Bangor Resident Pleads Guilty to Bath Salt Distribution Charges

Contact: Joel B. Casey
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Alan
Ketchen, a/k/a “AJ”, 42, of Bangor pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to
conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute MDPV, a chemical compound
commonly referred to as “bath salts” or “monkey dust” and to maintaining a drug-involved
premise.

According to court records, the members of the conspiracy illegally distributed MDPV in
Penobscot County and elsewhere between April and December 2011. Prior to October 21, 2011,
MDPV was classified as a controlled substance analogue. On that date, it was reclassified as a
Schedule I controlled substance. The defendant packaged and distributed MDPV from his
residence on Blackstone Street in Bangor and collected payments for the drug sales. On
November 10, 2011, law enforcement agents searched the residence and seized a large quantity
of MDPV and other controlled substances, cash, drug records, and drug paraphernalia.

On the conspiracy charge, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine,
or both. For maintaining a drug-involved premise, he faces up to 20 years in prison, a $500,000
fine, or both. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by
the U.S. Probation Office.

Ketchen is one of six defendants charged as part of the conspiracy. Co-defendants Daniel
Hines, of Bangor; Jessica Bryden, of Greenbush, Maine; Matthew Tardiff, of Old Town, Maine;
Adam Hathorn, of Bangor; and Tina Keaton, a/k/a “Fumble”, of Bangor previously pled guilty to
the conspiracy charge and await sentencing.

The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency with assistance from
the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bangor Police Department.