Two men who tried to use a 12-gauge shotgun and a 9mm pistol to steal medical marijuana from a caregiver in York, Maine were sentenced to prison in federal court on Tuesday.

Chief U.S. District Judge Jon Levy sentenced Eric Mercado, 33, of Lowell, Mass., to 16 years in prison and four years of supervised release.

Levy sentenced Steven Hardy, 33, of Maynard, Mass., to 15 ½ years in prison and four years of supervised release.

Both men were ordered to pay $3,740 in restitution to the victim.

According to court records, on May 11, 2019, Mercado, Hardy and other people travelled from Lowell, Mass. to the York, Maine residence of a medical marijuana caregiver with a plan to rob that person of money and marijuana.

Some of the members of the conspiracy posed as friends of the caregiver to gain entry into the house and socialized with the caregiver. Then Mercado and Hardy entered the house through a door that had been unlocked by a member of the conspiracy.

Mercado and Hardy were wearing masks. Mercado had the 12-gauge shotgun and Hardy had the 9mm pistol.

The two men ordered their victim to the ground and demanded marijuana and money, but the victim refused and fled to another part of the house.

Mercado and Hardy chased after their victim, firing their guns.

The victim, who was not hit by any bullets, escaped and ran down the driveway. Hardy shot again and missed.

Mercado and Hardy then returned to the house, stole the victim’s truck and fled the scene. They crashed the vehicle a short time later and fled on foot into the nearby woods.

The duo was picked up by the same person who drove them to the medical marijuana caregiver's house.

The York Police Department responded and the FBI was called in to assist. York police, the FBI and York County Sheriff's Office handled the investigation of the case.

Contact Managing News Editor Kimberley Haas at Kimberley.Haas@townsquaremedia.com.

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