Sabattus man admits to drug trafficking, gets time served

LEWISTON — A Sabattus man was sentenced to spend two weeks in jail for trafficking heroin from his home.

Theodore Lague, 33, of 54 West Ridge Road was sentenced Friday to five years in prison, but nearly all of that sentence was suspended in a plea agreement in which he admitted to a felony charge of trafficking in scheduled drugs, a charge that carries a maximum punishment of up to 10 years in prison.

He will be on probation for three years and was ordered to pay a $400 fine and $120 in restitution to the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.

A charge of aggravated trafficking, punishable by up to 30 years in prison, was dismissed.

Drug agents and Sabattus police investigated reports of a drug dealer who would drive to Massachusetts two times a week and bring back to Maine 80 grams of heroin each time for distribution, according to a police report.

In the spring of 2014, Sabattus police searched the car and home of the suspected dealer. His car was driven by Lague, rumored to be selling heroin for the dealer.

Last fall, undercover drug agents bought heroin from Lague and his girlfriend, Tabitha Tardiff, 32, at their Sabattus home. Lague and Tardiff were later arrested at their home, where Lague told police he had taken trips to Massachusetts about 20 times to buy heroin to bring it back to Maine for his dealer.

Agents seized nearly 43 grams of heroin from Lague and Tardiff’s home.

Tardiff reached agreement with prosecutors earlier this month that would have a felony drug charge dismissed a year from now if she were to comply with conditions of her release. She had no criminal record.

During his three years of probation, Lague must not use illegal drugs, for which he can be searched and tested at random. He also must undergo substance-abuse counseling.

[email protected]