Traffic Stop Leads to Guilty Plea to Fentanyl and Firearm Possession Charges for Bangor Man

BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition and to possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute them.

According to court records, in October of 2023, Bangor police officers encountered Andrew Blais, 37, during a traffic stop and identified an active warrant for his arrest. Officers observed drug paraphernalia in open view in the vehicle and recovered bundles of cash and a loaded handgun on Blais’ person. A further search at the Penobscot County Jail revealed 38 individual bags containing fentanyl concealed underneath his clothing. Blais was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony drug trafficking conviction.

Blais faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine up to $1 million and at least three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Bangor Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.

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