District of Maine
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Trenton Man Sentenced for Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: A Trenton, Maine man was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Timothy Levesque, 53, to one year and one day in prison and two years of supervised release. Levesque pleaded guilty on December 18, 2018.
According to court records, on the evening of May 12, 2018, the U.S. Coast Guard boarded Levesque’s boat off the coast of Lamoine, Maine, while conducting a routine maritime safety and law enforcement patrol. The boat was registered solely to Levesque and he was the only person on board. While searching the boat, Coast Guard personnel found four firearms within four feet of where Levesque had been sitting in the pilot house. Levesque has two prior felony drug convictions and was aware that the firearms were on his boat.
The U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; the Maine Marine Patrol; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Justice Department Files Brief in Maine School Choice AppealRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, explaining that a Maine law that bans religious schools from the state’s school tuition program violates the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
The majority of Maine’s school districts do not operate their own high schools. Instead, those school districts may either contract with another school to educate their resident high school students, or they may pay tuition to the private high school of the parent’s choice—but only if the high school is not religious in nature. The plaintiffs in this case, Carson v. Makin, all live in school districts that do not operate their own high schools and either send their children to a religious high school at their own expense, or would like to send their children to a religious high school but cannot afford to do so. They sued the Commissioner of Maine’s Department of Education, claiming that Maine law violates the United States Constitution.
“Our Constitution guarantees that all people in our nation may exercise their religion free from discrimination by the government,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “The First Amendment’s religious freedom protections are especially important for families and children, and the Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that all children may participate equally in educational programs without discrimination because of their religion.”
On June 26, 2019, the United States District Court for the District of Maine held that it was bound by First Circuit precedent from 2004 to uphold Maine’s religious-school ban, but it noted that the Supreme Court’s 2017 decision in Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Comer might cause the First Circuit to reassess its prior precedent.
In Trinity Lutheran, the Supreme Court held that “denying a generally available benefit solely on account of religious identity imposes a penalty on the free exercise of religion,” and may only be justified by the most compelling governmental interests. In its friend-of-the-court brief, the United States explains that Trinity Lutheran obligates the Court of Appeals to reassess the constitutionality of Maine’s religious-school ban. Because Maine “prohibits religious schools, simply because of their religious character, from receiving funds available to the rest of the community,” the United States’ brief explains, the state’s tuition program imposes “special disabilities on religious adherents on the basis of their religious status,” and thus violates the Constitution’s Free Exercise Clause. The United States raised similar arguments in a brief it filed with the United States Supreme Court last month in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerns a similar religious-school ban in a Montana scholarship program.
In July 2018, the Department of Justice announced the formation of the Religious Liberty Task Force. The Task Force brings together Department components to coordinate their work on religious liberty
Eastport Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: An Eastport man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Bangor for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Daniel B. Boone, Sr., 49, to three years in prison and three years of supervised release. Boone pleaded guilty on May 8, 2019.
According to court records, on November 26, 2018, Boone possessed a 12-gauge shotgun in his home and then transferred the shotgun to another individual. Boone was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2012 felony conviction for unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs.
The Eastport Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about PSN, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psn.
Hudson Man Convicted of Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: A Hudson, Maine man was convicted today in federal court in Bangor of illegally possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
Following a one-day bench trial, U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker found Charles Werenko, 51, guilty of possessing a firearm after being convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
The evidence at trial revealed that in 2015, Werenko was convicted of domestic violence assault in the Penobscot County Superior Court. Following his conviction, Werenko knowingly possessed a .357 Magnum revolver from an unknown date until January 31, 2019.
Werenko faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Aroostook County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: A former Fort Fairfield resident pleaded guilty today in federal court in Bangor to sexually exploiting a child and possessing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, Kyle Sirois, 28, produced video files depicting child pornography sometime between March 2015 and October 2017. Sirois also possessed other images and videos of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, which he had purposefully sought out and received through the internet. These images and videos depicted the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children under the age of 12.
Sirois faces 15–30 years in prison for sexually exploiting a child, and up to 20 years in prison for possessing child pornography. He also faces a $250,000 fine and from five years to a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Fort Fairfield Police Department investigated the case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
New York Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: A Rochester, New York man was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine base and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Darrell Newton, a/k/a “Coast,” a/k/a “D-Coast,” 39, to 20 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Newton pleaded guilty in October 2018.
According to court records, between June 2015 and March 2017, Newton ran a drug distribution operation based out of Rochester, New York that operated in central Maine. Individuals from Rochester were sent to central Maine to sell the drugs. They stayed with various local residents who allowed the drugs to be sold from their homes and assisted the Rochester dealers in distributing, storing and transporting the narcotics throughout the region. There were approximately 12–15 such area residences during the height of the conspiracy’s activities. The local residents were paid in cocaine base or heroin for allowing the Rochester dealers to stay in the residences and sell the drugs. Periodically, drug proceeds were collected from the various distribution points in central Maine and transported back to Newton.
