LEWISTON — A Bates Street man with a violent criminal history has been arrested after a yearlong investigation, accused of distributing heroin between Lewiston and Bath.

Macarthur Taylor, 40, was charged Thursday with three counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, possession of scheduled drugs and trafficking in prison contraband, said Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland.

Taylor was held at Androscoggin County Jail on $30,000 bail following an initial court appearance Friday afternoon.

The investigation involved Maine Drug Enforcement agents from the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office and Bath police. McCausland said agents did a number of heroin buys from Taylor in “Safe Zones” near schools.

According to court documents, Taylor’s criminal history includes convictions for second-degree murder, kidnapping, possession of a dangerous weapon, trafficking in prison contraband and trafficking and possession of scheduled drugs. Most of the convictions were for crimes committed in New York, according to court records.