Gilford man sentenced to five years for trafficking fentanyl, meth

CONCORD - A Gilford man was sentenced Monday in federal court for drug offenses.

Spiros Athanasopoulos, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Paul J. Barbadoro to 60 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. In February, Athanasopoulos pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2021, Athanasopoulos fled from the New Hampton Police Department on a stolen motorcycle. The chase ended in a crash and law enforcement recovered a jar containing fentanyl and methamphetamine that Athanasopoulos threw from his backpack during the chase. Later that evening, law enforcement searched Athanasopoulos's home and found large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as money, several firearms, and body armor.

Laboratory testing confirmed that Athanasopoulos possessed more than 100 grams of fentanyl and more than 200 grams of methamphetamine.

"This sentence reflects the serious danger posed by those who traffic fentanyl and methamphetamine, especially when they also attempt to flee law enforcement and endanger the public," said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack. "Our office remains committed to holding drug traffickers accountable and protecting our communities from the devastating impact of these drugs."