Newton organized and operated the drug trafficking operation from Rochester. He recruited and sent drug dealers from Rochester to central Maine. He also obtained large quantities of heroin, cocaine base and fentanyl that he arranged to be transported to the area by couriers whom he recruited. Once in the area, the Rochester dealers distributed the drugs in cooperation with local dealers.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, with assistance provided by the Augusta Police Department. This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Portland Man Sentenced for Trafficking Cocaine and OxycodoneRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: A Portland man was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for conspiring to distribute cocaine and oxycodone, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Ross Thompson, 33, formerly of Rangeley, Maine, to time served (one day) and three years of supervised release. Thompson pleaded guilty in March 2019.
According to court records, between January 2016 and July 2016, Thompson and others conspired to distribute cocaine and oxycodone in Franklin County. Thompson distributed drugs supplied by Jordan Richard, who was sentenced to over 13 years in federal prison in January 2019.
Following an incident on July 28, 2016, when Richard shot and killed one of two men who came to his Rangeley residence to rob him, Thompson spirited a large quantity of drugs out of the residence before law enforcement arrived on the scene. Thompson subsequently distributed the drugs to another dealer Richard was supplying.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Maine State Police; and the Rangeley Police Department investigated the case, with assistance provided by the Maine Office of the Attorney General. The case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
New York Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Heroin and Cocaine BaseRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: A Rochester, New York man was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for distributing heroin and conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine base, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Sharoz Haywood, a/k/a “Baby Dreads,” a/k/a “Rah Rah,” 22, to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Haywood pleaded guilty in March 2019.
According to court records, between November 2016 and September 2017, Haywood and others conspired to distribute cocaine base and heroin in central Maine. Haywood and other individuals sold the drugs, which were being transported from Rochester, New York. In July 2017, Haywood sold heroin to an informant for the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA).
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; and the MDEA investigated the case. The case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s program to combat the opioid epidemic.
Eastport Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: An Eastport, Maine man was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for possessing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Ryan Mumme, 48, to eight years in prison and supervised release for life. Mumme was also ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution. He pled guilty in June 2018 after being charged in December 2017.
According to court records, Mumme admitted to agents during an interview at his home that he had child pornography on his laptop computer. A subsequent forensic examination of the laptop revealed images and videos of children under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and the Eastport Police Department investigated the case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Bangor Ambulance Company Settles False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank today announced that a Bangor ambulance company has agreed to pay $138,285.30 to settle allegations that it violated the federal False Claims Act (“FCA”).
The civil settlement agreement resolves allegations that Meridian Mobile Health, L.L.C., doing business as Capital Ambulance (“Capital”), improperly billed Medicare for nonemergency ambulance transportation of patients discharged from Eastern Maine Medical Center (“EMMC”) from October 2016 through February 2018. The government contended that such patients were not “bed-confined,” and did not otherwise medically require transportation by ambulance. The government also contended that EMMC personnel provided Capital with certification statements containing incomplete or incorrect information about the medical necessity of transporting the patients via ambulance, information Capital later used to bill Medicare.
Prior to the government’s lawsuit, Capital identified instances where it had billed and received payment from Medicare for nonemergency ambulance transports originating at EMMC that were not medically necessary. Capital voluntarily disclosed these results to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. Capital also cooperated throughout the investigation, and implemented enhanced internal compliance and remedial measures. Federal authorities encourage health care providers to cooperate with investigations involving the possible submission of false claims to federal programs. Entities or individuals that make proactive, timely and voluntary self-disclosures to the U.S. Attorney’s Office may receive credit during the resolution of a later FCA case.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General investigated the case. The civil action is docketed United States v. Meridian Mobile Health, L.L.C. d/b/a Capital Ambulance, 19-cv-00440-JDL (D. Me.)
Maine Woman Sentenced to Prison and Home Confinement for Promoting ProstitutionRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Lourdes Suero, 46, of Biddeford, Maine, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Torresen to five months in prison and three years of supervised release for using a facility of interstate commerce to promote prostitution. After completing her prison sentence, Suero must serve up to five months of home confinement as a condition of supervised release. She pleaded guilty on March 18, 2019.
Court records reveal that on April 22, 2017, Suero went to a motel in Scarborough, Maine, where she met up with her adult son, Isaac Suero, and the female victim, who was 15 years old. The defendant booked a room at the motel for the evening of April 22, exchanged telephone numbers with the victim, and left the victim in the rented motel room. The defendant and the victim later texted about the victim’s prostitution activities, with the defendant agreeing to drive the victim to meet with a client. The victim engaged in multiple commercial sex acts while she was staying in the room the defendant rented, and ultimately left the motel on her own the following day. The defendant’s son, Isaac Suero, was sentenced in a related case in June to nine years in prison for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor. Records in that case show that in the days before Isaac Suero and the female victim met with the defendant in Scarborough, Isaac Suero was trafficking the victim in the Bangor area.
The District of Maine is one of six districts designated through a competitive, nationwide selection process as a Phase II Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team (ACTeam), through the interagency ACTeam Initiative of the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Labor. ACTeams focus on developing high-impact human trafficking investigations and prosecutions involving forced labor, international sex trafficking and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion through interagency collaboration among federal prosecutors and federal investigative agencies.
