AUGUSTA — A New York man pleaded guilty Tuesday to a drug trafficking charge that is anticipated to bring a two-year prison term.

William Bazemore, 38, of Manhattan, entered his plea Tuesday at the Capital Judicial Center to unlawful trafficking in cocaine base, and his case was continued until May for sentencing.

At Tuesday’s hearing, the prosecutor, Assistant Attorney General Katie Sibley, said the offense occurred Jan. 26, 2017, when Maine Drug Enforcement Agency officers recorded a phone call to Bazemore from a person who was cooperating with police and who asked for cocaine base.

Sibley said the person was directed to go to the town of China and then to a particular address.

Sibley said that if the case went to trial, the state would have testimony from officers, the person who cooperated, as well as a co-defendant.

Bazemore’s attorney, William Baghdoyan, told the judge that the plea deal appeared to be in his client’s best interest and that he believed the state could get a guilty verdict, “so long as the witnesses were believed by the jury.” He added, “The only evidence the state has is recorded phone calls of supposedly him setting up the deal.”

In exchange for the plea, the state dismissed the other charges.

Bazemore has been free on $25,000 cash bail, and he travels from New York for the hearings, Baghdoyan said. Attorneys told Walker that the agreement for the guilty plea was arrived at on Tuesday, so Bazemore had not anticipated going to prison immediately.

Sibley said the two-year straight sentence — rather than one with probation — being jointly recommended is similar to others imposed on people who were not Maine residents. She said putting them on probation means Maine is responsible for bringing them back from out of state, should there be probation violations.

Betty Adams — 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @betadams