Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jessica
Bryden, 22, of Greenbush was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge John
A. Woodcock, Jr. to 97 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to
possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute MDPV, a chemical compound commonly
referred to as “bath salts" or “monkey dust." Bryden pleaded guilty on April 15, 2014.
According to court records, between April and December 2011, the members of the
conspiracy illegally distributed large quantities of MDPV in Penobscot, Aroostook and Knox
counties. The defendant packaged and distributed MDPV to other members of the conspiracy
who were selling the drug in the Bangor area. She also collected payment for the drug from
other members of the conspiracy. Bryden is one of eighteen defendants who pleaded guilty to
conspiring with Ryan Ellis and others to distribute the drug. Ellis previously pleaded guilty and
awaits sentencing.
In imposing sentence, Chief Judge Woodcock referenced “the staggering scope of
Bryden’s involvement in dealing bath salts," said the government was appropriate to characterize
the defendant and her one time boyfriend and co-defendant, Ryan Ellis, as the “Bonnie and
Clyde of bath salts," and observed that “you and Mr. Ellis have had a permanent, profound and
deleterious impact on this area."
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency with assistance from
the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Brewer and Bangor Police Departments.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
