District of Maine
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Dixmont Man Sentenced to 1½ Years for Oxycodone ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Adam Hamilton, 34, of Dixmont, 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 conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone.
According to court records, for several months, Hamilton conspired with others to acquire oxycodone in Waterbury, Connecticut and distribute it in Central Maine. Hamilton obtained and brought oxycodone tablets to Maine and sold 30 mg tablets to customers for $40 each. The conspiracy existed from about June 2013 to about April 2015.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Somerset County Sheriff’s Department. This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
South Paris Woman Sentenced to Time Served for Transferring a Firearm to a FelonRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Stephanie Knightly, 50, of South Paris, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to time served (about two months) for transferring a firearm to a felon.
According to court records, on August 16, 2014, Knightly purchased a pistol in Scarborough, Maine. The private sale was arranged by Steven Piirainen, a person Knightly knew to be a felon. Piirainen accompanied her to the sale and gave her cash to purchase the pistol. After the sale, Piirainen took the firearm. The next day, after stealing a truck, Piirainen engaged in a shootout with the Maine State Police in South Paris, was shot, and died. Prior to the shootout, Piirainen told Knightly that he knew his probation officer was going to arrest him soon and that he was “never going back” to prison.
The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police; the Lewiston Police Department; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Second Manchester Physician Agrees to Pay $124,110 to Settle Civil Health Care Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy today announced that Douglas J. Jorgensen, D.O. has entered into a civil settlement agreement with the United States in which he will pay $124,110 to resolve allegations that from January 2011 through August 2014 he submitted false claims to Medicare.
According to a civil complaint filed today, Dr. Jorgensen is alleged to have violated the federal False Claims Acts by submitting claims for certain evaluation and management (“E&M”) services that were not eligible for payment under Medicare and submitting those claims knowing, deliberately ignoring or recklessly disregarding that they were false. Dr. Jorgensen was not entitled to be paid for those E&M services because they were provided in connection with, and integral to, osteopathic manipulative treatment Dr. Jorgensen performed on the same day. In total, Dr. Jorgensen received $62,055 from the Medicare Trust Fund to which he was not entitled. The settlement amount represents twice the amount of damages incurred by the Medicare program.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General. The civil action is docketed United States v. Douglas J. Jorgensen, D.O., 1:17-cv-271-JAW (D. Me.).
Dexter Man Sentenced to 33 Months for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Donald Vigue, 42, of Dexter, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone and cocaine.
According to court records, for several years between 2002 and 2014, Vigue conspired with Roger Belanger, Mark Tasker, and others to acquire oxycodone and cocaine in Rhode Island and distribute it in the Dexter area. Vigue is the 11th person to be sentenced in the case. On August 19, 2016, Belanger and his daughter, Kelli Mujo, were convicted of conspiracy and related charges following a jury trial.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, with assistance provided by the Dexter Police Department and the Penobscot and Somerset County Sheriffs’ Offices.
Scarborough Woman Charged with Embezzlement from a Health Care Benefit ProgramRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Carrie Caporino, 45, of Scarborough, Maine, was arrested on Tuesday and charged in U.S. District Court by criminal complaint with embezzling from a health care benefit program.
According to court records, from December 2015 to June 2017, Caporino was employed as the office manager for a Falmouth physician. The complaint affidavit alleges that she took about 600 checks totaling about $250,000 payable to the physician or the practice, and deposited them into her personal bank accounts, instead of the practice’s bank account.
She faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was part of the Department of Justice’s (DOJs’) Health Care Fraud Takedown announced today by Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, M.D., which is the largest health care fraud enforcement action in DOJ’s history.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
New York Man Sentenced to 24 Years on Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Malcolm Cowart, a/k/a “Prince”, 37, of Harlem, New York, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 24 years in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a kilogram or more of heroin, cocaine base, commonly known as “crack,” and oxycodone and for discharging a firearm during and in furtherance of that drug trafficking conspiracy. He pled guilty to the charges on January 6, 2017.
