A Linneus man on Tuesday became the 20th person to be sentenced for his role in a northern Maine drug trafficking ring.
James Valiante, 43, was sentenced in a Bangor federal court on Tuesday to 36 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Valiante pleaded guilty in August of last year to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, Valiente and over 20 co-conspirators trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties between January 2018 and December 2021.
Federal prosecutors say Valiante regularly arranged to obtain quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine from other members of the drug trafficking ring through phone calls and texts using coded language, and then distributed drugs through a network of dealers in Aroostook County, then using the proceeds to purchase more drugs.
A total of 22 defendants have been charged federally for their roles in the drug trafficking ring.
Valiante was the 20th to be sentenced, and two defendants, Daquan Corbett, 31, of Brockton, Mass., and Daviston Jackson, 28, of Boston, Mass., are waiting sentencing after being convicted last December.
The following 19 others have already been sentenced:
- Andrew Adams, 32, Aroostook County – 10 years
- Matthew Catalano, 38, Penobscot County – 165 months
- Christopher Coty, 44, Bangor – 4 years
- Jason Cunrod, 42, Caribou – 48 months
- Blaine Footman, 38, Bangor – 5 years
- Nicole Footman, 41, Holden – 3 years
- Dwight Gary, Jr., 54, Medway – Time served (approx. 5 months)
- Carol Gordon, 53, Bangor – Time served (approx. 31 months) plus 6 months of community confinement
- Thomas Hammond, 26, Charleston – 84 months
- Joshua Jerrell, 30, Orrington – Time served (approx. 36 months)
- James King, 55, Caribou – 165 months
- Shelby Loring, 29, Bangor – Time served (approx. 32 months)
- Danielle McBreairty, 34, Glenburn – 20 years
- John Miller, 24, Caribou– 54 months
- Aaron Rodgers, 43, Bangor – Time served (approx. 33 months)
- Wayne Smith, 33, Bangor – 85 months
- Joshua Young, 48, Presque Isle – Time served (approx. 2 months) plus 24 months home detention
- Tamara Davis, 29, Fall River, Mass. – Time Served (approx. 14 months)
- Sarah McBreairty 36, Dixmont – 60 months
