Former Trooper Mark Lemieux Pleads Guilty to Extortion

BOSTON

A former state trooper has pleaded guilty to using extortion to collect drug debts and conspiring to distribute the prescription painkiller OxyContin.

The U.S. Attorney's office says Mark Lemieux of Norfolk pleaded guilty Monday, the first day of his trial in federal court. He faces up to 20 years in prison and up to $1.25 million in fines when he is sentenced May 21.

Lemieux and three others, including a retired state trooper, were arrested in May 2007 on charges they participated in an Oxycontin ring.

Joseph Catanese, who had worked with Lemieux on a police task force targeting drug dealers, pleaded guilty last fall in a deal with prosecutors to using extortion to collect drug debts and conspiring to obstruct justice.

Tara Drummey of Norfolk and Patrick McCarthy of Yarmouth also have pleaded guilty in the case. Drummey was sentenced to more than three years in prison and McCarthy to nearly 3 1/2 years.

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