BAILEYVILLE MAN SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS IN PRISON FOR TRAFFICKING IN PRESCRIPTION NARCOTICS

October 2, 2002

OCTOBER 2, 2002 MATT ERICKSON, Assistant Attorney General 207-945-0373

Attorney General Steven Rowe reported today that James E. Storey, age 37, of Baileyville was sentenced Tuesday in Machias for two class A felony aggravated trafficking offenses for selling meperidine (Demerol) and oxycodone (OxyContin) in Baileyville on February 19 and 20 of this year. The charges were aggravated because of Storey's prior felony drug conviction in 1990. Storey is also scheduled to stand trial later this month for burglary in the Washington County Superior Court.

Chief Justice Nancy Mills sentenced Storey to four years in prison.

"It is unfortunate that Mr. Storey couldn't learn from his past mistakes. Perhaps four years in prison will impress upon him that the people of Maine will not tolerate drug dealers in their midst," said Assistant Attorney General Matt Erickson, the prosecutor in the case.

The drug charges were investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, with assistance from the Washington County Sheriff's Office and the Pleasant Point Police Department. In announcing the sentence, Attorney General Steven Rowe stated: "Despite scarce resources, cooperation among state, county, and local authorities is beginning to put the squeeze on the drug trade in Washington County. "