BANGOR  — A Dixmont man and a Canadian woman pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to two pharmacy robberies last year in Newport.

Jonah Masse, 26, pleaded guilty to twice robbing a Rite Aid pharmacy and Sydney Duff, 21, a Canadian citizen, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the two pharmacy robberies, U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II said in a release.

On August 16 and again on Sept. 16, Masse handed the pharmacist a note in the Rite Aid pharmacy in Newport stating that he had a gun and wanted oxycodone and hydromorphone pills, according to records from U.S. District Court in Bangor.

He was given more than $500 worth of drugs during each robbery, according to the release. Duff wrote the demand notes for each robbery and drove with Masse to the pharmacy, according to the release.

A gun was not used in the robberies, Delahanty said.

Masse and Duff face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each robbery.

They will be sentenced after the completion of pre-sentence investigation reports by the U.S. Probation Office.

The investigation leading to the arrests was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency; the Newport, Brewer and Pittsfield Police Departments; and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department.


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