According to court records, from about November 2011 until March 2014, Cowart led a conspiracy that distributed heroin, crack, and oxycodone in Portland. The drugs were brought from the New York area by managers of the drug conspiracy. The managers stayed with Portland residents who were paid drugs and money for allowing the conspirators to use their apartments to distribute drugs. Managers dispatched runners to distribute the drugs throughout the Portland area.
In March 2013, Cowart had a falling out with Wayman Sparrow that led to the two of them engaging in a shootout inside the Lafayette Arms Apartments in Portland. In March 2014, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (“MDEA”) searched an apartment in Portland, encountered a manager fleeing out the back door, and seized about $25,000 in drug proceeds from him. Later that day, agents apprehended another manager traveling by bus from New York and seized about 400 grams of heroin from her.
This joint investigation was conducted by DEA, MDEA and the Portland Police Department, with valuable assistance provided by Maine State Police Crime Laboratory and the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to over Seven Years for Violent Home Invasion RobberyRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Juan Andino-Tirado, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 85 months in prison for robbery and aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to court records, on November 15, 2015, Andino-Tirado and four other men drove from Massachusetts to Wells, Maine, for the purpose of committing a home invasion robbery. Andino-Tirado and two co-defendants, Carlos Diaz and Javier Pagan Gonzalez, broke into the victim’s home. Diaz and Gonzalez brandished firearms. Andino-Tirado brandished a knife. Co-defendants Anthony Arrendell Pena and Marcos Hernandez remained outside the residence. The co-defendants stole $2,389 and 861 Oxycodone pills.
and Hernandez were previously sentenced to six years for their roles in the offense. Pena and Gonzalez pled guilty to their involvement in the robbery and await sentencing.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; and the Wells Police Department, with assistance from the Ogunquit Police Department, the Maine State Police, the Office of the Maine Attorney General, and the York County District Attorney’s Office.
Brewer Man Sentenced to 69 Months for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Ronald Boersma, 38, of Brewer, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 69 months in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release for possessing child pornography. Boersma pleaded guilty on November 18, 2016.
According to court records, in February of 2016, law enforcement, using a peer-to-peer file sharing program, downloaded files containing images of child pornography from the defendant’s home computer. A search warrant was subsequently obtained for the defendant’s residence where a forensic examination of the defendant’s computer revealed additional images of child pornography. On the day the search warrant was executed, the defendant was interviewed and admitted that he had searched for and downloaded sexually explicit images via the internet and that his specific interest was in females between 8 and 10 years of age.
The case was investigated by the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and the U.S. Secret Service.
Portland Man Sentenced to 3½ Years for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Glenn Strout, 54, of Portland, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 3½ years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release for possessing child pornography. Strout pleaded guilty on December 1, 2016.
According to court records, in November 2015, law enforcement agents were investigating the sharing of child pornography over the internet. As part of the investigation, agents downloaded child pornography images from a computer at Strout’s residence in Portland. A search warrant was obtained for the residence and during the warrant’s execution Strout admitted downloading child pornography. A forensic analysis of devices seized under the warrant revealed numerous child pornography still images and video files.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and the Portland Police Department. 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
Mexico Citizen Sentenced to a Year and a Day for Being in the United States After RemovalRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Presiliano Gonzalez Berruete, 53, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to one year and a day in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release for being an alien who entered the United States after having been removed and deported. He pleaded guilty on March 10, 2017.
According to court documents, on February 12, 2017, the defendant arrived at the Canada Border Services Agency in Woodstock, New Brunswick. He was refused entry to Canada and transported to the Houlton, Maine Port of Entry. A United States Custom and Border Protection (CBP) officer determined that the defendant was a citizen of Mexico who had been removed from the United States in 2010 after being convicted of a federal felony drug trafficking offense. The defendant returned to the United States without inspection at a place that was not designated for entry.
The case was investigated by CBP, Department of Homeland Security.
Madison Man Sentenced to 16 Months for Conspiring to Defraud the VARead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that David B. Watson, Sr., 56, of Madison, Maine was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 16 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to defraud the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Watson was also ordered to pay about $48,405 in restitution.
