FARMINGTON — An Avon woman is expected to change her plea to guilty Thursday on a two-count federal indictment on drug-related charges in U.S. District Court in Bangor.
Brandice Dotolo. Franklin County Detention Center photo
Brandice “Brandi” Dotolo, 40, pleaded not guilty on Dec. 6 to charges of using and maintaining drug premises; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine; aiding and abetting.
A federal indictment was unsealed on Dec. 1.
According to federal prosecutors, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in Farmington began a monthslong investigation in 2020 into suspected trafficking of illegal narcotics from 887 River Road in Avon. During the investigation, law enforcement surveilled the residence and observed a large amount of vehicle traffic coming and going from the residence by individuals with known drug histories.
The investigation allegedly produced evidence that a drug trafficking organization was operating out of the residence and that the defendant was residing there with her boyfriend.
Law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant at the residence on July 17, 2020, resulting in the seizure of a large bag containing individual bags of white powder next to the bed where the defendant was located. In total 85.03 grams of a substance containing heroin and fentanyl was seized as well as 40.09 grams of crack cocaine, $8,863 in cash and drug paraphernalia.
Dotolo admitted that the drug trafficking organization operated out of her residence, “saying the drugs would be transported to her residence from out of state, another individual would stay at her residence to monitor the drugs and sell them to customers, she would answer calls from customers, and they were selling about 100 grams of heroin each week. In exchange for allowing them to use and stay at her residence, she would receive a set amount of heroin each week,” according to prosecutors.
Charges by the state were previously dropped because of the federal investigation.
She agreed to plead guilty to the charges in a nonbinding agreement with the state and to serve no more than 30 months in prison, according to the plea agreement.
She has been in federal custody since December after she allegedly failed to follow bail conditions, including checking in with her probation officer.
A judge could agree to the agreement or not.
A conviction on the charges carries a maximum prison term of 20 years, a maximum fine of $500,000 for maintaining a drug premises and a maximum fine of $1 million for drug trafficking.
A co-defendant in the case, Chrissie LaForge, 42, of Winstead, Connecticut, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine in federal court on June 6. She entered into a plea agreement for a sentence not to exceed 36 months in prison, according to court documents. A sentencing date has not been set.
A third co*defendant has not been federally charged in the case.
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