Two men from Biddeford, Maine, have been convicted by a federal jury on charges of robbery, drug trafficking conspiracy, and using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. The trial concluded after six days in the U.S. District Court in Portland.
Court records and trial testimonies revealed that Nathaniel Ashwood, 37, and Lloyd Lyttle, 35, were involved in distributing narcotics in the Biddeford area. They used violence and threats to protect their distribution activities. Witnesses testified that on the evening of July 28, 2023, Ashwood and Lyttle robbed and assaulted a rival drug dealer along with two other individuals near Cutts Street in Biddeford. They reportedly used firearms and physical force to intimidate residents and establish control over the local drug market. Both men had prior felony convictions prohibiting them from possessing firearms at the time of these assaults.
Ashwood is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years with a maximum potential sentence of life imprisonment. Lyttle faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 14 years with a possible life sentence as well. Sentencing will occur after the U.S. Probation Office completes a presentence investigative report. A federal district court judge will determine their sentences considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Biddeford Police Department, with assistance from the Springfield, Vermont Police Department.
