BANGOR, Maine — A man from the Dominican Republic pleaded guilty June 17 in U.S. District Court in Bangor to possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the East Millinocket Police Department.
According to court records, in November 2023, Lenin Nova-Nova, 42, was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by the East Millinocket Police Department due to an issue with the headlights. An officer observed an unnatural bulge under Nova-Nova’s clothing. Nova-Nova identified himself using a false name, and a warrant check of that alias revealed an outstanding warrant for arrest. A search of Nova-Nova’s person revealed $1,305 in cash, four cellphones and suspected controlled substances wrapped in cellophane. HSI special agents sent the suspected drugs to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for analysis, which identified the substances as approximately 113 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine, approximately 19 grams of a substance containing fentanyl, and 57.8 grams of a substance containing cocaine base. HSI was able to determine Nova-Nova’s true identity after an extensive investigation.
Nova-Nova faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison with up to a lifetime of supervised release, as well as a fine of up to $10 million. Nova-Nova will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The East Millinocket Police Department and HSI New England’s Bangor Resident Agent in Charge office investigated the case.
About HSI
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move. HSI’s workforce consists of over 10,000 employees, assigned to 235 offices within the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI's international presence represents the Department of Homeland Security’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.