A violent home invasion two years ago at a drug dealer’s Minot home netted two more convictions this week.
Two of the three intruders, Kourtney Williams, 26, and Victor Lara Jr., 33, of Lewiston were convicted Monday in U.S. District Court in Portland of robbery conspiracy and using a firearm during a violent crime, according to the Assistant United States Attorney Darcie McElwee. Williams was also convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm during the August 2014 robbery.
The third robber, Ismael Douglas of Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to robbery conspiracy and gun charges earlier this month. The homeowner, who wasn’t home at the time, admitted to police he was a dealer and pleaded guilty to drug charges over the summer.
Williams and Lara face up to life in prison on the charges, and a $250,000 fine on each count. A sentencing date has not been set.
According to court documents and testimony, the three men forced their way into 340 Garfield Road, the former home of Ross Tardif, secured two people inside with zip ties and assaulted two people with a crowbar. One victim escaped and called 911. When state troopers arrived, they found drugs and weapons in the home.
“The agents recovered 147 oxycodone 15 mg pills, 504 oxycodone 30 mg pills, 330 grams of cocaine, a drug press and 12 firearms (and many rounds of ammunition) from various locations inside the residence,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Perry wrote in court documents.
Tardif arrived at the house while police were executing a search warrant, and spoke with them, Perry wrote.
“He admitted he was a drug trafficker and that for at least the last couple months he had been obtaining the drugs from a source of supply in New York City to distribute in Maine,” Perry wrote.
Tardif pleaded guilty in June to two counts of drug possession with intent to distribute, one count for cocaine and the other for oxycodone, and a third count of possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Noel K. Gallagher can be reached at 791-6387 or at:
Twitter: noelinmaine
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