Man pleads guilty to marijuana smuggling
1/13/09 | 7 comments
DRUGS

Man pleads guilty to marijuana smuggling


By Judy Harrison
BDN Staff

BANGOR, Maine — A Gorham man considered to be the southern Maine connection for an Aroostook County marijuana smuggling ring pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court to drug charges — one week after his jury trial was to have begun.

John Pascucci, 51, aka “Scoochy,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana.

Pascucci admitted Monday that he distributed marijuana for Michael Pelletier, 57, of St. David between Jan. 1, 2003, and sometime in 2006, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

He faces 10 years to life in federal prison and a fine of up to $8 million. In a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, Pascucci agreed not to appeal his sentence to the U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston unless it is longer than 10 years.

Pascucci will be held without bail until his sentencing before U.S. District Judge John Woodcock. A sentencing date has not been set.

He is the last of six defendants to be found guilty or to plead guilty in the case.

Pelletier was sentenced a year ago to 20 years in federal prison after being found guilty by a jury in July 2007 of drug smuggling, money laundering and Social Security fraud. Pelletier, who uses 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.

Fogg is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday.

Ben Dionne, 29, of St. David pleaded guilty on Jan. 5 to drug conspiracy and failure to appear charges, the day before he was to have gone on trial with Pascucci. Dionne’s plea agreement includes a clause that allows him to appeal his sentence only if it is longer than 41 months.

Dionne’s sentencing date has not been set. He is being held without bail pending sentencing.

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Comments
7 comments on this item
On 1/13/09 at 5:25 AM, confusedmainer wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

what is this 8 million $$ thing>>life in jail....hows he gunna pay if he cant sell his weed???

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On 1/13/09 at 8:03 AM, NancyC wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

How about we legalize the weed so we can at least try to collect a fair share of tax on the transactions? Free up some jail space for real offenders, and perhaps help deal with the budget problem. It's only weed, less dangerous than alcohol for cryin' out loud.

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On 1/13/09 at 8:13 AM, livinglife wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Wow, I can't believe he is facing 10 years to life for selling weed when the guy who was looking at child porn only got 6 years and the guy who raped the elderly woman is only facing 10 years. These seem like more serious offenses to me and maybe they should be facing life in prision! Those are the two I would be more worried about re-offending when they get out.

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On 1/13/09 at 10:28 AM, StJones wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I agree with living life!@!!!!

Shiretown.net - Aroostook Countys Discussion Forum

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On 1/13/09 at 10:31 AM, sickntired2 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I know a lot of people dealing out of the Windham/Gorham area. Reward???

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On 1/13/09 at 7:36 PM, trocker wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

are you kidding me!!!!!!!!!!!! 8 million bucks and a potential life sentence for weed???

Question for all the brains behind this potential sentence......give me the average sentence for a rapist, stalker, pedophile, multiple offense drunk driver, tax evader, or a suspended driver that kills people and then JUSTIFY this potential sentence. Perhaps the worst thing this guy did was deal in something illegal but there needs to be equal justice for the crime. Give Scootch a couple of years to think about it and let him go. He's a great guy....he just made a bad choice. And to all the people who are doing the "he needs to pay for the crime" routine.....I hope the IRS investigates your deductions a little closer. What comes around, goes around............

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On 1/14/09 at 8:09 PM, dmtang wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Being a convicted felon .and serving four plus years in federal institutions myself, I can tell you first hand that John Pascucci didnt just get screwed by the federal government. He also got screwed by his grease ball attorney who could have gotten (scooch) a 5 year cap in the beginning. The sad part is if we do a crime we have to pay the time and the fine. Ordinary citizins usually dont know enough info. on the federal guidelines and how they work, and thats just how the attornys want it. Nobody should face that much time for the crime that scooch allegedly did and in most cases they wouldnt if they would just plea out on the first offer from the feds. Unfortunately we ,( myself included ) listen to the real criminals ,not the D.As ,not the Judges ,but the Attorneys who prey on the wounded and give them false hope til the well is dry and then sell em out to the court! THATS MY OPINION NOT FACTS. THANKYOU FOR TAKING TIME TO READ

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