AUGUSTA — A city woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to unlawful trafficking in heroin just minutes after a judge lowered her bail on a number of charges.

Amy L. Perkins, 40, of Augusta, initially had pleaded not guilty Tuesday during a hearing at the Capital Judicial Center to an indictment charging her with one count of aggravated trafficking in heroin and three counts of unlawful trafficking in cocaine and heroin. She also entered denials to charges seeking criminal forfeiture of money alleged to be drug proceeds.

However, shortly after Justice Michaela Murphy reduced Perkins’ bail to $2,500 cash or $25,000 worth of real estate, Perkins’ attorney, Andrew Dawson, said Perkins wanted to change her plea.

Perkins had been held in lieu of $10,000 cash bail, an amount set previously by a different judge. She was arrested Aug. 12.

The request and change of plea followed a brief recess.

Perkins pleaded guilty to a class B felony of unlawful trafficking in heroin that occurred on Aug. 8 in Augusta.

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The prosecutor, Assistant Attorney General Katie Sibley, said Maine Drug Enforcement Agency Officer John Richards bought $100 worth of heroin from Perkins at her Riverside Drive residence on that date.

“Ms. Perkins opened her house to an out-of-state trafficker and sold drugs for him,” Sibley had said during the bail argument.

Drug enforcement agents searching that residence three days later reported finding 2 ounces of heroin, 19 grams of cocaine base and $279 in cash on Perkins, which she told police came from drug proceeds, Sibley said. An additional $1,371 was located outside the window where a co-defendant was staying.

“My understanding is that (Perkins) is denying ownership of this money and says it belongs to someone else,” Sibley told the judge Tuesday.

Reuben W. Givens, 43, of Bronx, New York, was arrested on Aug. 12 at Perkins’ home as well. He is charged with two counts of aggravated trafficking in heroin and one count of aggravated trafficking in cocaine, all dated Aug. 12, and the two forfeiture counts. On Tuesday he remained at the Kennebec County jail in lieu of $25,000 cash bail.

Perkins agreed to forfeit her interest in the money. In exchange for the plea and the forfeitures, the prosecutor dismissed the other charges against Perkins.

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Perkins was sentenced to an initial nine months and one day in prison, with the remainder of the four-year sentence suspended, and two years’ probation.

She was also fined $400, but the judge suspended all of it.

Conditions of probation prohibit Perkins from use and possession of alcohol and illegal drugs.

Murphy asked Perkins if she was pleading guilty because she was guilty, and Perkins said, “Yes.”

Dawson told the judge, “This case resolved a lot faster than originally expected.”

Betty Adams — 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @betadams


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