A 43-year-old South Portland resident has pleaded guilty to federal cocaine trafficking charges and now faces a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years.
According to court records, the man sold cocaine to undercover investigators with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) on at least three separate occasions between February and March 2024. Authorities said an MDEA agent posed as a drug trafficker during the investigation, and each transaction was documented as part of the case.
Following the controlled purchases, law enforcement officials arrested the suspect and executed search warrants at two South Portland addresses — 857 Broadway #2 and 112 Colin Kelly Road — where they sought additional evidence connected to the alleged trafficking operation.
As part of his guilty plea, the defendant now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. In addition, he could receive a minimum of three years of supervised release following incarceration and be ordered to pay fines of up to $1 million.
Court filings also note that the individual has a prior criminal record dating back more than two decades, including arrests in Brunswick and Portland related to theft and drug offenses.
Sentencing will be determined at a later date by a federal judge.
