Fall River Woman Sentenced for Smuggling Drugs into MCI-Cedar Junction

BOSTON – The mother of an MCI-Cedar Junction inmate was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with smuggling drugs into the facility.   

Margaret Guillemette, 59, of Fall River was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to time served (five days), two years of supervised release and 200 hours of community service. In March 2019, Guillemette pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute Suboxone and Alprazolam. In September 2018, she was charged along with Chad Connors, 42, and William Guillemette, 39, both inmates at Massachusetts Correctional Institute – Cedar Junction (MCI-CJ) in South Walpole, and Lisa Guillemette, 42, also of Fall River.

Chad Connors and William Guillemette were inmates housed at MCI-CJ’s Departmental Disciplinary Unit (DDU). It is alleged that Connors was involved in a romantic relationship with Christine Ramos, a nurse assigned to the DDU. At Connors’ request, Ramos agreed to smuggle contraband, including controlled substances, into MCI-CJ. In order to do this, Ramos opened two P.O. Boxes through a third party. Connors allegedly sent letters and money to Ramos at these P.O. Boxes and, at William Guillemette’s direction, his mother, Margaret, and his wife, Lisa, obtained and sent Suboxone and Alprazolam to the P.O. Boxes. Ramos subsequently smuggled the drugs into the DDU and delivered them to Connors. William Guillemette and, allegedly, Connors distributed the drugs to other inmates, who sent checks to Margaret and Lisa Guillemette as payment for the drugs. Suboxone and Alprazolam are Schedule III and Schedule IV controlled substances, respectively.   

William Guillemette and Lisa Guillemette previously pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Ramos was sentenced in April 2019 to two years of probation after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute Suboxone and Alprazolam. Connors has pleaded not guilty and his case is pending.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute Suboxone and Alprazolam provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $500,000 and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. 

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.