Maine man pleads guilty to trafficking fentanyl in Rochester

CONCORD - A Maine man pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday to fentanyl trafficking in Rochester in July 2020, according to the Attorney Generals Office.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 2, 2020, at the direction of agents, a cooperating individual arranged through text and phone conversations to purchase fentanyl in Rochester from Chris R. Ross, 41, of Waterboro. The same cooperating individual purchased more fentanyl at a separate Rochester location less than a week later on July 8, 2020.

Ross is scheduled to be sentenced on May 24, 2022.

"To protect our community from harm, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to identify the criminals who are distributing fentanyl and other deadly drugs in New Hampshire," said U.S. Attorney John J. Farley. "By prosecuting the drug traffickers who are seeking to profit from drug sales, we are helping to improve the quality of life in the Granite State."

"Fentanyl is a deadly drug that continues to cause significant harm in communities throughout New Hampshire," said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. "In identifying and disrupting dealers like Mr. Ross, the FBI and our law enforcement partners are able to prevent traffickers like him from continuing to endanger public health and safety."

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joachim H. Barth.