According to court records, the defendant conspired with his daughter-in-law to illegally obtain about $48,405 in VA compensation benefits for her. Watson submitted documents to the VA on her behalf, falsely claiming she had suffered from mental disabilities that were connected to her service in the U.S. Army and told her how she should falsely describe her mental condition to VA doctors.
The investigation was conducted by the Criminal Investigation Division of the VA Office of the Inspector General.
Optometry Practice Agrees to Pay $16,343 to Settle Civil Health Care Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy today announced that Brunswick Eye Care Associates, P.C. (“BECA”) has entered into a civil settlement agreement with the United States and the State of Maine in which it will pay $16,343 to resolve allegations that it submitted false claims to Medicare, TRICARE, the Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”), and MaineCare (Maine’s Medicaid program) from May 7, 2014 through April 29, 2016. MaineCare is primarily funded by the United States, which pays about two-thirds of all claims submitted to MaineCare.
According to a civil complaint filed today, BECA billed and received reimbursement from Medicare, TRICARE, the VA, and MaineCare for services provided by BECA, and then improperly used a portion of the funds received from these programs to pay the salary and benefits of a BECA employee who previously had been excluded from Federal health care programs and the MaineCare program. Prior to joining BECA, the employee had been excluded based upon her conviction for stealing drugs while employed as a pharmacy technician. Before employing this woman, BECA failed to ask her whether she had ever been excluded from participation in any Federal health care program or MaineCare. BECA also did not check the publicly available exclusion databases maintained by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General and MaineCare’s Program Integrity Unit, despite federal regulations prohibiting the employment of excluded providers.
Federal health care programs may not pay, directly or indirectly, for items or services furnished, ordered, or prescribed by excluded individuals or entities. This prohibition extends to administrative and clerical personnel, and is not limited to health care providers. By failing to abide by the requirements of the MaineCare and Federal health care programs regarding the employment of excluded individuals, BECA acted with reckless disregard of the falsity of the claims it submitted to MaineCare and Federal health care programs.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Maine. The civil action is docketed United States and the State of Maine v. Brunswick Eye Care Associates, P.C., 2:17-cv-257-DBH (D. Me.).
Waldo Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Jesse Newton, 29, of Waldo, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Newton also admitted in Court to violating terms of his supervised release.
Court records reveal that on July 13, 2016, Jesse Newton was serving a term of federal supervised release for a 2013 felony firearms conviction. U.S. Probation Officers and investigators employed by the Office of the Maine State Fire Marshal conducted searches of Newton’s residence. They discovered a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol, 9mm casings, rifle stocks, 46 marijuana plants and a cell phone. An examination of the contents of the cell phone along with DNA evidence and witness testimony established that Newton had possessed the firearm and had used it for target shooting.
Newton faces up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine for his unlawful firearm possession as well as an additional two years of imprisonment for violating the terms of his supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of presentence investigation and revocation reports by the United States Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Probation Office, the Office of the Maine State Fire Marshal, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office.
Chelsea Man Pleads Guilty to Theft of VA BenefitsRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Victor Lawrence, 63, of Chelsea, Maine pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to theft of travel reimbursement benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
According to court records, Lawrence submitted 77 claims from 2015 through 2016 to the VA for travel reimbursement, falsely claiming that he had driven nearly 100 miles to obtain treatment from the Togus VA Medical Center while he was in fact residing less than six miles away.
Lawrence faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Criminal Investigation Division of the V.A. Office of the Inspector General.
Windham Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Matthew Miller, 51, of Windham, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to accessing with intent to view material containing images of child pornography.
According to court records, in September 2016, investigators from Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit were investigating the exchange of child pornography over the internet. As part of the investigation, agents downloaded child pornography files from a computer that was making the files available. The computer was later determined to be at Miller’s residence in Windham. Investigators executed a search warrant at the residence, and found that Miller had been searching for and downloading child pornography to his computer using a peer-to-peer file-sharing network.
Miller faces a sentence of up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 United States Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit.
