Developer to serve 5 years

PORTLAND — A Durham developer who became a cocaine addict has been sentenced to five years in prison for possessing the drug with intent to distribute it.

Roy A. DeWitt, 43, the owner of DeWitt Corp. and a former partner in Merrymeeting Developers Inc. of Brunswick, sobbed Wednesday as he told U.S. District Judge Gene Carter he would never again use cocaine.

“I’ll never touch it again,” DeWitt said, crying and wiping his eyes.

In May, DeWitt pleaded guilty to a charge of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine.

The defendant’s brother, William, said DeWitt had been a millionaire before cocaine caused him to lose everything.

The transaction that got DeWitt into trouble was set up after he first sold a half ounce of cocaine to an undercover agent, the government said. To get a kilogram of cocaine from the agent, DeWitt turned over the title to his backhoe and cabin cruiser, the government said.