Lewiston Woman Pleads Guilty to Creating Fraudulent Marijuana Certifications

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Stephanie Beck, 41, of Lewiston, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to manufacture marijuana.

According to court records, the defendant was licensed by Maine’s Department of Professional and Financial Regulation as a Certified Clinical Supervisor and an Alcohol and Drug Counselor.  Between December 1, 2017, and February 27, 2018, the defendant provided patient names to a nurse practitioner (including the names of MaineCare recipients), who, in turn, created fraudulent medical marijuana certifications.  These fraudulent certifications allowed a marijuana trafficking conspiracy to illegally cultivate marijuana plants under the cover of, but in violation of, the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Program.

The defendant faces up to 20 years in jail and a $1,000,000 fine.  She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the Maine Attorney General’s Healthcare Crimes Unit, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.