Portland Company Sentenced for Lacey Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that ISF Trading Company (“ISF”) of Portland, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to one year of probation for violating the Lacey Act. ISF was also fined $552,500 and ordered to forfeit $297,500. The Lacey Act is a federal law that prohibits trade in wildlife that has been illegally taken, possessed, transported or sold.
ISF is a Maine company engaged in the business of buying seafood, including live sea urchins, from Maine and Canadian suppliers, processing that seafood, and selling it to domestic and foreign, mostly Asian, markets. According to court records, ISF bought Canadian sea urchins from a Canadian supplier, TGK Fisheries of Grand Manan that was not authorized under Canadian law to export them to the United States. ISF brought them across the Calais Port of Entry under the false label of another Canadian supplier, Matthews Seafood (“Matthews”) of New Brunswick, Canada. At times, Matthews was authorized to export them. On seven occasions between December 31, 2010 and February 1, 2011, ISF illegally imported a total of about 48,000 pounds of sea urchins, whose processed roe was worth at least $172,800, from TGK through Calais under the Mathews label. The scheme was discovered in February 2011, when ISF attempted to import 8,000 pounds of sea urchins, using an invoice in the name of Matthews. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer became suspicious when he noticed that the totes containing the sea urchins did not have the labels required by law.
In pronouncing sentence, Judge Woodcock observed that ISF’s actions violated laws in two countries that were designed to protect the environment, marine resources and food safety. Those actions took advantage of the good faith of the citizens of those two countries and merited a significant penalty.
James Landon, Director of NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement stated that "illegal imports of fish or fish products harm honest fishermen, undercut importers and exporters who follow the law, and distort fair trade. OLE will continue to work with our counterparts at the Canadian Border Services Agency, Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Fisheries and Oceans Canada to combat illegal importation of fish or fish products across the US-Canada border."
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Enforcement, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations, the Canadian Border Services Agency, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Manchester Physician Agrees to Pay $133,464 to Settle Civil Health Care Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy today announced that Charles G. Landry, D.O. (“Dr. Landry”) has entered into a civil settlement agreement with the United States in which he will pay $133,464 to resolve allegations that from January 2011 through August 2014 he submitted false claims to Medicare.
According to a civil complaint, Dr. Landry is alleged to have violated the federal False Claims Acts by submitting claims for certain evaluation and management (“E&M”) services that were not eligible for payment under Medicare and submitting those claims knowing, deliberately ignoring or recklessly disregarding that they were false. Dr. Landry was not entitled to be paid for those E&M services because they were provided in connection with, and integral to, osteopathic manipulative treatment Dr. Landry performed on the same day. In total, Dr. Landry received $66,732 from the Medicare Trust Fund to which he was not entitled. The settlement amount represents twice the amount of damages incurred by the Medicare program.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General. The civil action is docketed United States v. Charles G. Landry, D.O., 17-cv-243 (D. Me.).
Kennebunk Man Sentenced to 2½ Years for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Justin Riggall, 37, of Kennebunk, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 2½ years in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of firearms by a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Riggall pleaded guilty on February 15, 2017.
Court records reveal that on February 9, 2016, the defendant handled two pistols being purchased by a girlfriend at the Kittery Trading Post. On February 22, 2016, the defendant was arrested in Biddeford after police officers encountered him driving his truck in a residential neighborhood at about 30 mph with his girlfriend leaning out of the open passenger’s side door. Both pistols, one of which was loaded, and several shell casings were found in the vehicle.
The defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms as the result of a 2012 conviction in Maine for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence involving his former spouse.
The investigation was conducted by the Biddeford Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Warren Man Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Shooting a Protected SealRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Joseph A. Martin, 54, of Warren, Maine, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Magistrate Judge John C. Nivison to three days imprisonment and a $1,000 fine for taking a federally-protected marine mammal.
