WISCASSET, Maine — A former waitress who is suing Moody’s Diner in Waldoboro for religious discrimination has pleaded guilty to trafficking heroin and will serve four months in prison.
Allina M. Diaz, 28, formerly of Wiscasset, pleaded guilty to Class B felony unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs, Class C unlawful furnishing of Schedule W drugs and a misdemeanor violation of conditions or release, the Lincoln County News reported Wednesday. She was sentenced to four years in prison with all but four months suspended and two years of probation, with concurrent 30-day sentences for separate charges of furnishing drugs and violation of conditions of release.
Prosecutors said Diaz and her boyfriend, Nathan E. Brewer, 27, also of Wiscasset, wired $27,000 to California — $7,731 of which came from Diaz — and Brewer accepted a package containing approximately 10 grams of black tar heroin.
Brewer is serving five years in prison after pleading guilty to Class A and Class C felonies.
Earlier this month, Diaz filed a suit in U.S. District Court in Portland, accusing Moody’s Diner co-owner Dan Beck of discriminating against her in the workplace because she did not adhere to his religious beliefs.
Diaz states in the lawsuit she was discriminated against, harassed and threatened with being fired for more than a year by Beck.
The suit was filed fewer than two months after the Maine Human Rights Commission denied a request from Gov. Paul LePage to reconsider its finding of sufficient evidence Moody’s Diner discriminated against Diaz. The commission ruled in November 2014 that “reasonable grounds” existed to believe religious discrimination by Beck resulted in a hostile work environment for Diaz. The commission also found reasonable grounds the restaurant had retaliated against her after she filed a complaint with the rights commission.
The suit seeks back pay and losses associated with lost benefits, as well as punitive damages.
BDN writer Stephen Betts contributed to this report.