PARIS — A Mexico man charged with trafficking cocaine pleaded guilty Wednesday in Oxford County Superior Court.

Timothy A. Clark, 41, pleaded to two counts of Class B trafficking of scheduled drugs. The charges were lowered from Class A, and two lesser trafficking charges were dismissed.

He was sentenced to eight years with all but two suspended, for each charge, to be served at the same time. He also received two years’ probation and $1,000 in fines. He is set to begin serving his sentence on Nov. 21.

Clark was arrested Dec. 3, 2010, as part of an investigation by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Rumford Police Department. He and Dale Korhonen, 42, of Jay, were arrested in two separate traffic stops on Route 2 at around midnight.

Clark was charged with aggravated cocaine trafficking and illegal importation of scheduled drugs for incidents on Oct. 22 and Dec. 3, 2010.

In February, several others were arrested in what the MDEA called a drug ring led by Clark. MDEA agent Tony Milligan said in February that Clark made several trips to Massachusetts per week to get 4-ounce packages of cocaine, which he then brought back to Rumford and Mexico and sold to local drug dealers.

After his arrest, Clark confessed to the police, an assistant district attorney said Wednesday.

Clark’s arrest was part of a yearlong investigation that involved undercover agents and informants purchasing cocaine from the suspects, conducting surveillance and making recorded phone calls.

Pleas are still forthcoming for others alleged to be involved in the smuggling ring. Korhonen is in custody in connection with the charges. Korhonen was also charged with tampering with a witness.

According to the MDEA, Korhonen had made threats to induce one of the co-defendants not to testify against him.

treaves@sunjournal.com

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