Fall River woman sentenced to time served in drug smuggling case

BOSTON – The ex-wife of an MCI-Cedar Junction inmate was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with smuggling drugs into the facility.

Lisa Guillemette, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to time served (5 days) in prison and 30 months supervised release with the condition that she complete 300 hours of community service. In May 2019, Guillemette pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute Suboxone and Alprazolam. In September 2018, she was charged along with her former husband, William Guillemette, 39, and Chad Connors, 42, both inmates at Massachusetts Correctional Institute – Cedar Junction (MCI-CJ) in South Walpole. Guillemette’s former mother-in-law, Margaret Guillemette, 58, of Fall River was also charged.

Chad Connors and William Guillemette were inmates housed at MCI-CJ’s Departmental Disciplinary Unit (DDU). Connors was involved in a romantic relationship with Christine Ramos, a nurse assigned to the DDU. At Connors’ request, Ramos agreed to smuggle contraband, including controlled substances, into MCI-CJ. In order to do this, Ramos opened two P.O. Boxes through a third party. Connors sent letters and money to Ramos at these P.O. Boxes and, at William Guillemette’s direction, Lisa and Margaret Guillemette, obtained and sent Suboxone and Alprazolam to the P.O. Boxes. Ramos subsequently smuggled the drugs into the DDU and delivered them to Connors. Connors and William Guillemette distributed the drugs to other inmates, who sent checks to Lisa and Margaret Guillemette as payment. Suboxone and Alprazolam are Schedule III and Schedule IV controlled substances, respectively.

Chad Connors previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. William Guillemette pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 months in prison to be served consecutive to the state sentence he is currently serving and three years of supervised release. Margaret Guillemette pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served (five days), two years of supervised release and 200 hours of community service. Ramos pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute Suboxone and Alprazolam and was sentenced two years of probation.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris of Lelling’s Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.