Effingham man gets seven years for drug, weapons offenses

CONCORD - A 35-year-old Effingham was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for participating in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy and possessing firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking, the U.S. Attorneys Office announced today.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between early 2018 and Oct. 4, 2018, the FBI's Southern Maine Safe Streets Gang Task Force conducted an investigation into Justin English's fentanyl trafficking in Effingham and York, Maine.

On Oct. 4, 2018, the FBI executed a search warrant on English's residence, arrested English, and seized approximately 200 grams of fentanyl, currency, collectible coins, and four firearms. English also forfeited $28,386 in cash and $45,738 in collectible coins to the United States. The FBI previously administratively forfeited the firearms.

English previously pleaded guilty on Sept. 19.

"Removing armed fentanyl dealers from society makes the Granite State a safer place," said U.S. Attorney Scott W. Murray. "Fentanyl is a deadly drug that endangers the general public. The risk is compounded when the drug dealer is armed. In order to maintain public safety, we will make every effort to obtain substantial prison sentences for armed drug dealers."

"It is a rewarding day for the FBI when a dangerously armed drug pusher like Justin English and the fentanyl he was trafficking from his home are taken off the street," said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. "The town of Effingham, and law enforcement, are surely safer without him around, considering our agents located a loaded UZI pistol, two 12-gauge shotguns, and a partially loaded assault-style rifle while searching his residence. He'll now pay the price for making the link we too often see between drugs and guns."