Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Christian Turner, a/k/a “P", 29, of Bangor pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute 280 grams of a mixture or substance containing cocaine base, commonly referred to as “crack," and conspiracy to violate the federal gun laws.
According to court records, between January 2010 and August 2013, the defendant sold crack in Penobscot County and elsewhere. He sold half-gram bags for $40 and gram bags for $80. Other members of the conspiracy also sold bags of crack for him. He transferred the proceeds of the sales to his source of supply in the New Haven, Connecticut area and got cash and crack in exchange. The crack was transported from Connecticut to the Bangor area by other conspirators.
During the same period of time, the defendant also conspired to violate the federal gun laws. He had others fraudulently obtain fourteen firearms through “straw purchases" at pawnshops in Bangor and Brewer and acquired seven more firearms through private transactions. He paid cash or drugs for the guns and sent them back to New Haven, Connecticut for distribution to others.
The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine on the drug charge and up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the gun charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. He is one of eleven defendants charged in the indictment.
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (New Haven Office); and the New Haven Police Department.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
