Texas woman pleads not guilty in drug case

BANGOR – A Texas woman with ties to Washington County pleaded not guilty Monday to importing OxyContin into the United States.

Heaven Burke-Lapin, 27, of El Paso, Texas, was released on $10,000 unsecured bond after appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Margaret Kravchuk in U.S. District Court in Bangor.

The judge placed her case on the September trial list.

If convicted, Burke-Lapin faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million.

Burke-Lapin is accused of bringing OxyContin across the border on Feb. 13. Court documents gave no details of the alleged incident.

She was indicted on June 10 by a federal grand jury and a warrant was issued for her arrest four day later.

Burke-Lapin made her first appearance in a Texas federal court, but was ordered to appear in Bangor for arraignment.

Her bail conditions include remaining with her husband, James Lapin, at Fort Bliss in Texas, where he is stationed with the U.S. Army. Burke-Lapin may leave the El Paso area only to travel to Maine for court appearances.

She was granted a divorce from an Eastport man in 2002. The couple’s four children reportedly live with their father in Washington County.

At the time of the divorce, she changed her last name from Theriault to Burke.