Joshua Jerrell, 27, of Orrington, Maine, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot County, as well as conspiring to make false statements to a federal firearms licensee.
According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Jerrell conspired to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, a substance containing methamphetamine and fentanyl. Jerrell regularly arranged to obtain quantities from a source through phone calls, texts, and social media using coded language.
He would then distribute these drugs to his customers in Penobscot County. In June 2021, Jerrell made false statements to a federal firearms licensee in Holden in an attempt to obtain firearms for his drug supplier. This egregious offense has landed Jerrell in serious trouble, facing a maximum term of 20 years imprisonment on the drug charge and up to five years on the firearms conspiracy charge.
Jerrell’s sentencing will be determined after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors to determine any sentence. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistance was provided by the Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle, and Houlton police departments. U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Maine State Attorney General’s Office. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States.
The OCDETF approach leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. By working together, law enforcement agencies can effectively combat the scourge of drug trafficking and related crimes. Jerrell’s guilty plea is a significant step towards holding accountable those who engage in these illicit activities and bringing justice to the community.
RELATED: Orrington Man Sentenced for Meth, Fentanyl Drug Ring
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Key Facts
- State: Maine
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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