The Southern Maine Gang Task Force—comprised of investigators from the FBI; the Portland, South Portland and Lewiston Police Departments; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration—investigated the case. The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office also provided assistance.
Augusta Man Sentenced to Two Years for Heroin, Crack and Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Donald Morang, a/k/a “DW,” 39, formerly of Augusta, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., to two years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute heroin; cocaine base, commonly known as “crack;” and fentanyl. Morang pled guilty on October 17, 2018.
According to court records, between June 2015 and March 2017, Morang conspired with others to acquire heroin and crack in Rochester, New York and to distribute it in Central Maine. The defendant assisted the head of the conspiracy, Darrell Newton, and other dealers Newton sent from Rochester to distribute the drugs in Central Maine. He facilitated drug deals, introduced Rochester conspirators to area distributors, and assisted other conspirators in finding residences from which to sell drugs. He also dropped off drugs and picked up proceeds from residences in Central Maine.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance provided by the Augusta Police Department. This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Bangor Man Sentenced to Four Years for Heroin and Crack ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Eric Tracy, 30, of Bangor, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., to four years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” He pled guilty on July 19, 2018.
According to court records, between January 2016 and February 2017, Tracy conspired with others to acquire heroin and crack in Waterbury, Connecticut and to distribute it in Penobscot County. The defendant distributed the drugs in the Bangor area and facilitated the drug dealing activities of other conspirators.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Millinocket Man Sentenced to Two Years for Theft of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Randolph Bourgoin, III, 32, of Millinocket, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Lance E. Walker to two years in prison and three years of supervised release for theft of a firearm from a federally licensed dealer. He was also ordered to pay $430 in restitution. Bourgoin pleaded guilty on April 3, 2019.
According to court records, on November 27, 2018, Bourgoin stole the firearm from a display case at a gun dealer in Milo. The theft was caught on surveillance video, and Bourgoin later admitted to the theft.
The case was investigated by the Milo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Trenton Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Short-Barreled ShotgunRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Brian Jordan, 33, of Trenton, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing an unregistered firearm.
According to court records, on more than one occasion between January 2017 and May 2018, Jordan held and shot a short-barreled shotgun with a barrel length of less than 10 inches. Federal law prohibits the possession of a weapon made from a shotgun, if the modified weapon has a barrel less than 18 inches in length or an overall length of less than 26 inches, unless that weapon is registered to the possessor in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The shotgun Jordan possessed was not registered to him.
Jordan faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Maine Marine Patrol.
Vermont Man Sentenced to Two Months for Procuring Naturalization Contrary to LawRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Hussien Noor Hussien, 56, of Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal to two months in prison and three years of supervised release for impersonating another in a naturalization proceeding, procuring naturalization contrary to law and making a false statement on a passport application. In addition, the Court entered an order revoking Hussien’s citizenship, which the law requires when a person is convicted for procuring naturalization contrary to law. Hussien was convicted in April, following a three-day jury trial.
Court records and trial evidence revealed that in 2004, Hussien entered the United States as a refugee under the name Abukar Hassan Abdule. He entered with the wife and children of the true Abukar Hassan Abdule. In 2011, he applied for U.S. citizenship under the same name. He affirmed on his citizenship application and during an in-person citizenship interview in South Portland, Maine, that his name was Abukar Hassan Abdule. He ultimately was naturalized under the same name. After becoming a U.S. citizen, he applied for a U.S. passport under the name Abukar Hassan Abdule. In 2013, he filed in Vermont state court to legally change his name in the U.S. from Abukar Hassan Abdule to Hussien Noor Hussien, the name he was given at birth.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General.
Maine’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative Seeks Applications for $100,000 in Available Grant FundingRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced today that up to $100,000 in grant funding is available for allocation to support Maine’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative.
PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Maine’s PSN program is coordinated by the United States Attorney’s Office.
The Maine Department of Public Safety, acting as the fiscal agent for Maine’s PSN program, is seeking proposals from eligible applicants for grant projects designed to create and foster safer neighborhoods through a sustained reduction in violent crime. Up to approximately $100,000 is available to fund programs focused on reducing violence associated with opioid trafficking, human trafficking, domestic violence, gun trafficking and firearm possession by prohibited persons throughout Maine. The state’s PSN Task Force is comprised of a variety of federal, state and local partners and stakeholders who want to spread the word about this funding to Maine communities, such as private citizens, civic leaders, law enforcement, prosecutors, state and local government, anti-violence advocates, organizations (both for-profit and nonprofit), school administrators, educators, students of all ages and members of the juvenile justice community who might wish to submit proposals.
