It was not a routine Target run on Tuesday in Milford, when a report of an intoxicated, nude woman inside the Fortune Boulevard store pulled police into what quickly became a drug arrest in the parking lot next door. Officers say they tracked a red Subaru Forester to the vacant Best Buy lot, detained three people, and recovered crack cocaine and fentanyl from inside the vehicle.
Police account
According to the Milford Police Department, the town's Public Safety Communications Center got a call from a Target employee about an intoxicated, nude woman inside the store who later walked out with what appeared to be blood on her clothing. Officers responding to the area found a red Subaru Forester in the empty Best Buy parking lot and identified the people inside as Benjamin Mahler, 50, of Uxbridge; Elizabeth McCusker, 36, of Franklin; and Alisha Chmiel, 32, of Woonsocket, as outlined in a press release from the Milford Police Department.
Where it happened
Police say the original call came from the Target at 250 Fortune Boulevard in Milford, a busy big box anchor that pulls in shoppers from neighboring communities. Officers later located the Subaru in the vacant Best Buy lot at 208 Fortune Boulevard. Both stores sit in the same retail cluster, and officers canvassed the plaza as part of their response.
Charges filed
After searching the vehicle, Milford police say they found controlled substances and filed charges against all three occupants. According to the Milford Police Department, Alisha Chmiel is charged with possession of a Class A substance (fentanyl), obstruction of justice, and is listed as having five active warrants. Benjamin Mahler is charged with possession of a Class B substance (crack cocaine). Elizabeth McCusker is charged with possession of a Class A substance (fentanyl) and disturbing the peace. Police note that all three individuals are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Local context
This particular Target has not exactly been quiet for police this year. Earlier in 2026, a Hopkinton man was charged after detectives used store technology to trace a string of self checkout thefts at the same location, as reported in self checkout thefts. The mix of heavy retail traffic and substance related calls in the plaza can turn what starts as a welfare check into a full blown criminal investigation in short order, police officials say.
The Milford Police Department shared photos from the stop on its Facebook page at Milford Police Department and asked that media direct any additional questions to [email protected].
