Easton man not guilty in pot smuggling

BANGOR – An Easton man accused of being part of a multimillion-dollar marijuana smuggling ring in Aroostook County has been acquitted of federal drug charges.

Archie Ladner, 42, was found not guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court of conspiracy to import marijuana and possession of marijuana.

After a four-day trial, the jury of five women and seven men deliberated for about 41/2 hours before announcing its verdict about 8 p.m. Thursday.

“We both thanked God when the verdict was read,” Ladner’s attorney, Don Brown of Brewer, said Sunday. “It was a tough case. The government’s theory seemed to be guilt by association and based on information from informants who had been provided letters of immunity.

“The government gave many letters of immunity to admitted drug dealers to secure their testimony against Mr. Ladner, who simply knew some of the people involved.”

Efforts to reach the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Sunday were unsuccessful.

Ladner took the stand in his own defense and denied being part of an organization allegedly run by Michael J. Pelletier, 50, of St. David, according to court documents.

Pelletier and at least six others have been charged in the conspiracy that in 2004 distributed some 2,500 pounds of marijuana from the St. John Valley to Portland, according to court documents.

Pelletier, who allegedly ran the operation from his wheelchair while collecting disability benefits, is scheduled to go on trial July 10 in federal court in Bangor.

Adam M. Hafford, 37, of Westfield, who has admitted that he brought large bags of marijuana into the country for Pelletier by swimming the St. John River, is expected to testify against his alleged former boss as he did against Ladner.

Hafford testified last week that Ladner acted as his driver because Hafford did not have a driver’s license. Ladner would pick Hafford up on U.S. Route 1 after he had crossed the river with the drugs, then the two men would take the marijuana to a prearranged location chosen by Pelletier, he told the jury.

Hafford has been in and out of prison since 1991 on theft and burglary convictions. He has not been charged in connection with the drug smuggling ring. He is serving a 10-year sentence at a federal prison in Otisville, N.Y., for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Because he was classified as an armed career criminal under the federal sentencing guidelines due to his long criminal history, Hafford faced a minimum of 15 years in prison for using a rifle in the fall of 2004 to illegally kill two moose. Due to his cooperation with federal prosecutors last year, his sentence was reduced.

The verdict Thursday came at the end of Ladner’s second trial. The first ended in a mistrial in April after less than two days of testimony when the defendant fell ill.

If he had been convicted, Ladner faced 10 years to life in prison and a fine of up to $4 million.