PORTLAND — Two suspects accused of supplying fentanyl and needles to a man who injected the drug and died several days later are each poised to plead guilty to drug charges in federal court.
Earl Cormier, 39, of Biddeford, is scheduled to plead guilty Thursday morning to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, while Suzanne Cormier, 37, of Sanford, is scheduled to enter a guilty plea to the same charge on Jan. 9, according to information on file at the U.S. District Court in Portland. The plea agreements, signed by the defendants, spell out that the federal government will move to dismiss a count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.
The individual, who was not identified, died in a hospital on July 19, 2017, never having regained consciousness from when he injected the drug in the restroom of a Biddeford department store on July 8, 2017.
Earl Cormier, Suzanne Cormier
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Joyce, if the case were to go to trial, the government would prove that the individual who died, referred to in court papers as Person A, contacted Earl Cormier by telephone on July 8, 2017, to order narcotics.
“Defendant Suzanne Cormier obtained a substance containing fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl from Supplier A,” Joyce wrote in the prosecution version of the case. “This substance was intended for distribution to Person A. Once Suzanne Cormier procured the narcotics, Earl Cormier and Suzanne Cormier traveled together (in a vehicle registered to the supplier), to the Biddeford Walmart to complete the transaction.”
Earl Cormier provided the narcotics and needles, and was paid with cash by Person A, according to the documents. Following the transaction, Suzanne Cormier provided a portion of the proceeds to the unnamed supplier.
The prosecution document goes on to say that Person A entered a restroom in the store, used the narcotics and was then discovered unconscious. He was taken to a hospital and remained there until he died on July 19. Toxicology tests showed the presence of fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl and medical personnel concluded he died from the combined effects of the drugs.
The plea agreements signed by both Earl Cormier and Suzanne Cormier show they have agreed to waive their right to appeal their guilty pleas and their right to appeal any sentence that does not exceed 180 months.
Each could face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine.
Both are in federal custody.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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