A Peaks Island woman will serve three years in prison and be placed under supervised release for another three years for her role in a Portland-based heroin trafficking ring.
United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II said in a news release that 26-year-old Ashley Gross was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Portland. Gross pleaded guilty March 11 to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin.
According to court records, Gross became part of a drug trafficking organization that during 2013 distributed heroin and cocaine base – also known as crack cocaine – from several residences in Portland.
Her conspirators would bring heroin and crack cocaine from out-of-state suppliers to the homes.
The trafficking ring took phone calls from potential customers and in turn sent “runners” – Gross was deployed as a runner – to deliver the drugs to the buyers. Runners brought the drug proceeds back to the trafficking ring’s operating base before distributing the proceeds to out-of-state suppliers.
A joint investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Adminstration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Portland Police Department led to Gross’ arrest.
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