A Farmington man was sentenced to three years in prison Monday for giving Ritalin to a 13-year-old boy.

David Shanley, 26, of Whittier Road, was given an eight year prison sentence with all but three years suspended after he was convicted of a charge of aggravated furnishing of a scheduled drug.

Shanley could have been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison or the charge.

The drug use was first reported to police by the teenager’s mother on Feb. 2. The mother reported finding out about the drug use through a third party and, according to court documents, witnesses reported seeing Shanley and the boy go into the bathroom to use drugs.

Shanley also reported that he used a laptop as collateral to get six Ritalin pills. Ritalin is a brand name for methylphenidate, a schedule II prescription stimulant used to treat attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder and similar conditions.

The documents state that Shanley believed he would regain the laptop after he paid $60 he owed for the drugs, but the woman from whom he bought the drugs refused to return the computer after the money was paid.

Court documents state that Shanley told Sgt. Edward Hastings of the Farmington Police Department that he is an intravenous drug user. During a search warrant, police found needle caps, three needles, a stimulant capsule with the contents empty and packages of needles hidden throughout the residence.

Shanley has a 2006 Connecticut felony drug possession conviction, which prompted the elevation of the Maine charge to aggravated.

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