A copy of the RFP, as well as the Question & Answer Summary and all amendments related to this RFP, may be obtained at the following website:
https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/vendors/rfps
Proposals must be submitted to the State of Maine Division of Procurement Services, via email, at [email protected]. Proposal submissions must be received no later than 4:00 pm, local time, on October 3, 2019, when they will be opened. Proposals will be opened at the Burton M. Cross Office Building, 4th Floor, 111 Sewall Street, Augusta, Maine. Proposals not submitted to the Division of Procurement Services at the above email address by the October 3 deadline will not be considered for contract award.
Presque Isle Man Pleads Guilty to Counterfeiting ChargesRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Derek Mendoza, 24, of Presque Isle, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of passing counterfeit currency and one count of attempting to pass counterfeit currency.
According to court records, in December 2018, an individual from Presque Isle listed a futon for sale on Facebook Messenger. The seller was contacted by the defendant’s girlfriend and agreed to sell the futon for $75. On December 4, 2018, the defendant and his girlfriend arrived at the seller’s residence, purchased the futon with a $100 bill, loaded the futon into a car, and drove away. The seller noticed that the $100 appeared to be irregular and later confirmed with law enforcement that it was counterfeit.
On December 10, 2018, the defendant was shopping for merchandise at the Cigaret Shopper in Presque Isle. The defendant subsequently attempted to pay for the merchandise with four $50 bills. The cashier checked the bills with a marker and determined them to be counterfeit. The cashier gave the bills back to the defendant and advised him that the store would not accept them. The defendant then walked out of the store with the four bills. The entire transaction was captured on store video.
Mendoza faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Presque Isle Police Department and the United States Secret Service.
New York Woman Sentenced to 54 Months for Crack, Heroin and Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Diana Davis, 32, of Rochester, New York, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 54 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” Davis pleaded guilty on October 24, 2018.
According to court records, between June 2015 and March 2017, Davis conspired with others to acquire heroin, fentanyl and crack in Rochester and to distribute it from at least 12 residences in Central Maine. Davis came to Central Maine and distributed the drugs while residing with several Central Maine residents who were paid in heroin and crack for their participation.
On June 26, 2016, Davis was involved in an incident during which her brother and co‑defendant Frankie Dejesus exchanged gunfire with Reginald McBride in the parking lot of the Walmart in Augusta, Maine. In imposing sentence, Judge Woodcock recounted the drug-related backdrop leading up to the incident.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance provided by the Augusta, Maine Police Department. This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Lewiston Man Sentenced to Eight Years on Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Keon Baptiste‑Harris, 37, of Lewiston, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to eight years in prison and three years of supervised release for distribution of cocaine base (a/k/a crack cocaine) and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Baptiste‑Harris pleaded guilty on March 20, 2019.
According to court records, on May 1, 2018, Baptiste-Harris distributed cocaine base to a person working with law enforcement. On June 26, 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Baptiste-Harris’s residence in Lewiston. During the search, agents seized distributable quantities of narcotics, more than $8,000 in U.S. currency, ammunition, cell phones and a loaded 9 mm pistol. Baptiste-Harris admitted possessing the firearm to protect himself, his narcotics and the proceeds from his narcotics trafficking
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the FBI’s Southern Maine Gang Task Force; the Lewiston Police Department; and the Maine State Police.
The prosecution is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.
Former Topsham Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Gary Boshoff, 52, formerly of Topsham, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing child pornography.
According to court records, in August 2016, agents investigating the sharing of child pornography over the internet downloaded files depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct from a computer using an Internet Protocol address assigned to Boshoff’s residence in Topsham. A search warrant was obtained for the residence, and agents executed the warrant in October 2016. Boshoff admitted to agents that he had used the internet to search for and download child pornography images. A review of a laptop seized under the warrant revealed images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Boshoff faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He also faces a term of supervised release following his release from prison of no less than five years and up to life. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Topsham Police Department. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Buxton Man Sentenced to Nearly Six Years for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Michael Crockett, Jr., 35, of Buxton, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon. Crockett pleaded guilty on March 11, 2019.
According to court documents, on April 1, 2018, Crockett possessed and discharged a nine millimeter pistol in the direction of an occupied vehicle parked in his driveway in Buxton. Standing outside the vehicle at the time was a 15-year-old minor female, who reported that she had been in an abusive and sexual relationship with Crockett since she was 14 years old.
Because Crockett was convicted of a felony crime of drug trafficking in the York County Superior Court in Alfred in May 2006, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law. Several witnesses reported having regularly seen Crockett with a firearm, including one who said he used it to threaten her.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Singal varied upward from the applicable guideline range of 46–57 months, noting that the defendant had engaged in numerous examples of uncontrollable behavior and was unable to abide by the law.
This case was investigated by the Buxton and Kittery Police Departments, the York County District Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice's violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
York Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Timothy Moroney, 55, of York, Maine and formerly of Massachusetts, pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to failing to register as a sex offender in Maine and New Hampshire.
According to court records, in 1985, Moroney was convicted of aggravated rape in Massachusetts. The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act requires convicted sex offenders to register in every jurisdiction in which they reside, work and go to school, and to keep their registration information current at all times. Between 2005 and 2007, Moroney registered as a sex offender in Massachusetts. In January of 2007, Moroney moved to Maine, but failed to register until February of 2019. In late 2018 and early 2019, Moroney commuted from Maine to New Hampshire to work, but failed to register in New Hampshire.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service and the York Police Department.
