The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and Rumford Police today arrested five people indicted on cocaine charges this week by the Oxford County Grand Jury. MDEA says the five were part of a cocaine distribution ring responsible for up to $250,000 worth of cocaine sold in the Rumford-Mexico area in the past year.

MDEA Agent Tony Milligan said the investigation began in January, 2010 as undercover agents and informants were utilized to conduct surveillances, make recorded calls, and purchase cocaine from the group. Milligan said the ring leader — Timothy Clark of Mexico was making several trips a week to Massachusetts to pick up quarter-pound quantities of cocaine and then distributing the contraband to local drug dealers. MDEA intercepted one of those shipments on December 4, 2010 from Clark just before it was to be distributed.

 These arrested today are —

• Timothy Clark, 40 of 16 Angie Lane in Mexico charged with two counts of Aggravated Trafficking in Cocaine in a school zone, Conspiracy To Traffic in Cocaine and Illegal Importation of Cocaine
• Kevin Pettegrow, 29, of 25 Hartford Street in Rumford charged with Aggravated Trafficking in Cocaine in a school zone
• Kaine Adam Hodgkins, 22, of 679 Roxbury Notch Road in Roxbury charged with Attempted Trafficking in Cocaine and Violation of Conditions of Release
• Uniah H. Leidy, 30, of 426 Swain Road in Rumford charged with Aggravated Trafficking in Cocaine.
• and Dale A. Korhonen, 42 of 165 Keep Road in Jay charged with three counts of Aggravated Trafficking in Cocaine in a school zone, four counts of Violation of Conditions of Release, Possession of a Concealed Weapon, Unlawful Possession of Cocaine, Conspiracy To Traffic in Cocaine and tampering with a witness.

The five were arrested at their homes Thursday without incident and taken to the Oxford County Jail . Other arrests are also expected.