FARMINGTON – Two Canadian citizens have pleaded guilty to criminal charges relating to a 2021 incident at the Coburn Gore-Woburn Border Crossing in which 4.6 pounds of cocaine was discovered in their car.
Jermaine Phillips, 41, of Brampton in Ontario, pleaded guilty to aggravated trafficking of scheduled drugs, a Class A felony. Shanna Brown, 38, of Cornwall, also in Ontario, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cocaine, a Class C felony. Both pleas stemmed from the search of the Canadian citizens’ vehicle at the border station on Nov. 12, 2021, in which drugs were discovered.
According to an affidavit filed with the Franklin County court system by an agent of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the agent was contacted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Nov. 12. The U.S. Border Patrol informed the MDEA agent that they had interviewed Phillips and Brown after they entered the country. During that interview, a K-9 reportedly alerted on their vehicle’s trunk. A suitcase was discovered inside, containing 4.63 pounds of what law enforcement believed was cocaine, divided into two bricks. Both bricks were tested by the Border Patrol, with the results indicating the presence of cocaine HCL powder.
Per the affidavit, Phillips and Brown told Border Patrol that they accidentally came to the border crossing when their GPS directed them along that route. They said that they didn’t notice that they were entering the United States.
The MDEA arrested Phillips and Brown on trafficking charges that were aggravated due to the amount of cocaine allegedly transported. Both were taken to the Franklin County Detention Center in Farmington. A Franklin County grand jury indicted Phillips and Brown on aggravated trafficking and illegal importation charges last month.
On Tuesday, Phillips pleaded guilty to the aggravated trafficking charge, while a lesser charge of illegal importation of scheduled drugs was dismissed. Phillips was sentenced to 4 years in prison, as well as a $400 fine.
Brown pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cocaine on Thursday, while the trafficking and importation charges were dismissed. She was sentenced to 144 days in jail and will receive credit for the four-plus months she has spent in custody. She was also assessed a $400 fine.