New York Man Sentenced to 92 Months for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Timothy Ortiz, a/k/a “Tyson,” 25, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., to 92 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon. Ortiz pleaded guilty on January 4, 2019.
According to court documents, on September 26, 2016, Ortiz was involved in an argument over a drug debt that led to his fatal shooting of Jonathan Methot using a Ruger, Blackhawk, .357 revolver at a duplex apartment building in Biddeford. Ortiz was prohibited from possessing the firearm as the result of 2016 Maine felony convictions for aggravated sex trafficking and heroin distribution.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Woodcock varied upward from the applicable guideline range of 37-46 months, noting that the defendant’s criminal history was “disturbing” and the need to protect the public was “obvious.”
This case was investigated by the Biddeford Police Department; the Maine State Police; the Maine Attorney General’s Office; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the FBI; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Oakland Man Sentenced to over Seven Years for Pharmacy RobberyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Michael E. Algiere, 33, of Oakland, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Lance E. Walker to 85 months in prison and three years of supervised release for interfering with commerce by robbery. Algiere pleaded guilty on April 24, 2019.
Court records reveal that on October 31, 2007, the defendant entered the Oakland Pharmacy in Oakland wearing a black ski mask, a hooded sweatshirt, and camouflage gloves. He went to the pharmacy counter holding a knife and demanded oxycodone from the pharmacist. The defendant absconded with several bottles of Roxicodone, Oxycontin, and Percocet.
The Maine State Police Crime Laboratory (MSPCL) found DNA on a ski mask and knife recovered by police at and near the robbery scene, loaded the DNA profile into the Combined DNA Index System (“CODIS”), but could not match it to a known offender profile in 2007. CODIS is a criminal justice database that contains DNA profiles of convicted offenders and arrestees. Because participating forensic laboratories regularly add DNA profiles to CODIS, the MSPCL routinely compares unknown profiles from unsolved cases against the known profiles in CODIS. In February 2017, a CODIS comparison revealed that the DNA obtained from the ski mask and knife matched DNA collected from the defendant. The DNA match was confirmed after federal investigators collected a sample of the defendant’s DNA.
The case was investigated by the Oakland Police Department, the FBI, and the MSPCL.
Mapleton Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Daniel Easler, 43, of Mapleton, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, on the evening of December 4, 2018, the Caribou Police Department received a call from a citizen stating that there was a vehicle off the road in a snow bank. Law enforcement responded to the scene. There was no one in the vehicle but there were footprints in the snow leading away from the vehicle. Officers followed the footprints and found Easler, a convicted felon, lying in the snow. A search of the defendant revealed multiple firearms and ammunition. One of the firearms had previously been reported as stolen.
The defendant faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Caribou Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Maine State Police.
Augusta Man Sentenced to Time Served for Illegal Possession of a SilencerRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Ryan D. Merrill, 40, of Augusta, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Lance E. Walker to time served (six days) in jail and three years of supervised release for possessing an unregistered silencer. Merrill pleaded guilty on April 23, 2019.
According to court records, on July 17, 2018, officers with the Augusta Police Department responded to a complaint of gunshots in a residential area. Merrill had been firing a .22 caliber rifle at a fox and at small propane tanks behind his home. Officers discovered that Merrill had modified an automotive oil filter and attached it to the muzzle of the rifle using a special adapter in order to suppress the sound of the shots he fired. Merrill had not registered the silencer in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record and he knew that the possession of the silencer was prohibited by federal law.
The case was investigated by the Augusta Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
New York and Maine Men Plead Guilty to Heroin and Crack TraffickingRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Akeem Cruz, a/k/a “Vybe” and “Mello”, 29, and Lamale Lawson, a/k/a “Bishop” and “King Bishop”, 28, both of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” Lawson also pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms. Christopher Rickett, 32, of Portland, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and to distributing heroin.
According to court records, from 2015 until September 2017, Cruz and Lawson conspired to acquire heroin and crack in New York and to distribute it in the Portland and Lewiston areas. On about July 31, 2016, agents searched an apartment in Portland and recovered a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol, 9mm ammunition and a .22 revolver belonging to Lawson. Rickett conspired to acquire heroin in Massachusetts and to distribute it in the Portland area. On December 11, 2018, conspirator Sierrha Frisbie, a/k/a “Cici”, 27, of Portland, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin in the Portland and Lewiston areas.
Cruz and Lawson face between five and 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine and between four years and life on supervised release. Lawson also faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the firearms offense. Rickett and Frisbie face up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and between three years and life on supervised release. The defendants will be sentenced following the completion of presentence investigation reports by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Portland and South Portland Police Departments; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the FBI and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Edmond Township Man Sentenced to 1½ Years for Distribution of Furanyl Fentanyl and Counterfeit Prescription DrugsRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that James Cox, 55, of Edmond Township, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 1½ years in prison and three years of supervised release for distributing furanyl fentanyl and counterfeit drugs. Cox pleaded guilty on February 26, 2019.
