Tyler Vangel’s 50-Month Sentence for Cocaine Conspiracy

A Portland man has been sentenced to 50 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute cocaine, a crime that was uncovered during an investigation into child exploitation.

U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy handed down the sentence to Tyler Vangel, 30, who pleaded guilty on October 31, 2023. Vangel, also known as Tyler Linscott, Tyler Carter, and Andrew Flanagan, has been implicated in a cocaine distribution conspiracy that spanned from January 2021 to June 2022.

According to court records, Vangel regularly obtained and transported large quantities of cocaine from a Lawrence, Massachusetts-based supplier to be distributed by himself and others, including Sebastian Demers, to customers in Maine. The investigation into Vangel began after law enforcement learned that Demers, who was suspected of child exploitation, was also selling drugs and that Vangel was his supplier.

Homeland Security Investigations led the probe into Vangel’s activities, which uncovered a complex network of cocaine distribution. Evidence seized during the investigation included Vangel’s phone, which revealed orders from lower-level distributors requesting a “basket” (3.5 grams) and “half key” (half kilogram) as well as Vangel responding about having a “brick” (kilogram).

The investigation into Vangel and Demers highlights the often-overlapping nature of crime in Maine. While the focus of the investigation was on child exploitation, the discovery of Vangel’s cocaine distribution conspiracy led to a separate inquiry and ultimately resulted in his sentencing.

Vangel’s 50-month sentence is a significant blow to the cocaine distribution ring that he was a part of. The sentence also serves as a reminder that law enforcement is committed to pursuing and prosecuting individuals involved in drug trafficking, even if it means investigating complex and interconnected networks of crime.