Monroe Woman Convicted of Federal Drug and Firearms Charges

Contact: Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Darlene
Ford, 58, of Monroe, was found guilty in U.S. District Court yesterday after a 3 day jury trial of
conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, maintaining a drug involved premises, and aiding and
abetting a felon in possession of a firearm.

Court proceedings revealed that in November 2011 a search warrant was executed at the
defendant’s home in Monroe where agents found a large and sophisticated indoor marijuana
growing operation and two rifles. Trial evidence revealed that defendant and other family
members conspired to grow hundreds of marijuana plants at the residence. The defendant also
aided and abetted her husband’s illegal possession of a firearm.

Ford faces 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine, or both, on the conspiracy charge;
20 years and a $500,000 fine, or both, on the drug premises charge; and 10 years and a $250,000
fine, or both, on the firearms charge. She also faces forfeiture of her residence. She will be
sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the United States
Probation Office.

The investigation was conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office and the Maine
State Police.