According to court records, on October 10, 2016, the defendant was acting as captain of a fishing vessel. Off the coast of Acadia National Park, multiple protected seals began to approach the defendant’s fishing vessel. The defendant retrieved his rifle and began to shoot at the seals in the ocean. After the shooting, one seal could be seen floating in the water with a dark liquid surrounding its body. "Federal law provides great protection to the marine mammals that live in our waters," said James Landon, Director, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Law Enforcement (“OLE”). "OLE is dedicated to enforcing those laws and seeing that those who violate them are held accountable for their illegal actions."
The investigation was conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement.
Orland Woman Sentenced to 16 Months for Embezzling $142,000Read the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Carolyn J. Saunders, 57, of Orland, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 16 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for embezzlement from a health care practice. She was also ordered to pay full restitution to the victims of her crime. She pleaded guilty on September 16, 2016.
According to court records, from November 2011 until April 2015, Saunders, while employed as a financial administrator for Coastal Eye Care, PA and Coastal Eye Surgery Center, LLC, embezzled over $142,000 by stealing cash from the practices’ bank deposits.
At sentencing, Judge Woodcock noted that her criminal actions were aggravated by her spreading of falsehoods about her former employer after being fired for the thefts. Judge Woodcock found these defamatory actions to be “deplorable and egregious,” and concluded that the defendant stole money because she was “fundamentally dishonest.”
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Ellsworth Police Department.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Bank and Credit Card Fraud and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Steven Nygren, 50, of Salem, Massachusetts, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to bank fraud, credit card fraud and tax evasion charges.
According to court records, from June 2014 through August 2015, Nygren used his position as financial officer of a Brooklin, Maine business to forge and embezzle 63 checks worth over $732,000. In 2015, he charged $62,000 to business credit cards for unauthorized personal purchases. Finally, from 2010 through 2016, he evaded federal unemployment and income taxes.
Nygren faces up to 30 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, and five years of supervised release for bank fraud; up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release for access device fraud; and up to five years, a $100,000 fine, and three years of supervised release for tax evasion. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service.
French Citizen Pleads Guilty to Being in the United States IllegallyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Philippe Maurice, 50, a citizen of France, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to being an alien who was found in the United States after having been removed and deported.
Court documents reveal that on May 17, 2017, at approximately 3:55 p.m., U.S. Border Patrol agents found the defendant riding a bike on a dirt logging road in Portage, Maine. The defendant claimed he was a U.S. citizen. When an agent asked the defendant for proof of citizenship, he produced a French driver’s license. The defendant then acknowledged that he was a French citizen, that friends had dropped him off in Canada near the border, and that he entered the United States illegally by riding a bike through the closed St. Pamphile Port of Entry. Immigration records showed that the defendant had been removed from the United States in 2015.
The defendant faces up to two 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 U.S. Border Patrol.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Credit Card Fraud Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Yaisder Herrera Gargallo, 24, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Court records show that between about November 2015 and June 2016, the defendant and others used stolen credit and debit card numbers to purchase merchandise. In June 2016, as part of the conspiracy, the defendant and others traveled to Maine. On June 14, 2016, the defendant purchased over $400 worth of merchandise at a Portland Walgreens using a stolen card number belonging to a victim from New Gloucester, Maine. The next day, after the defendant made another fraudulent purchase using a different card number at another Portland Walgreens, store personnel notified the police and provided a license plate number.
On June 18, 2016, a Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped the vehicle in which the defendant and three other men were traveling. The stop led to their arrest and the discovery of merchandise, numerous fraudulent credit cards, and a laptop computer. The laptop computer was later found to contain credit card numbers and related data, including the stolen card number the defendant used to make the fraudulent purchase on June 14, 2016.
The defendant faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the conspiracy charge. He faces a mandatory sentence of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft charge, to be served consecutively to the sentence imposed for the conspiracy charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, the Portland Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service.
Easton Man Sentenced to 1½ Years for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Zane Wetzel, 31, of Easton, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 1½ years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for possessing child pornography. Wetzel pleaded guilty on December 28, 2016.
According to court records, on about May 14, 2015, Wetzel possessed image and video files depicting child pornography. Some of these files, which he had purposely sought out and downloaded from the internet, depicted the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children under the age of 12.