According to court records, on October 12, 2017, Cox offered to sell Percocet to a person working with law enforcement, but instead sold the person pills containing furanyl fentanyl, but not Percocet. On February 3, 2018, Cox offered to sell oxycodone to the person, but instead sold the person counterfeit pills that contained carfentanil, but not oxycodone.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Maine State Police, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, and Ellsworth Police Department and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Hudson Woman Sentenced to One Year and a Day for Mail Theft and Violation of Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Angela A. Curtis, 33, of Hudson, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to four months and a day in prison and three years of supervised release for mail theft. She was also sentenced to a consecutive term of eight months in prison for violating the terms of supervised release imposed on her in 2012 following convictions for mail theft, bank fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft. She pleaded guilty to mail theft and admitted violating the terms of her supervised release on March 22, 2019.
Court records reveal that in June and July, 2018, Curtis stole mail from mail boxes in Glenburn, Hudson, Hampden, and Charleston, Maine. The mail that she stole included checks. She altered several of those checks to add her name but her theft was discovered before any of the checks were negotiated.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office.
Mexican Man Sentenced to over Four Months for Entering the U.S. After RemovalRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Santiago Velazquez-Cordova, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Lance E. Walker to time served for entering the United States after being removed or deported. He has been in custody since March 28, 2019, and pleaded guilty on June 21, 2019.
According to court records, Velazquez-Cordova was ordered removed from the United States in 2003, and physically left the country in March 2010. He was found again in the United States a few days later, and was again removed on April 9, 2010. He was subsequently found in the United States at Waterville, Maine on March 28, 2019, and arrested. He had not applied for reentry to the United States, and was not legally authorized to reenter.
The investigation was conducted by the Border Patrol of the United States Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
New York Man Sentenced to over 26 Years for Sex Trafficking and Heroin and Crack DistributionRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Vincent Graham, a/k/a “Shawn” and “Mac,” 35, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock to 320 months in prison and six years of supervised release for sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; distributing heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack;” and transporting a victim in interstate commerce with the intent that she engage in prostitution. Graham pleaded guilty on January 4, 2019.
According to court records, in 2015, Graham, using force and threats, recruited an adult female to engage in commercial sex acts in Biddeford, Maine. Graham verbally abused and assaulted the victim, threatened her with violence, and exploited her heroin and crack addictions. Graham distributed crack to the victim. He also supplied her with just enough heroin to avoid withdrawal and threatened to cut off her supply and cause her to suffer withdrawal if she refused to engage in commercial sex acts. Graham also caused the victim, and a second woman, to travel from Maine to New Hampshire and Massachusetts to engage in prostitution.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Woodcock said: “I don't know how to express how deplorable I think your conduct was. As a man, it's just unimaginable to me that you would treat a woman this way.” Judge Woodcock added: “The need to provide just punishment requires no further explanation. The need to protect the public is also self-explanatory.”
“The District of Maine’s human trafficking prosecutions are recognized nationally,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “Our office brings many of these prosecutions and defendants receive lengthy sentences that should make it crystal clear that human trafficking is a despicable crime that will not be tolerated in Maine.”
The investigation was conducted by the Biddeford Police Department; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the FBI; and Maine’s Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team (ACTeam). ACTeams focus on developing high-impact human trafficking investigations and prosecutions involving forced labor, international sex trafficking and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion through interagency collaboration among federal prosecutors and federal investigative agencies.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Sean Anderson, 39, of Peabody, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court records, on May 7, 2019, a Maine State Police trooper stopped the defendant for speeding northbound on I-95 in York. The trooper recovered a package containing about 9 grams of fentanyl from the ground just outside the defendant’s car, where the defendant had thrown it after pulling over. While the defendant was being booked into the York County Jail, jail personnel found two additional packages containing about 52 grams of fentanyl in the defendant’s underwear.
The defendant faces up to 40 years in prison, between three years and life on supervised release, and a $5,000,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Maine State Police; and the York County Sheriff’s Department and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge, a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids.
Passadumkeag Man Sentenced to Three Years for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, Fentanyl and CrackRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Jason Mannix, a/k/a “Boston,” 40, of Passadumkeag, Maine, was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge John A Woodcock, Jr. to three years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” He pled guilty on March 25, 2019.
According to court records, between January 2016 and February 2017, Mannix conspired with others to acquire heroin, fentanyl and crack in Waterbury, Connecticut and to distribute it in the greater Bangor area. Mannix facilitated the drug dealing activities of other conspirators.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency. This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Crack TraffickingRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Quinton Spinks, a/k/a “Q,” a/k/a “Travis,” 35, of Rochester, New York, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”
According to court records, between November 2016 and September 2017, Spinks conspired with others from Rochester and Central Maine to acquire heroin and crack in Rochester and to distribute the drugs in Augusta and surrounding communities.
