PARIS – A West Paris man pleaded guilty in Oxford County Superior Court on Friday morning to conspiracy to deal heroin.

Richard Labay, 39, was one of 15 people arrested in 2015 as part of what officials called the largest drug investigation in Oxford County history. He pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy to commit trafficking in scheduled drugs.

In exchange for the guilty plea, the state dropped a charge of felony aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and lowered a charge of conspiracy to commit aggravated trafficking to a Class C conspiracy to commit trafficking in scheduled drugs, Assistant District Attorney Richard Beauchesne said.

According to a statement by Maine Drug Enforcement Agency Director Roy McKinney in 2015, information provided by a Maine State Police trooper from a motor vehicle stop prompted a two-year investigation that helped identify and infiltrate a heroin distribution network. The network was selling points of heroin for $30, half-grams for between $80 and $100, and one-gram quantities for $180.

Between January 2013 and April 2015, the investigation uncovered 15 people police believe were responsible for the importation and distribution of 17.8 pounds of heroin throughout Oxford County. That is the equivalent of 80,000 doses with a street value of $3.2 million, according to a statement from Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety.

Beauchesne said that if the case had gone to trial, the state would have called MDEA agent Tony Milligan, who arrested Labay.

“Labay himself admitted his complicity in the heroin trafficking and distribution program,” Beauchesne said.

Active-Retired Justice Robert Clifford said that sentencing would be continued until Oct. 14.

mdaigle@sunmediagroup.net

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