At sentencing, Judge Woodcock said of the minors depicted: “these young girls from around the world, who have been subjected to this abuse, are somebody’s daughters.” The judge went on to tell the defendant that his offense “is a serious crime that merits a significant penalty.”
The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. 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
Fairfield Man Convicted of Illegally Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Steven Lemieux, 54, of Fairfield, Maine, was convicted yesterday following a jury trial in U.S. District Court of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition.
Court records and trial evidence revealed that in December 2016, Lemieux possessed seven firearms and 784 rounds of ammunition. He was prohibited from possessing firearms of ammunition due to a 2006 federal felony conviction for providing false information to a federal firearm licensee.
Lemieux 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 investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Fairfield Police Department.
Buxton Man Sentenced to 20 Years on Drug and Firearms Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Dale Pinkham, 57, of Buxton, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Portland to 20 years in prison following convictions for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, Conspiracy to Possess Stolen Firearms and Attempted Witness Tampering.
co-conspirators, Dale M. Pinkham Jr., 26, Raymond T. Pinkham, 23, and Robert C. Bean-Pinkham, 21, also of Buxton, Maine, pled guilty and were sentenced by the Court last year. In April 2016, Robert Bean-Pinkham was sentenced to 40 months in prison for conspiring to possess and possessing stolen firearms. That same month Dale Pinkham Jr. was sentenced to 64 months in prison for conspiring to distribute heroin, conspiring to possess stolen firearms and possessing firearms as a prohibited person. In May 2016, Raymond Pinkham was sentenced to 52 months in prison for conspiring to possess and possessing stolen firearms.
According to court records, from around November 2012 until November 2014, Pinkham conspired with members of his family and others to distribute heroin. Pinkham traveled with Dale Pinkham Jr. to obtain heroin from a source in the Lawrence, Massachusetts area. On December 6, 2013, a search warrant executed at the Pinkhams’ residence in Buxton resulted in the seizure of about 20 grams of heroin and numerous firearms. Agents also recovered a stolen firearm from a vehicle operated by Raymond Pinkham. On October 11, 2014, a search warrant executed at the Pinkhams’ Buxton residence resulted in the seizure of seven stolen firearms. In November 2014, law enforcement agents recovered 11 additional stolen firearms possessed by the co-conspirators. The Court found that between May 2013 and September 2014, Pinkham was distributing no less than 200 grams of heroin per month. The Court also found that Pinkham encouraged his heroin customers to commit thefts and burglaries in order to obtain valuable items to trade for heroin, including firearms, electronics and building materials. Pinkham also traded firearms to his Massachusetts supplier in exchange for heroin.
Pinkham was arrested on October 11, 2014, and has remained in state or federal custody since that date. While incarcerated, the Court found, Pinkham directed family members and co-conspirators to relocate stolen firearms from the Buxton residence to avoid their recovery by law enforcement. Writing from jail, Pinkham directed family members to locate and threaten suspected government witnesses, provide false information to law enforcement, and contact his heroin source in Massachusetts in an effort to perpetuate the drug trafficking conspiracy.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maine State Police, with assistance from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the York and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Offices, the Buxton Police Department, and the Office of the Maine Attorney General. This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Dresden Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Daniel Pallis, 29, of Dresden, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”
According to court records, between January 2015 and October 2016, Pallis conspired with others to distribute heroin and crack throughout communities in Central Maine. He distributed drugs that he had obtained from other co-conspirators. Investigators used a confidential informant to order drugs from one co-conspirator, who directed the informant to Pallis, who then completed the transaction.
The charge carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. Pallis 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 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.
Norridgewock Man Sentenced to Four Years for Distributing OxycodoneRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Brandon Lancaster, 21, of Norridgewock, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to four years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for distributing oxycodone. Lancaster pleaded guilty on February 22, 2017.
According to court records, on August 31, 2016, Lancaster sold eleven 30 mg oxycodone pills to an individual working with law enforcement for $500.
