijuana," said Short.

"But there are other parents who do not want their children using marijuana. Arrests like this can have an impact on what is available," Short added. "We are interested in what is going on. Even at that level."