A Waldoboro man who pleaded guilty to unlawful trafficking in schedule W drugs (oxycodone) in April was sentenced Sept. 25 to five years in prison with all but 18 months suspended.
James E. Chamberlain, 39, of Waldoboro, was arrested along with Louis Atkinson, 25, of Greene, Maine, and Staten Island, N.Y., in Waldoboro Oct. 19 while they were in the process of selling oxycodone to a teenager, according to a Maine Drug Enforcement Agency press release.
According to Assistant Attorney General Jamie Guerrette, agents from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency searched the vehicle the three individuals were found in and recovered 341 30-milligram oxycodone pills.
The pills, “according to the evidence that was seized, were basically transported to Maine by the front seat passenger [Atkinson] that evening on a bus route from New York City,” Guerrette said at Chamberlain’s sentencing.
“There was a minimum amount per pill Mr. Chamberlain would have to get … anything above and beyond the minimum per pill that went directly to Mr. Atkinson, Mr. Chamberlain would be able to put that in his pocket as proceeds from the conspiracy,” Guerrette said.
Chamberlain pleaded guilty April 22 to unlawful trafficking in schedule W drugs, a class B felony, and violating condition of release, a class E misdemeanor, according to court documents and personnel.
Chamberlain was originally indicted on a charge of aggravated trafficking, a class A felony – because he was found with a loaded 9 mm handgun at the time of his arrest – but the charge was reduced as part of his plea. The handgun was forfeited to the state.
For the unsuspended portion of Chamberlain’s sentence, his attorney, David Paris, asked the court for an equivalent to Chamberlain’s time served, or about 11 months.
Paris said Chamberlain has no history of drug use and is not a drug user, and his actions were “simply profit motivated.” Chamberlain also recognizes his actions were wrong and criminal, Paris said.
Addressing the court, Chamberlain acknowledged he broke the law.
“When I first came to jail, I was blaming everyone for me being here in jail but the only reason I was in was the actions of myself. The only person at fault was me,” he said. “My actions have hurt my community, family, and friends. I started making foolish decisions that I regret.”
Justice Daniel Billings imposed a sentence of five years with all but 18 months suspended for the trafficking charge, with a concurrent six-month sentence for the charge of violation of condition of release. Chamberlain will be on probation for three years following his release.
“I think that appropriately takes into account Mr. Chamberlain’s conduct in the crime and since the crime, and balances those different interests,” Billings said.
In August, Atkinson pleaded guilty to two class A felony charges of aggravated trafficking of scheduled drugs and was sentenced to 10 years in prison with all but six years suspended, followed by four years probation, and a total of $800 in fines, according to court documents.
A class C charge of illegal importation of scheduled drugs against Atkinson was dismissed.
After the hearing, Paris said there was disappointment the sentence was not more in line with what he was requesting.
