PARIS — A local man will serve about nine months of a six-year prison sentence, two years after authorities seized about 140 grams of cocaine, more than $220,000 in cash and nearly 130 guns from his properties.
Richard Fitts Oxford County Sheriff’s Office photo
Richard D. Fitts, 62, was sentenced Tuesday in Oxford County Superior Court where a judge imposed a sentence of six years in prison, but suspended most of that time. He will serve nine months and a day behind bars in keeping with an agreement with prosecutors.
After his release, he’ll be on probation for two years during which he must not have any illegal drugs for which he can be tested at random.
Assistant Attorney General John Risler outlined the evidence against Fitts.
On April 14, 2021, state drug agents searched Fitts home at 53 Durgin Road, Paris, where they found a blue money bag in a toilet tank, Risler said.
In the bag, agents recovered 139 grams of cocaine, which had an estimated street value of $11,000, authorities said.
During an interview with agents, Fitts admitted the drugs belonged to him. He told them that he bought cocaine and repackaged it for resale, Risler said.
In a gun safe in the living room of the home, agents recovered a loaded handgun as well as $47,440 in cash. Three guns were found in other areas of the home, Risler said.
Fitts told agents he had been selling drugs for about a year and a half and that the cash in the gun safe also belonged to him, Risler said.
He kept the guns for protection “in case someone broke in,” Risler said.
At the same time, agents executed a search warrant at a home at 325 Herrick Valley Road in Poland, where they found evidence of drug packaging and distribution, Risler said.
They also recovered $172,606 in cash as well as 125 assorted handguns and rifles, according to Risler.
Fitts told agents that he was the only person who had access to that property, Risler said.
On Tuesday, Fitts forfeited his rights to all of the money and guns that were seized.
Prosecutors were expected to dismiss a charge of aggravated trafficking of scheduled drugs, a felony that carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
Fitts pleaded guilty to a new charge of unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
He waived his right to have that new charge presented to a grand jury for indictment.
Risler said Fitts had only misdemeanor convictions on his record, suffered from health conditions and had no violations of bail conditions over the past two years.
Fitts was escorted by marshals from the courtroom Tuesday to Oxford County Jail.
The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency Western District Task Force had executed the search warrants as part of an ongoing investigation involving cocaine trafficking in the Oxford Hills area.
During the two-month investigation, agents and officers conducted surveillance of Fitts’ residence in Paris. They stopped several motor vehicles in the area connected to subjects coming from Fitts’ residence where cocaine was purchased.
MDEA agents were assisted by Paris Police, Norway Police, the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office and Maine State Police.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