The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, between three years and life on supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, with significant assistance provided by the Maine State Police. The case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Men Charged with Conspiring to Interfere with Commerce by RobberyRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Eric Mercado, 32, of Lowell, Massachusetts, was arrested in Georgia, and Steven Hardy, 42, of Maynard, Massachusetts, was arrested in Maynard, and both were charged today by criminal complaint unsealed in U.S. District Court in Maine with conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery.
According to the complaint, on May 10, 2019, Mercado, Hardy and others drove from outside of Maine to a residence in York, Maine in order to commit an armed home invasion robbery to steal marijuana and marijuana sales proceeds. Both men, wearing face masks, entered the residence armed with firearms which they discharged during the attempted robbery. After discharging the firearms, they fled.
If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Mercado’s initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Savannah, Georgia and Hardy’s initial appearance in Worcester, Massachusetts, have not yet been scheduled.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI, in conjunction with the York Police Department.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Guatemalan Citizen Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced to Time Served for Being Found in the United States After Previously Being RemovedRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Jerson Otoniel Osorio-Lopes, 32, of Guatemala, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Lance E. Walker to time served (70 days) for being found in the United States after previously being removed.
According to court records, on May 14, 2019, federal authorities were notified that the defendant had been arrested by the Fairfield, Maine police department. The defendant’s immigration records revealed that on June 8, 2009, he was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in the United States. The defendant admitted being a citizen of Guatemala, was ordered removed by an Immigration Judge on June 30, 2009, and was removed to Guatemala on July 16, 2009. On October 7, 2009, the defendant was arrested again by U.S. Border Patrol agents in the United States. He was issued a Reinstated Removal Order from June 30, 2009 and removed to Guatemala on October 21, 2009.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Gardiner Woman Sentenced to 38 Months for Conspiring to Distribute Heroin and CrackRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Heather Downs, 33, of Gardiner, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 38 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” She pled guilty on October 1, 2018.
According to court records, between June 2015 and March 2017, Downs conspired with others to acquire heroin and crack in Rochester, New York and transport it to Central Maine for distribution. The defendant assisted Rochester dealers in distributing the narcotics. She provided transportation, facilitated drug deals, introduced Rochester conspirators to area distributors, and assisted other conspirators in finding residences from which to sell drugs. She also dropped off drugs and picked up proceeds from drug sales.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance provided by the Augusta Police Department and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Auburn Man Sentenced to 2½ Years for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Demetrius Davenport, 31, of Auburn, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to 2½ years in prison and three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm after having been convicted of felony offenses. Davenport pled guilty to the charge on March 11, 2019.
According to court records, on June 24, 2018, Davenport travelled to Gray, Maine, where he rented a firearm, purchased ammunition, and fired the weapon at a shooting range. Investigators identified Davenport and the shooting range from a video that was uploaded to YouTube. Davenport was prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of his two prior felony convictions for illegal possession of firearms and unauthorized taking or transfer.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lewiston Police Department.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to More than Seven Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin, Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Yarlin Garcia, 26, of Lowell, Massachusetts, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 87 months in prison and four years of supervised release for possession with the intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine. Garcia pleaded guilty on October 25, 2018.
According to court records, on June 20, 2018, Garcia was arrested outside of a residence in Sanford, Maine and found to be in possession of about 650 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture and 560 grams of cocaine that he brought to Maine.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the Sagadahoc, York, and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Offices; and the Biddeford Police Department and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Conspiring to Distribute and Possessing with Intent to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Myron Crosby, Jr., a/k/a “Templer,” 56, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 14 years in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possessing with the intent to distribute a kilogram or more of heroin. Crosby was convicted on August 2, 2018, following a four-day jury trial.
The evidence at trial established that between August 2015 and January 2016, Crosby conspired to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin. He was the Massachusetts source of 60,000 to 80,000 bags of heroin acquired in Hartford, Connecticut and Springfield, Massachusetts that were brought to Maine and distributed by co-conspirators in the Newport, Maine area.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance provided by the Maine and Massachusetts State Police and the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Pittsfield Man Sentenced to Two Years for Conspiring to Violate the Federal Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Ethan Rumery, 24, of Pittsfield, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to two years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to violate the federal firearms laws. The defendant pled guilty on February 25, 2019.
According to court records, between February 2015 and September 2016, Rumery conspired with others to fraudulently obtain firearms from federally licensed dealers in Maine. When buying the firearms, Rumery and his coconspirators falsely claimed that they were the actual purchasers of the firearms. The firearms were, in fact, purchased for and sold to individuals residing outside of Maine.
The case was investigated by the Massachusetts State Police; the Newport and Pittsfield (Maine) Police Departments; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Levant Man Sentenced to 16 Months for Conspiring to Make False Statements to a Federal Firearms DealerRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Zachary Morneault, 35, of Levant, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to 16 months in prison and three years of supervised release for making false statements to a federal firearms dealer. The defendant pled guilty on October 2, 2018.
