FAIRFIELD -- Police have arrested two Augusta residents and a Waterville man they believe are collectively responsible for at least 14 burglaries -- involving 19 firearms -- in three counties.

Police Chief John Emery said Friday that the newly-formed Greater Waterville Area Major Crimes Unit was helpful in making the arrests. The three suspects are charged with stealing firearms and electronic equipment during daytime forced entries in Somerset, Kennebec and Waldo counties, Emery said.

Emery said that on Nov. 7 Maine State Police arrested Jennifer Lynn Sapienza, 26, and the Kennebec County Sheriff's Office arrested Travis Barrett, 20. Both live on Mount Vernon Avenue in Augusta, where police executed a search warrant, Emery said.

Sapienza is charged with burglary and theft. Police arrested Barrett on a warrant, and then Fairfield police charged him with burglary and theft in connection with crimes that took place in Fairfield.

Fairfield police, meanwhile, arrested Kenneth W. Mitchell, 20, of King Street in Waterville, on the same day, on burglary and theft charges. Emery said police arrested Mitchell on Kennedy Memorial Drive in Waterville. He was a passenger in a vehicle driven by his mother, Nancy Wilson, who was charged with operating after suspension, Emery said.

Waterville police executed a search warrant on King Street, Emery said.

Emery said the daytime forced entries concern him.

"I don't know what would have happened had people been at home," the chief said. "That's what scares me. We believe they have swapped or traded some of the guns."

Police have recovered none of the firearms, Emery said. He encouraged anyone who has those firearms to come forward to police.

Waterville Deputy Chief Charles Rumsey said that Detective David Caron executed the search warrant at 44 King St. Police found 2.5 pounds of marijuana as well as some of the stolen items, Rumsey said.

Police charged Wilson and Stephen Kennedy, 49, with unlawful trafficking in a scheduled Z drug, a Class C felony. That charge could be upgraded to aggravated trafficking, a Class B felony, because the residence is within 1,000 feet of Kennebec Community Action Program, Rumsey said.

Emery said that the three suspects, who know each other, began their crime spree on Oct. 31, with two in-town Fairfield burglaries.

He declined to reveal the locations.

The three also hit Waterville, Vassalboro, Unity and the Augusta area, as well as other area towns, Emery said.

"They wanted firearms -- handguns, specifically," Emery said. "That's one of the things that are worth money, and they can swap and trade."

Emery said that Detective Sgt. Kingston Paul spent many days collecting evidence that led him to GameStop, an electronics store in Waterville Commons, where he recovered some of the stolen material. That led police to Mitchell, Emery said.

"They buy and sell," Paul said. "It's routine to check those places. We were running everywhere."

Emery said there are other charges pending in connection to the case. He said the value of the property stolen in Fairfield alone is at least $3,000.

Mitchell was released on personal recognizance bail and will be arraigned on Dec. 13 at Somerset County Superior Court in Skowhegan.

Sapienza is being held at Kennebec County jail in Augusta in lieu of bail, and Barrett remains at Somerset County Jail in lieu of bail.

"We don't want them in jail together," Paul said.

Larry Grard -- 861-9239

lgrard@centralmaine.com