PORTLAND, Maine: A grim scene played out in U.S. District Court when John Labbe, a 44-year-old man from Greene, Maine, pleaded guilty to possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a federal drug trafficking crime.
According to court records, it was a routine traffic stop in Lewiston that led to the discovery of a cache of deadly drugs. In January 2025, Labbe was detained after police observed him operating a vehicle unlawfully. What followed was a chilling revelation as officers recovered from his possession a handgun equipped with a laser sight.
Inside a backpack, police found substantial quantities of fentanyl and cocaine base. A deeper dive into Labbe’s cell phone revealed communications indicating his involvement in the distribution of these illegal substances.
The gravity of Labbe’s actions is not lost on the justice system. He now faces at least 10 years and up to life in federal prison, a maximum fine of $5 million, and potential lifetime supervised release. His sentence will be determined after a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office.
Investigating this case were the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), working in tandem with the Lewiston Police Department, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Maine Attorney General’s Office. This operation is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence.
Project Safe Neighborhoods has been bolstered by a comprehensive strategy launched on May 26, 2021, focusing on fostering trust in communities, supporting anti-violence organizations, and strategically enforcing the law. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, the public is encouraged to visit here.
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Key Facts
- State: Maine
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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