BANGOR, Maine — A Gardiner woman pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack,” in U.S. District Court in Bangor.
According to a U.S. Attorney’s Office press release, Heather Downs, 31, conspired with others in Rochester, New York, to acquire heroin and crack, then transport it to Central Maine for distribution between June 2015 and March 2017.
Downs provided transportation, facilitated drug deals, introduced Rochester conspirators to area distributors and helped other conspirators to find residences from which they could sell drugs. She also dropped off drugs and picked up proceeds from various places in Central Maine where the drugs were being sold, according to U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank, citing court records.
Downs faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine, and between three years and life on supervised release. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and Kennebec County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance provided by Augusta Police Department and prosecuted as part of Department of Justice’s strategy to combat the opioid epidemic.
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