Connecticut woman sentenced to 18 months for drug-related crime in northern Franklin County

FARMINGTON — A federal judge in Bangor sentenced a Connecticut woman Friday to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possessing fentanyl and crack cocaine with the intent to distribute it in Franklin County.

Chrissie LaForge. Franklin County Detention Center photo

Chrissie LaForge, 43, of Winsted pleaded guilty in June as part of an agreement in March 2023 that she would not spend more than 36 months in prison.

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 at 887 River Road in Avon in 2020. During 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 Office.

The investigation produced evidence that a drug trafficking organization was operating from the residence and LaForge was renting vehicles in Connecticut for others to transport narcotics to the residence or was transporting the drugs herself. State and federal law enforcement agencies conducted a search of the residence and 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, according to court documents

Federal prosecutors held LaForge accountable for 11 resupply trips, which equates to two trips per month from Feb. 1, 2020, to July 17, 2020, not including the July 17 trip.

Co-defendant Brandice “Brandi” Dotolo, 41, of Avon pleaded guilty in August 2023 and was sentenced in November 2023 to two 30-month sentences in prison to be served at the same time.

She pleaded guilty in November 2023 in federal court to charges of using and maintaining drug premises and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine.

A third co-defendant who lived with Dotolo in 2020 has not been charged federally.

LaForge, Dotolo and the unnamed co-defendant were charged by the state, but those charges were dismissed because of the federal investigation.