New York Men Found Guilty of Federal Drug Conspiracy

Portland, Maine: Two Brooklyn, New York men were convicted of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and heroin following a jury trial, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

A federal jury returned a guilty verdict against Melquan Jordan, (a/k/a “Squirrel”), 30, and Edward Canty III (a/k/a “Demo”), 31, on October 23, 2019, but today U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy denied the defendants’ motions for judgment of acquittal.

According to evidence presented at trial, Jordan and Canty conspired to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and heroin transported from outside Maine for distribution in Portland and Lewiston. Jordan’s distribution involved more than 100 grams of heroin. The other conspirators named in the indictment, Lamale Lawson (a/k/a “Bishop” and “King Bishop”), 28, of Brooklyn; Akeem Cruz (a/k/a “Vibe” and “Mello”), 29, of Brooklyn; and Christopher Rickett (a/k/a “Chris”), 32, of Portland, pleaded guilty in August 2019 to participating in the conspiracy. Sierrha Frisbie (a/k/a “Cici”), 27, of Portland, pleaded guilty in December 2018.

Jordan faces between 10 and 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine and between four years and life on supervised release. Canty faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and between three years and life on supervised release. All six defendants will be sentenced following preparation of presentence reports by the U.S. Probation Office.

The Portland and South Portland Police Departments; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the FBI investigated the case.