Elisa Baker’s plea hearing for seven drug-related charges is scheduled for Thursday morning in US District Court in Charlotte.
Baker, 43, was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 18 on seven drug charges. She is accused of illegal drug activity from May 2006 to October 2010, involving Hydrocodone, Oxycodone and Alprazolam. Oxycodone and Hydrocodone are prescription medications used to treat moderate pain. Alprazolam, also known as Xanax, is primarily used for anxiety.
Baker pleaded not guilty to the charges in hearing in June. Baker’s trial was postponed in October, following a filing by the attorneys requesting additional time to prepare for trial and interview witnesses.
Baker’s attorney filed documents in December that indicated a deal had been worked out with prosecutors. Her trial was scheduled to start in Statesville on Jan. 9. She faces a maximum penalty of 115 years in prison and a fine of $4.2 million if convicted of all charges.
Baker is the stepmother of Zahra Baker, the 10-year-old two-time Australian cancer survivor. Zahra was found dismembered in Caldwell County in the fall of 2010. Baker pleaded guilty to Zahra’s murder, as well as eight other felonies, in September 2011. She was sentenced to between 14 years and 9 months to 18 years and 6 months in prison. Baker is currently incarcerated in the Mecklenburg County jail.
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