SANFORD – A 33- year-old Island Avenue man was arrested by Sanford Police Wednesday afternoon and charged with aggravated trafficking in what police believe was heroin and cocaine.

Joshua Noorda was taken into custody on the street near Lafayette School not far from the apartment where he lived, said Sanford Police Det. Sgt. Matthew Jones. The charge is a Class A felony because the alleged trafficking took place within 1,000 feet of a school.

Noorda was taken to York County Jail in Alfred where he was held in lieu of $10,000 bail. He is expected to make a first court appearance on Friday.

The arrest comes days after a woman who lives in the neighborhood, Kari Zielke, organized a sit-in to draw attention to suspected drug dealing in the area around an Island Avenue tenement.

Sanford Police Chief Tom Connolly in a prior interview said those who see signs of drug activity in their neighborhood should call police.

 “I love it when citizens take an interest in their community,” said Connolly. “ I wish everyone would call police when there’s something going on. If you see something, call me and tell me.”

The  arrest of Noorda was  a collaborative effort with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, said Jones.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.