BANGOR, Maine — An Aroostook County man pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court to being part of a smuggling ring that distributed marijuana from the St. John Valley to Portland.
Ben Dionne, 29, of St. David pleaded guilty, just one day before he was to go on trial with a Cumberland County man for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and failure to appear in federal court.Dionne’s plea agreement with prosecutors includes a clause that allows him to appeal his sentence to the U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston only if it is longer than 41 months.
He is expected to testify against John “Scooch” or “Scoochy” Pascucci, 50, of Gorham this week. Pascucci is charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
Pascucci’s trial before U.S. District Judge John Woodcock is scheduled to begin today after jury selection and is scheduled to last two weeks.
Dionne distributed marijuana for Michael Pelletier, 57, of St. David between Jan. 1, 2003, and April 1, 2006, according to court documents. In the plea agreement with prosecutors, Dionne admitted distributing more than 60 pounds of marijuana around the state.
He failed to appear in federal court in Bangor on Nov. 6, 2006, on a motion to revoke his bail. He was released on $5,000 unsecured bail on Sept. 12, 2006, after pleading not guilty to the drug charge, but immediately failed to stay in touch with the U.S. Probation Office in Bangor.
Dionne, who has dual citizenship in the U.S. and Canada, apparently fled to Canada in the fall of 2006. He was picked up in Canada in 2007. Dionne told Woodcock on Monday that he spent 13 months in a Canadian jail before being turned over to U.S. authorities in September 2008.
Three other men indicted along with Pelletier and Dionne have been convicted on drug charges for being part of Pelletier’s operation.
Pelletier was sentenced a year ago to 20 years in federal prison after being found guilty by a jury of drug smuggling, money laundering and Social Security fraud in July 2007. Pelletier, who is confined to a wheelchair, had previous convictions in state court on drug charges.
Michael Easler, 28, of St. David was sentenced in August 2007 to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to drug and money laundering charges.
Raymond “Rocky” Fogg, 56, of Winn and Anthony Caparotta, 44, of Caribou were found guilty in June 2008 of conspiracy to distribute marijuana. The jury also found Fogg guilty of Social Security fraud.
Caparotta was sentenced in October to five years eight months in federal prison after he threw himself on the mercy of the court and admitted he had lied to his attorney, the jury and the judge in proclaiming his innocence.
On 1/6/09 at 5:58 AM,
augustagoverned wrote:
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Much less time in jail for violent offenders. These people could have robbed banks and shot people for a business; they would serve half the time in jail. BUT, it's pot - toss 'em in lock-up - they're a menace to society - right? Dirty rotten pot smoking weasels................ yeah.
On 1/6/09 at 7:07 AM,
freedomfighter wrote:
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It seems like conspiracy to sell weed is much worse than the actual selling of the weed. I guess it doesn't have to make sense since child molesters only get 90 day sentences when they have an actual victim to their crime. Jailers need to keep the prisons full of people, violent or not, so their funding doesn't get cut. There is no shortage of money in this country when it comes to prohibition enforcement.
On 1/6/09 at 9:33 AM,
seeult wrote:
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Your both right, kill your wife,molest a child or some other really bad crime get a slap on the wrist.Sell some weed dont hurt anyone get 10 to 30 years!What a screwed up system we have. we should all be mad.Who did they all hurt? No one.
On 1/6/09 at 9:47 AM,
pcme2000 wrote:
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I have to agree with all above. It is sad when they get years for drugs and drunk drivers and killers get off with a slap on the hand.
On 1/6/09 at 10:19 AM,
Hampden1 wrote:
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We hear about cases like this day in and day out. Sickening!! Hard working people have to keep supporting these Loser's. They took advantage and now they got caught! Life for them is still good with all the amenities in the Great Prison System of America.
On 1/12/09 at 8:57 PM,
daddysgirl wrote:
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This is just crazy. I cant believe how my tax dollars are being wasted on such a bogus charge! A friend of mine was murdered and his killer got 8yrs! Jeesh what the he** is our government doing........and people who agree with this amount of time are obviously upset about the pedophile remarks...hmmmmmmmmmmm
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