James Winbrone, Heroin and Crack Cocaine Trafficking, Maine 2015

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Heroin and Crack Cocaine Trafficking Lands Brooklyn Man in Prison for 21 Years

A Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for his role in a heroin and crack cocaine trafficking operation in Maine. James Winbrone, 32, was found guilty of possessing with intent to distribute heroin and distributing cocaine base, also known as crack cocaine.

The investigation into Winbrone’s activities began in 2014, when authorities discovered he was distributing heroin and crack cocaine in Lewiston. On January 14, 2015, a search warrant was executed at a Lewiston apartment used by Winbrone, resulting in the seizure of cocaine and heroin.

Court records reveal that Winbrone was involved in the distribution of heroin and crack cocaine on two separate occasions in 2014. He was also found to have assaulted a customer who owed him a drug debt, which enhanced his sentence. Winbrone’s leadership position in the trafficking operation and his involvement in the assault also contributed to the lengthy sentence.

The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Maine State Police, and the Southern Maine Gang Task Force, which includes agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Portland and Biddeford Police Departments, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Winbrone was sentenced by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 21 years in prison and six years of supervised release. He was convicted on September 30, 2015, following a two-day bench trial.

The case serves as a reminder of the serious consequences of engaging in heroin and crack cocaine trafficking. Authorities will continue to work together to disrupt and dismantle these operations, and bring perpetrators to justice.

Contact: David B. Joyce, Assistant United States Attorney, 207-780-3257.