Woodland Man Sentenced to Prison in Bath Salts Case

A 45-year-old Woodland man has been sentenced to ten years in prison for trafficking in bath salts in Aroostook County.

Lance Ellison pleaded guilty Wednesday in Aroostook County Superior Court in Houlton to a number of offenses, including aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Maine Drug Enforcement Agency Commander Peter Arno.

Investigators assigned to the MDEA’s Aroostook task force arrested Ellison in February of 2014 after the discovery of approximately 2 kilograms of the synthetic hallucinogen, known as “bath salts.” Arno said the drugs had a street value of over $300,000. Agents also seized over $28,000 in cash and two firearms from Ellison’s home in Woodland.

In addition to the ten year prison sentence, Ellison was also ordered to forfeit the $28,870 seized from his home.

The MDEA believed Ellison to be a major dealer of bath salts that were sold in Aroostook County, Arno said. Ellison's wife was also arrested in the case.

Assisting in the investigation were the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office, Maine Department of Corrections and the Presque Isle Police Department.