Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Isaac Allen, 23, of South Portland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 3 years in prison and 3 years of supervised release for possessing with intent to distribute ecstacy (3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)) and for illegally possessing firearms. Allen pled guilty to these offenses on March 17, 2016.
According to court records and evidence introduced at the plea hearing, Allen bought ecstasy from European suppliers, paid for it with “Bitcoin," and had it shipped to the United States where he sold it to customers, one of whom was cooperating with federal investigators. Bitcoin is a digital currency that is not backed by any country’s central bank. On Dec. 2, 2015, Allen’s residence was searched and agents seized, among other things, distributable quantities of ecstasy, a handgun and four loaded magazines. While the search was ongoing, Allen was arrested after being stopped in a vehicle a short distance from his residence. Agents seized a loaded handgun from the vehicle’s glove compartment.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the South Portland Police Department.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys