A California resident, Codee Houston, 33, admitted guilt in a U.S. District Court in Bangor to charges of conspiracy to traffic drugs and launder money. Houston transferred a pending case from the District of Hawaii and pled guilty to four counts of intending to distribute controlled substances.
Court records reveal that from May 2022 to May 2023, Houston participated in a scheme to traffic methamphetamine in Maine. While residing in California, he sent significant quantities of methamphetamine to Maine, where accomplices sold the drugs in the Downeast region. The sale proceeds were sent back to Houston via Walmart2Walmart, Cash App, and Venmo. Houston involved coconspirators to use their identifications and accounts for the financial transactions to hide his role in the activities.
Between April 2023 and September 2023, Houston engaged in similar activities in Hawaii, distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine. He mailed packages from California to Hawaii containing controlled substances which were later confirmed to be pressed fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and methamphetamine.
Houston faces a mandatory sentence of 10 years to life imprisonment, a possible $10 million fine, and five years to life of supervised release for the serious offenses. His sentencing will follow a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal judge will decide his punishment in accordance with U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The FBI, aided by various local enforcement agencies, undertook the investigation in Maine. Homeland Security Investigations, along with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, led the inquiry in Hawaii.