A Madawaska man was sentenced Monday to serve 18 months in prison for illegally importing large quantities of Ritalin and Xanax from the Philippines.

Tristan Nelson, 39, of Madawaska was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor by Judge John A. Woodcock, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank said in a news release.

Nelson will be required to serve 18 months and be subject to three years of supervised release. Nelson pleaded guilty to the charges on March 7.

A package containing 950 methylphenidate pills (Ritalin) and 450 alprazolam pills (Xanax) arrived at the Madawaska post office on Feb. 2, court records show. Nelson went to the post office and accepted the package, later admitting to agents he purchased the pills online. He also told agents that he intended to distribute some of the pills.

Ritalin is used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Xanax is used to treat anxiety and panic disorders.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.