FARMINGTON — A Connecticut woman pleaded guilty Monday at U.S. District Court in Bangor to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine on July 17, 2020, in the town of Avon in Franklin County.
Chrissie LaForge. Franklin County Detention Center photo
Chrissie LaForge, 42, of Winsted, Connecticut, agreed to a plea agreement in the federal drug case that calls for a sentence not to exceed 36 months in prison, according to court documents. A conviction on the charge carries a maximum 20 years in prison and up to $1 million fine, or both. A sentencing date has not been set.
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies began a monthslong investigation into the suspected trafficking of illegal narcotics from a residence on River Road in Avon in 2020. During a the investigation, law enforcement surveilled the residence and observed a large amount of vehicle traffic coming and going from the residence with known drug histories, according to the U.S. Attorney’s prosecution version of the offense.
The investigation produced evidence that a drug trafficking organization was operating out of the residence and the defendant was renting vehicles in Connecticut for others to transport narcotics to the residence or was transporting the drugs herself. Both state and federal law enforcement conducted a search of the residence. They discovered 44.9 grams of a mixture and substance containing heroin and fentanyl and 12.65 grams of cocaine base, which is crack cocaine. They also discovered $8,863 in cash, digital scales and other related items.
LaForge who was arrested in the state case along with a co-defendant Brandice “Brandi” Dotolo, 39, of Avon. A third co-defendant’s case is not entered in the electronic federal court data base. LaForge’s case was unsealed Monday.
Brandice Dotolo. Franklin County Detention Center photo
Dotolo is in federal custody and is on July trial list. She was issued a summons in August 2022 on a federal charge of using and maintaining a drug premises at 887 River Road in Avon between March 1 and July 17, 2020. She pleaded not guilty to the charge in December 2022.
She faces a maximum 20 years in prison and up to a $500,000 fine.
Dotolo, LaForge and a third co-defendent were indicted in March 2021 on state charges of two counts of aggravated trafficking in cocaine and heroin. Those charges were dismissed in August 2022 due to the ongoing federal investigation.
The federal case in regard to Dotolo alleges she “did unlawfully and knowingly open, lease, rent, use and maintain a place at 887 River Road in Avon for the purpose of distributing and using cocaine base (also known as crack cocaine) and heroin, both controlled substances,” in violation of federal law.
An affidavit was filed in federal court Aug. 3 by Scott Rochefort, a special agent for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, who investigated the case and was part of the team that executed the search warrant. Among the items seized were baggies containing more than 30 grams of cocaine base or a mixture, and more than 80 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, straws, hypodermic needles, a digital scale, and over $6,000 in U.S. currency, according to the affidavit.
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