BANGOR, ME – Aaron Rodgers, 43, of Bangor, pleaded guilty today to his role in a sprawling drug trafficking operation that flooded Penobscot and Aroostook counties with methamphetamine and fentanyl. The guilty plea marks another step in dismantling a network of 21 individuals charged with participating in the conspiracy, which operated between January 2018 and December 2021.
According to court records, Rodgers knowingly joined the conspiracy, actively participating in the distribution of deadly narcotics throughout northern Maine. This isn’t a case of a lone operator; it’s a testament to the organized effort to poison communities for profit. Federal investigators have been meticulously peeling back the layers of this operation, and Rodgers is the latest to face the consequences.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has already secured convictions against ten other members of the trafficking ring. Andrew Adams, 32, of Aroostook County, received a ten-year sentence. Wayne Smith, 33, of Bangor, was sentenced to 85 months behind bars. Danielle McBreairty, 33, of Glenburn, faces a staggering 20-year sentence. Other sentenced defendants include Blaine Footman, 37, of Bangor (5 years); Nicole Footman, 41, of Holden (3 years); Dwight Gary, Jr., 53, of Medway (time served); Matthew Catalano, 37, of Penobscot County (165 months); Thomas Hammond, 25, of Charleston (84 months); and James King, 54, of Caribou (165 months). Christopher Coty, 43, of Bangor, was sentenced to 4 years.
Beyond Rodgers, eight additional defendants have also pleaded guilty: Sarah McBreairty, 35, of Dixmont; John Miller, 23, of Caribou; Shelby Loring, 28, of Bangor; Joshua Young, 48, of Presque Isle; Joshua Jerrell, 30, of Orrington; Carol Gordon, 53, of Bangor; and Jason Cunrod, 42, of Caribou. These guilty pleas signal a growing pressure on the remaining defendants to come forward and cooperate with authorities.
The investigation was a collaborative effort between the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA). Local police departments in Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle, and Houlton provided crucial assistance. U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee highlighted the cooperation of the Maine State Attorney General’s Office and the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office.
This case falls under the umbrella of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), a multi-agency initiative designed to dismantle major drug trafficking organizations. The OCDETF’s prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven approach aims to cripple criminal networks by leveraging the resources of federal, state, and local law enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney Joel Casey is the lead prosecutor on this case.
Related Federal Cases
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- Juan Anibal Patrone, Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking, MA 2023 · Massachusetts
- Kayla Thistlewood, Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking, Maine 2021 · Washington
- Orrington Man Sentenced for Meth, Fentanyl Drug Ring · Massachusetts
- Stephon Davis Pleads Guilty to Heroin Trafficking, Scranton PA, 2023 · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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