Aroostook County Man Sentenced For Smuggling Meth into U.S. From Canada

A 25-year-old Hamlin man was sentenced in federal court in Bangor on Wednesday for importing methamphetamine into the United States from Canada.

The judge sentenced Lance James Labreck to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Labreck pleaded guilty to the drug smuggling charges in January.

This according to a news release Wednesday morning from newly appointed U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee.

Court records show that on November 19, 2019, Labreck drove a snowmobile from the U.S. across the international border into Canada near Van Buren, Maine. Later that evening, he returned to Maine on his sled, carrying with him about 55 grams of pure crystal methamphetamine he had obtained in New Brunswick.

When stopped by a Border Patrol Agent who saw snowmobile tracks in the snow, Labreck first denied crossing into Canada and claimed he was just taking his snowmobile out for a test drive, according to earlier published reports.

An off-duty Fort Fairfield police officer also arrived at the scene a short time later. After officers found a small package of drugs wrapped in electrical tape in Labreck's pocket, he admitted to possessing the methamphetamine and bringing it back over the international border into the U.S.

Officers said they also found drug paraphernalia in Labreck’s pockets and an empty rifle magazine and four 16-gauge shotgun shells in his backpack.

Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Border Patrol and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.