A New York man has pleaded guilty to drug and gun charges in connection to a conspiracy that sent guns and drugs to central Maine.

Deondray Warren, 33, of Rochester, New York, who authorities say is also known as “Main” and “Maine,” pleaded guilty on Monday in federal court to charges of conspiring to distribute crack and heroin, distributing heroin and crack and conspiring to commit federal firearm laws, according to a Department of Justice news release.

Warren faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and $1 million in fines on the two drug charges and a maximum of five years and $250,000 in fines on the firearm charges.

The release states that Warren conspired with others from Rochester and “central Maine” to distribute heroin and crack between November 2016 and September 2017. The drugs were acquired in Rochester and sold in central Maine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Casey was not immediately available for comment Monday clarifying where the drugs were sold.

In addition, Warren sold crack and heroin to an individual working with law enforcement on May 1, 2017. Warren was also conspiring with Rashaad McKinney, of Augusta, to purchase firearms and give them to those unable to purchase them legally.

McKinney, who is formerly of Benton, but originally of Rochester, pleaded guilty to two conspiracy charges in February 2019 and also awaits sentencing. He was indicted on those charges in June 2018.

McKinney’s indictment stated that the firearms conspiracy allegedly ran from February through May 2017 when those involved purchased weapons from firearms dealers to give to those unable to legally obtain them. A total of 12 firearms were purchased: eight from Audette’s, Inc., in Winthrop, and four from North Augusta Firearms, Burns Road, Augusta.

On Feb. 25, 2017, Audette’s refused to sell a firearm to someone allegedly traveling with McKinney.

The firearms purchased were given to McKinney and others, while some were taken to Rochester, the indictment states. The indictment says the straw purchasers were paid in cash or drugs for participating.

Warren was arrested on charges of unlawfully trafficking cocaine and operating without a license in February 2019 after a traffic stop was conducted, according to affidavits, because he was speeding to “meet a girl for sex on Franklin Street in Augusta.”

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