Eastside woman pleads guilty in federal court to trafficking in fentanyl, meth

Leah M. Stevens (Rochester Police photo)

CONCORD - An East Rochester woman pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to drug trafficking.

The investigation into Leah M. Stevens, 32, formerly of Highland Street, unfolded after a cooperating individual gave information to law enforcement officers that she had traveled to Lawrence, Mass., on Sept. 10, 2018, to pick up drugs, according to court records.

Law enforcement officers later conducted a motor vehicle stop as Stevens was returning to Rochester. During the stop, Stevens admitted that she had a number of "sticks" of narcotics in her possession and officers found approximately 288 grams of fentanyl.

Four days later a cooperating source informed law enforcement officers that Stevens had received a new delivery of drugs at her residence, which she intended to distribute. Law enforcement officers executed another vehicle stop. During the search of the vehicle, law officers located fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Stevens was indicted by a Strafford County grand jury in January prior to her case being transferred to U.S. District Court in Concord. She is scheduled to be sentenced on March 11.

"Interstate fentanyl traffickers have made large quantities of this deadly drug available for purchase in New Hampshire," said U.S. Attorney Scott W. Murray. "In order to deter this illegal trade and thereby protect our citizens, we will continue to work closely with the FBI, Epping Police Department and all of law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who bring fentanyl into our state."

The FBI's Safe Streets Task Force and the Epping Police Department both participated in the investigation.