AUBURN — A Massachusetts man swept up more than a year ago in a federal and state dragnet operation pleaded guilty Monday to three felony counts of trafficking in scheduled drugs.

That operation netted two-dozen men and women charged with drug crimes, two of them connected to a New York drug gang.

David Cole, 29, of 49 Highland Glen Drive, Randolph, Mass., also known as “Juice” and “OJ,” sold crack cocaine to a confidential police informant three times between Sept. 26 and Oct. 8, 2014, according to a sworn statement by police in court records.

The first two times, Cole had arranged the purchase, but sent an intermediary to make the transaction in the Twin Cities with the police informant.

For the final sale, made on Oct. 8, 2014, Cole sold 7 grams of crack to the informant, who called Cole to arrange for the exchange of drugs for $450 of Maine Drug Enforcement Agency money used in similar operations. Cole sold two 3.5-gram “Bs,” also known as “eight balls,” that weigh an eighth of an ounce apiece.

All of the bags bought through Cole had been tested using a so-called Thermo Scientific TruNarc Analyzer that showed the substance tested positive for crack or “base” cocaine.

A trial jury had been picked earlier in the day at Androsoggin County Superior Court, but Cole decided late afternoon to plead guilty to three felonies, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Cole also pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor charges of violation of condition of release.

Prosecutors agreed to dismiss two Class C felony drug trafficking conspiracy charges, each punishable by up to five years in prison.

On the felony charges, Cole was sentenced to six years in prison on each charge to be served at the same time, but all of that time — except for two and a half years — was suspended. On the misdemeanor charges, he was sentenced to six months on each charge, to be served at the same time as the felonies.

He was fined $400 and ordered to pay $360 in restitution to the MDEA for lab tests.

After Cole is released from prison, he will be on probation for three years. During that time, he must not have or use alcohol or drugs and is subject to random searches and testing for them. He also must complete evaluation, counseling and treatment for substance abuse.

He must report to serve his sentence on April 9.

cwilliams@sunjournal.com