AUGUSTA — For providing his Augusta home as a site for drug trafficking to take place, Eric Anderson, 45, of Augusta, was ordered to spend a year behind bars.

An additional three years were suspended, and Anderson was placed on two years of probation.

The sentence imposed Wednesday at the Capital Judicial Center followed an Oct. 27 jury verdict in the same courthouse convicting Anderson of two counts of unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs.

Anderson originally was charged with four counts of drug trafficking. The charges followed a search warrant executed on Feb. 20, 2015, at Anderson’s home at 88 Second Ave.

Anderson was acquitted by the judge during the trial of two additional counts of unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs relating to an incident on Feb. 11, 2015.

However, the start of his sentencing is stayed pending appeal, and he remains free.

In a sentencing memo, the prosecutor, Assistant Attorney General Katie Sibley, wrote, “The state acknowledges that Anderson himself did not physically place illegal drugs into the hands of another person.”

She went on to say, “The men and women arriving nearly daily from New York need a customer base to tap into in order to move their illegal product, and often a place to stay or conduct transactions. … They rely heavily on local individuals, like Anderson, to provide these necessities, all for the purpose of perpetuating an ever growing and dangerous black market.”

Anderson’s defense attorney, Darrick Banda, had sought a new trial on various evidentiary issues, but that was denied formally Wednesday by Justice Robert Mullen.

“We’re appealing the judgment of the court,” Banda said later Wednesday.

During Anderson’s two-day trial, Kelly Hooper, an investigator for Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, testified that she and several other people were downstairs when police entered the home and that she was told Anderson was upstairs sleeping.

Among the items seized in the raid were heroin and cocaine.

Another officer, Special Agent Daniel Ames, testified that two people found in the bathroom of the home apparently were trying to flush the drugs.

A large photo of the toilet with small plastic bags containing a white substance floating in it was passed around the jury box.

Anderson did not testify at his trial, telling the judge out of the jury’s hearing, “I prefer to remain silent, your honor.” He also did not address the judge at the sentencing hearing.

Banda did not file a sentencing memo.

Anderson had no prior felony conviction.

Betty Adams — 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @betadams

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