James King, Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking, Maine 2024

BANGOR, ME – James King, 54, of Caribou, Maine, will spend the next 13 years and 7 months behind bars for his involvement in a sprawling drug conspiracy that flooded Penobscot and Aroostook counties with methamphetamine and fentanyl. King was sentenced today in U.S. District Court, marking a significant, though not final, blow against the northern Maine trafficking network.

According to court records, King acted as a key Aroostook County distributor, regularly sourcing drugs from a supplier in the Bangor area between January 2018 and December 2021. He wasn’t a kingpin, but a crucial link in the chain, funneling the deadly substances to dealers who pushed them onto the streets. King pleaded guilty on September 25, 2023, admitting he knowingly participated in the conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute the highly addictive and dangerous drugs.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker handed down the 165-month sentence, followed by five years of supervised release. King is the tenth of 21 defendants charged in the case to receive a prison term. The feds are clearly attempting to dismantle the entire operation, and sentences are piling up. Andrew Adams (32, Aroostook County) received 10 years. Wayne Smith (33, Bangor) got 85 months. Danielle McBreairty (33, Glenburn) faces a staggering 20 years. Blaine Footman (37, Bangor) – 5 years, Nicole Footman (41, Holden) – 3 years, Dwight Gary, Jr. (53, Medway) – time served, Matthew Catalano (37, Penobscot County) – 165 months, Thomas Hammond (25, Charleston) – 84 months, Christopher Coty (43, Bangor) – 4 years.

Seven more defendants have already pleaded guilty but await sentencing, including Sarah McBreairty (35, Dixmont), John Miller (23, Caribou), Shelby Loring (28, Bangor), Joshua Young (48, Presque Isle), Joshua Jerrell (30, Orrington), Carol Gordon (53, Bangor), and Jason Cunrod (42, Caribou). This indicates a continued push by federal authorities to wrap up the investigation and bring all those involved to justice. The scope of this operation suggests a deeply entrenched drug pipeline operating within the state.

The investigation was a collaborative effort spearheaded by 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 also contributed. U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee highlighted the crucial cooperation from 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 federal initiative designed to target high-level drug traffickers and dismantle criminal organizations. The prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Casey (207-945-0373), underscores the continued federal focus on combating drug trafficking in Maine, even in its more remote corners. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the remaining sentences as they are handed down.

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