Lewiston Man Connected to Former Councilor’s Blake Street Address Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug, Gun Charges

LEWISTON, Maine – A Lewiston man who lived at 210 Blake Street with now-disgraced former Lewiston City Councilor Iman Osman pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to major drug trafficking and firearms charges.

Muktar Abshir Aden, 27, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland to possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and more than 400 grams of fentanyl. He also pleaded guilty to using a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court records, Aden sold drugs to law enforcement confidential sources and undercover officers on six occasions in 2024. The investigation culminated in an October 2024 search of his residence, where investigators recovered nearly three kilograms of methamphetamine, two kilograms of fentanyl, and at least five firearms.

One of the firearms had previously been reported stolen.

The case has also renewed scrutiny surrounding Lewiston city leadership and former Councilor Iman Osman. Despite the highly publicized federal drug bust tied to the Blake Street residence, Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline later appointed Osman to the Lewiston School Committee after the arrest had already become public.

The appointment drew criticism from some residents at the time, who questioned the judgment of elevating Osman to a position of public trust while federal investigators were actively pursuing a major drug trafficking case connected to the residence where Osman lived.

Aden now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and could face up to life behind bars. He also faces a fine of up to $10 million and up to a lifetime of supervised release.

A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal judge will determine Aden’s sentence after reviewing a presentence investigation report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Lewiston Police Department.

Federal prosecutors said the case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through coordinated enforcement between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.