AUGUSTA MAN TO SERVE FOUR YEARS FOR TRAFFICKING OXYCODONE NEAR SCHOOL

September 10, 2004

SEPTEMBER 10, 2004

LARA M. NOMANI, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, 207-626-8804

JAMES M. CAMERON, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, 207-626-8505

 

Attorney General Steven Rowe announced today that Jeromiah Baker, 25, of Augusta, was sentenced Tuesday in the Kennebec County Superior Court for aggravated trafficking in oxycodone (class A).  Oxycodone is a powerful prescription narcotic pain-killer that is sold under the trade name of OxyContin.

Officers from the Augusta Field Office of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency arrested Baker and found him in possession of sixteen 80 milligram strength OxyContin pills.  At the time of his arrest, Baker was less than 1,000 feet from the St. Augustine School in Augusta.  Baker admitted to police that he intended to sell the pills, and police were able to identity the source of the pills as co-defendant Lisa Wisse.  Wisse was also indicted on the Class A charge of aggravated trafficking in oxycodone.  Wisse was arraigned on the charge last week, following her recent arrest and extradition from Florida.

According to agents from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, oxycodone generally has a street price of $1 per milligram.  In this case, the oxycodone seized from Baker had been purchased for approximately $975.

Baker was sentenced by Superior Court Justice Donald Marden to serve ten years, all but four years suspended.  Once Baker  has served four years, he will be on probation for six years, the maximum period allowed for a class A offense. 

The case was investigated by the Augusta Field Office of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Augusta Police Department.  It was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Lara Nomani.

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