According to court records, in late February 2018, Brewer Police Department (BPD) officers seized a .380 caliber handgun while executing a drug trafficking search warrant. The firearm had been purchased about ten days earlier at an area firearms dealer. An investigation revealed that the defendant, and at least two others, agreed to have one conspirator falsely claim that she was the true purchaser of the firearm when the actual buyer was another conspirator who was paying her to make the purchase.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the BPD, with assistance provided by the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office.
Hampden Woman Sentenced to 22 Months for Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack and HeroinRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Carletta Willette, a/k/a “Carletta Knowlton,” a/k/a “Carly,” 36, of Hampden, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to time served (22 months) in prison and three years of supervised release for possession with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, commonly known as “crack” and heroin. Willette pled guilty on March 7, 2018.
According to court records, on September 1, 2017, Willette was arrested outside of a hotel in Brewer, Maine and found to be in possession of about 95 grams of crack and 44 grams of heroin.
The case was investigated by the Brewer Police Department, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Bangor Man Sentenced to Four Years for Conspiring to Distribute Heroin, Fentanyl and CrackRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Malcom Greenlaw, 48, of Bangor, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to four years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” He pled guilty on January 10, 2019.
According to court records, between January 2016 and February 2017, Greenlaw conspired with others to distribute heroin, fentanyl and crack in Penobscot County that was acquired in Waterbury, Connecticut. The defendant distributed drugs in the Bangor area and facilitated the drug dealing activities of others.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Texas Man Sentenced to 15 Months for Failure to Properly Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Michael Larkin, 61, of Corpus Christi, Texas and formerly of Massachusetts, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 15 months in prison and five years of supervised release for failing to update his sex offender registration in Maine and failing to register elsewhere. He pled guilty on February 20, 2019.
According to court records, Larkin was required to register as a sex offender in every state in which he resided as the result of a 1994 Massachusetts conviction for rape and abuse of a child under 16, assault with intent to rape a child under 16, indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Between 2006 and 2017, Larkin registered as a sex offender in Massachusetts. In September, 2017, Larkin moved to Maine, but failed to register until December, 2017. Shortly thereafter, Larkin left Maine and resided in Alabama and Texas, but failed to register in either state. He also failed to inform the Maine Sex Offender Registry that he left Maine. He was arrested in Texas in June, 2018.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 12½ Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Ariel Martinez, 32, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was sentenced today in U.S. District by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 12½ years in prison and three years of supervised release for possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Martinez pleaded guilty on February 19, 2019.
Court records reveal that on November 21, 2017, state law enforcement agents went to a Brunswick, Maine residence to investigate a suspected drug overdose death. The investigation revealed that the decedent obtained fentanyl from a Massachusetts dealer and how to contact that dealer. The next day, an agent, acting in an undercover capacity, placed an order for 20 grams of fentanyl with that dealer for delivery the next day at a designated time and Brunswick location. Agents stopped a vehicle with Massachusetts plates that arrived at the designated time and location. The defendant was a passenger in the vehicle and admitted to having fentanyl in his shoe and pants. Agents seized about 19 grams of fentanyl from the defendant.
The investigation was conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the Brunswick, Bath and Rockland Police Departments; and the Sagadahoc and Knox County Sheriff’s Offices. This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Skowhegan Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Christopher Kruse, 51, of Skowhegan, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Lance E. Walker to 15 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release for possessing and receiving child pornography. He was also ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution, $10,200 in special assessments, and a $1,000 fine.
According to court records, in November 2017, Kruse used the internet to receive several videos depicting child pornography, with many of the images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children by adult men. He added these videos to a collection of child pornography he had kept on his personal computer since 2015. The collection was discovered on November 28, 2017 when law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Kruse’s home.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Walker noted that this case reflected “a grave concern to public safety that is greater than in the average case of possession of child pornography,” and that Kruse had “sought out and collected some of the most vile and disturbing images.”
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office and the Bangor and Skowhegan Police Departments. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Biddeford Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Joshua Kaufman, 33, of Biddeford, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to eight years in prison and five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty on January 23, 2019.
Court records reveal that on February 21, 2018, law enforcement seized approximately 170 grams of methamphetamine and 56 grams of cocaine from a package shipped from Texas to the defendant. Later that same day, law enforcement agents searched a vehicle under the control of the defendant and seized more methamphetamine. The seized drugs were intended for distribution in Southern Maine.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Southern Maine Gang Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the FBI; the Portland, South Portland and Lewiston Police Departments; the York County Sheriff’s Office; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Three New York Men Charged with Hobbs Act RobberyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Andre Muller, 48; Robert Holland, 39; and Hector Munoz, 57, all of New York, New York, were arrested in New York this week and charged by indictment in Maine with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery. Munoz was also charged with attempted Hobbs Act robbery.
The indictment alleges that in July 2016, the defendants and others conspired to steal controlled substances from a residence in Rangeley, Maine. Munoz and an unnamed conspirator entered the residence armed with knives and a baseball bat.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed to be innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Maine State Police, and the Rangeley Police Department, with assistance provided by the Maine Office of the Attorney General.