A former Canaan man accepted a plea deal Friday and pleaded guilty to participation in a large central Maine drug ring broken up by law enforcement agents in 2012.

Frank Curtis, 35, of Canaan, was facing up to 20 years in federal prison when he pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and oxycodone.

Prosecutors said that because Curtis admitted involvement in the case, they will recommend that the judge reduce the sentence by three levels.

Curtis was arrested as part of a sweep involving Waterville police along with federal and state drug enforcement agents in which a number of people believed to be importing drugs to central Maine were arrested.

Prosecutors said Curtis conspired with Maurice McCray, William Waters and others in Waterville to import drugs into the state and sell them between January 2010 and March 2012,

McCray and several others were arrested in drug sweeps conducted throughout central Maine in 2012. Waters was arrested later that year.

In papers filed in court Friday, assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Casey said Curtis worked with Waters and McCray to have couriers bring oxycodone and cocaine from out of state to Maine. The three split the drugs brought in, and Curtis would sell the drugs, charging a few dollars more per oxycodone pill or gram of cocaine to make a profit.

Casey said investigators intercepted wire and electronic conversations and recorded a conversation between Curtis and a “cooperating witness.” Curtis “made admissions concerning his involvement in the conspiracy,” he said.

Curtis will remain in federal custody until his sentencing date, which will be set after the completion of a presentence report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The case was investigated by Waterville police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.

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