Rochester Woman Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking

            CONCORD, N.H. - Leah M. Stevens, 32, of Rochester, pleaded guilty in federal court to drug trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

           According to court documents and statements made in court on September 10, 2018, a cooperating individual gave information to law enforcement officers that Stevens had traveled to Lawrence, Massachusetts to pick up drugs.  Law enforcement officers conducted a motor vehicle stop as Stevens was returning to Rochester from Lawrence. During the stop, Stevens admitted that she had a number of “sticks” of narcotics in her possession and officers found approximately 288 grams of fentanyl.

            On September 14, 2018, a cooperating source informed law enforcement officers that Stevens had received a new delivery of drugs at her residence, which she intended to distribute. Law enforcement officers executed another vehicle stop.  During the search of the vehicle, law officers located fentanyl and methamphetamine.    

            Stevens is scheduled to be sentenced on March 11, 2020.

            “Interstate fentanyl traffickers have made large quantities of this deadly drug available for purchase in New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “In order to deter this illegal trade and thereby protect our citizens, we will continue to work closely with the FBI, Epping Police Department and all of law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who bring fentanyl into our state.”

            "The transport of dangerous drugs like fentanyl between Massachusetts and New Hampshire is no different from recklessly spreading a deadly plague, and it's a problem the FBI and our law enforcement partners on both sides of the border have fought hard to obstruct for the safety of our neighborhoods," said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. "Leah Stevens was caught in the act of interstate drug smuggling, only to opt for home delivery days later. We’re pleased to see that today she finally accepted responsibility for her criminal conduct.”

                This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Epping Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarad Hodes.