FARMINGTON — Two former Franklin County sheriff’s deputies charged in an alleged illicit medical marijuana and money laundering scheme in 2021 plan to change their pleas Thursday in U.S. District Court in Bangor, according to federal court documents.
Bradley Scovil of Rangeley and Derrick Doucette of Jay are expected to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, according to a plea agreement that has not been accepted by a federal judge. There are stipulations and appeal waivers in the agreements.
Doucette and Scovil were two of 11 defendants indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2021.
Lucas Sirois of Rangeley and his co-conspirators are accused of realizing in excess of $13 million over six years through the illicit sale of marijuana. Sirois is said to have structured operations to appear as though they complied with Maine’s medical marijuana regime while he regularly sold bulk marijuana on the illicit market, including $1 million worth of marijuana for out-of-state distribution between 2018 and 2019, according to the U.S. Attorney’s release in 2021.
The 11 defendants in the case have all pleaded not guilty to various federal charges in the Bangor court.
Doucette and Scovil had left the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office prior to being charged. They were working for Sirois when they were indicted.
If accepted by federal Judge Lance E. Walker on Thursday, the U.S. Attorney has agreed to dismiss charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and bank fraud the two were indicted on, according to the unofficial plea agreement. It also calls for a term of imprisonment not to exceed 57 months.
If the court imposes a higher sentence than 57 months, Doucette and Scovil can withdraw their guilty pleas, according to the agreement.
In August 2022, defendant Kayla Alves, a former Franklin County assistant district attorney who was not indicted, was sentenced to two years of probation and a $2,000 fine for her role in the illegal marijuana operation.
Alves pleaded guilty to tampering with documents in March 2022. Police said she deleted a string of text messages she had with Scovil, a sheriff’s deputy, who allegedly had a stake in that marijuana business.
Other co-defendants in the case are Sirois’ estranged wife, Alisa Sirois of Kingfield; his father, Robert Sirois of Farmington; former Rangeley Selectman David Burgess of Rangeley; Brandon Dagnese of Scarborough; and Ryan Nezol of Farmington. Their cases have not been resolved.
Lucas Sirois also previously pleaded not guilty on behalf of three corporations he co-owns.
Randal Cousineau of Farmington pleaded guilty in 2021 to conspiring to possess and distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and 1,000 marijuana plants. He faces a sentence of 10 years to life in prison and up to a $10 million fine, according to court records.
According to federal officials, Cousineau was the primary financier and half-interest partner with a co-conspirator in an illegal marijuana cultivation and distribution scheme, based in Farmington. The operation sold marijuana in violation of Maine’s medical marijuana laws, sold bulk marijuana illegally to people who were not registered as caregivers, and distributed outside of the state, federal officials previously said.
Cousineau reached a plea agreement in April 2021 with federal prosecutors, who are recommending a sentence of up to 63 months behind bars on the charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute, and forfeit nearly $650,000 in illegal drug proceeds.
Defense attorneys for Doucette and Scovil were not available for comment on Wednesday.
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