PORTLAND — An Auburn man pleaded guilty Monday to three federal charges stemming from a pot raid in the Twin Cities last year.
Timothy Veilleux, 53, was charged with Class B felony conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 or more marijuana plants and 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. If convicted, he faces five to 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million.
He also was charged with maintaining a drug-involved premises, a Class C felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000.
His two companies, 1830 Lisbon St. LLC and Comvest Inc., both in Lewiston, also were charged with maintaining a drug-involved premises, each carrying a penalty of one to five years of probation and a fine of up to $2 million. Each business also faced a charge of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 or more marijuana plants and 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. A conviction carries a fine of up to $25 million and probation from one to five years.
Veilleux appeared Monday in U.S. District Court dressed in white chinos, a blue button-down shirt and a blue tie.
He pleaded guilty to maintaining a drug-involved premises on behalf of himself and his companies.
The conspiracy charge against him and his two businesses were dismissed by prosecutors in exchange for the pleas.
U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal accepted the three pleas Monday.
Sentencing is set for Jan. 28. He remains free on an unsecured bond.
Singal told Veilleux he could appeal his sentence on the first charge if the judge were to impose a sentence of more than four months in prison.
As for the two guilty pleas on behalf of his businesses, Veilleux may appeal a sentence of a fine greater than $10,000 on each charge.
He may not appeal any of his convictions.
Veilleux also agreed to forfeit $193,448 in proceeds from the sale of 1830 Lisbon St. as well as $85,525 in proceeds from the sale of Comvest Inc. at 17 Bridge St. That money has been held in escrow by his attorney, Stacey Neumann.
A federal grand jury handed up a 41-count indictment against more than a dozen suspects — largely from Lewiston and Auburn — stemming from federal raids in the Twin Cities area on Feb. 27, 2018.
The aim of the raids was to bust a medical marijuana-growing operation that illegally sold surplus pot and derivatives, according to police and federal drug agents.
Prosecutors alleged the drug-trafficking organization grew and distributed large amounts of marijuana under the cover of Maine’s medical marijuana program, but sold marijuana to buyers who were not participants in the program and included out-of-state customers and laundered the money through various area businesses.
Those raids saw federal drug agents execute 20 search warrants on properties in and around Lewiston and Auburn.
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