New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty in Maine to Drug & Firearms Charges

A man with ties to a significant drug trafficking organization has pleaded guilty to drug and firearms charges in Maine.

Maine Apprehension of NH Drug Kingpin Began With a Traffic Stop

Steven Jones, 46, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was arrested in January 2025, after his vehicle seen being driven erratically in York County .

Maine State Police located the vehicle and its occupants in a restaurant parking lot.

READ MORE: Maine Residents Face One of the Highest Scam Risks in the U.S. 

As Jones was getting out of the vehicle, officials say a firearm slipped out of his waistband.

He fled the scene but was ultimately taken into custody.

New Hampshire Man Arrested in Maine was Connected to a Large Drug Syndicate

That firearm turned out to be the tip of the iceberg, in this case, as police searched the vehicle Jones had been driving.

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The U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Maine says State Police seized:

• Cocaine
• Methamphetamine
• 7 long knives
• 5 firearms (including the one Jones dropped)
• Masks
• Gloves
• Tactical gear
• More than $3,000

Investigators would later learn that Jones was the leader of a significant drug trafficking organization based in Manchester. The police say he was on his way to recover a drug debt from a Maine-based associate, using the tactical gear he had brought into the state, when he was questioned by officers.

New Hampshire Man Connected to Drug Organization Pleads Guilty in Maine

Jones pleaded guilty in a Portland courtroom on Friday to:

• Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
• Possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute
• Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Jones could get between 15 and 22 years in prison and may then be sentenced to supervised release for the rest of his life. He could also be fined up to $10 million.

Sentencing will be determined at a later date.