PORTLAND, Maine — A Sangerville man pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court to the armed robbery more than two years ago of a Bingham pharmacy.
James Stile, 57, was to have been tried before a jury beginning Monday in federal court in Bangor.
A sentencing date has not been set.
U.S. District Judge John Woodcock ordered that Stile continue to be held without bail as he has been since his arrest on Sept. 13, 2011. That time will count toward his sentence.
By pleading guilty, Stile admitted that about 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 12, 2011, he entered the E.W. Moore pharmacy and pointed what appeared to be a sawed-off shotgun at the owner and three female employees behind the counter. When a customer entered the store, Stile ordered him to get behind the counter too, according to the prosecution version of events to which he pleaded guilty.
Stile demanded narcotics from the owner. As he was filling the black bag provided by Stile, the robber tied the hands and feet of the employees and the customer with zip ties, according to court documents. Once the owner had filled the bag, Stile zip tied his hands and feet as well.
The nearly 100 bottles of prescription drugs Stile stole were valued at $13,000, according to a previously published report.
He was originally charged with robbery of controlled substances from a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration-registered pharmacy, use of a firearm in the furtherance of a federal crime of violence, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and manufacturing more than 100 marijuana plants, which were found growing at his home when he was arrested the day after the robbery. His plea agreement with the U.S. attorney’s office calls for all charges except for the robbery count to be dismissed at his sentencing.
Under the plea agreement, Stile agreed to waive his right to appeal his sentence to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston as long as it is less than nine years.
Stile faces up to 25 years in federal prison and $250,000.