Concord, NH – Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald and Drug Task Force Commander Scott Sweet announce that today, Junius Butler, age 47, of Manchester, New Hampshire pleaded guilty and was sentenced by the Merrimack County Superior Court to 7½-15 years in the New Hampshire State Prison for selling drugs to an agent of the New Hampshire Attorney General's Drug Task Force.

Mr. Butler pleaded guilty to three counts of Sale of a Controlled Drug, Subsequent Offense. Mr. Butler sold fentanyl in a quantity of five grams or more to a Drug Task Force Officer on three separate occasions in December 2016 and January 2017. Mr. Butler was sentenced to serve 7½-15 years in New Hampshire State Prison and pay a $500 fine on each charge. The prison sentences are to be served concurrent to one another.

Mr. Butler also pleaded guilty to possessing fentanyl with an intent to sell it in January 2017, also a subsequent offense. On this charge, Mr. Butler was sentenced to 10-20 years in the New Hampshire State Prison, suspended for a period of 10 years from the date of release on the above sentences. This suspension is conditioned on Mr. Butler's good behavior.

As part of this investigation conducted by the Drug Task Force, 14 fingers, or approximately 140 grams, of fentanyl was removed from circulation in New Hampshire.