BANGOR, Maine — On Wednesday, Kayla Alves, former Franklin County assistant district attorney, was sentenced to two-years probation and will have to pay a $2,000 fine for her role in connection to an alleged $13 million illegal marijuana operation.
Alves pleaded guilty to tampering with documents in March of this year. Police say she deleted a string of text messages she had with a sheriffs deputy, who allegedly had a stake in that marijuana business.
The recommended sentencing for Alves was 10-16 months in prison, but Noah Falk, assistant U.S. attorney for the district of Maine and prosecutor in this case, asked the judge for just a six month sentence.
Falk said the lighter sentence request was taking into account that Alves is a single mother of three children and a veteran, who was honorably discharged as a sergeant.
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"We thought that this prosecution was very important to bring because Ms. Alves was a public servant, she was a prosecutor, and she had a duty to the public to treat everybody fairly and with respect," Falk said. "She had a duty to always act within the best interest of the state."
In wrapping up the sentencing, Judge Lance Walked told Alves he has every confidence she will return to a life of honor and integrity.
The trial for Alves' co-defendants is set to begin in November, but Falk said he thinks it's likely that date will be pushed back to a later time.