Two men from Biddeford, Maine, have been convicted of multiple charges including robbery, drug trafficking conspiracy, and the use of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. The verdict was delivered after a six-day jury trial in the U.S. District Court in Portland.
Nathaniel Ashwood, aged 37, and Lloyd Lyttle, aged 35, were found guilty of distributing narcotics in the Biddeford area and protecting their distribution network through violence. Witnesses testified that on July 28, 2023, Ashwood and Lyttle used firearms to rob and assault a rival dealer and two others on Cutts Street in Biddeford. At that time, both men were prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions.
Ashwood is facing a minimum sentence of 20 years with a possibility of life imprisonment. Lyttle faces at least 14 years with a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment. Sentencing will occur following the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine their sentences considering various statutory factors.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Biddeford Police Department with support from Springfield Police Department in Vermont.