In imposing the sentence, Judge John Woodcock noted that illegal drug distribution has an “insidious impact on the fabric of a community” and that individuals who get involved in the drug trade begin “dancing with the devil.” Judge Woodcock admonished Lancaster for being a “traitor to the community.”
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that William Curtis Oliver, 53, of Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, and formerly of Dougherty County, Georgia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing child pornography.
Court records reveal that in January 2016, a detective with the Rosenberg, Texas police department, who was affiliated with the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, was monitoring certain internet sites. The detective was working in an undercover capacity and posing as a 14-year-old female child (“UC”). On January 27, 2016, the defendant wrote to the UC about traveling from Maine to see the UC and have sex. Over the next few weeks, the defendant sent several text messages to the UC. On about February 2, 2016, the defendant, using his cellular telephone, sent several images of prepubescent girls engaged in sexually explicit conduct to the UC.
defendant has been in custody since his arrest on September 15, 2016 following a related investigation by federal and state authorities that revealed that, in 2012, the defendant had been convicted of child molestation in Georgia and had moved to Maine in December 2015 without complying with federal sex offender registry requirements. On December 13, 2016, Oliver pleaded guilty to having failed to register as a sex offender.
Oliver faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the child pornography charge. Because of his child molestation conviction, he may face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. The defendant will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Rosenberg, Texas Police Department; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshal’s Service and the Dover-Foxcroft Police Department.
Winter Harbor Man Sentenced to Five Years for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Jack Palmer, 66, of Winter Harbor, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to five years in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release for possession of child pornography. Palmer was convicted on September 13, 2016 following a jury trial.
The evidence at trial revealed that on October 23, 2014, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Palmer’s residence where they recovered a laptop computer and compact disks. A forensic examination of these items revealed over 300 images and videos of child pornography. During two separate interviews with law enforcement, Palmer admitted to searching for, viewing, and collecting child pornography.
At sentencing, Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. noted that Palmer had done something “terribly wrong” and that the images of child pornography were “abhorrent.” Judge Woodcock admonished Palmer for committing a “terrible crime against children.”
The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. 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
Lewiston Man Sentenced to Six Years for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Nicholas Coy, 32, of Lewiston, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to six years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court records, on December 12, 2016, Lewiston police officers responding to a 911 call at an apartment on Knox Street encountered Coy behaving irrationally and appearing to be under the influence of a controlled substance. While inside the apartment, the police recovered a handgun belonging to Coy. Coy was prohibited from possessing firearms based on prior felony convictions for robbery, aggravated assault and theft.
The case was investigated by the Lewiston Police Department; the U.S. Marshals Service; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Berwick Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Adam Brake, 29, of Berwick, Maine pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to illegally possessing firearms.
According to court records, in May 2016, Brake committed eight burglaries in the Berwick area. He traded some of the stolen items for heroin in Lawrence, Massachusetts and hid other items in a wooded area in Berwick. Law enforcement agents recovered items stolen during six of the burglaries, including nine firearms. Brake was prohibited from possessing firearms because of a prior drug felony conviction.
Brake 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 North Berwick, South Berwick, Berwick, Wells and Eliot Police Departments; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
South Portland Woman Pleads Guilty to Mail TheftRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Norma J. Duhamel, 71, of South Portland, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to stealing mail.
According to court documents, between August and October of 2016, Duhamel stole mail containing bank checks and a credit card from mailboxes of residents of Cumberland, Maine. She cashed about $1,125 worth of stolen checks and charged about $105 on the credit card.
The defendant faces up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Former Bath Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate Travel to have Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that David Miller, 54, of Flushing, Michigan (and formerly of Bath, Maine) pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Court records reveal that during the summer of 1995, Miller, then 33, was working as a long-haul truck driver. In June and July of 1995, Miller took a thirteen-year-old relative with him on two interstate trips. During these trips, he engaged in sexual activity with this relative. Federal agents began investigating Miller in 2015 when the relative reported the abuse to authorities after seeing a Facebook photograph of Miller with a five-year-old child sitting on his lap. In October 2016, Miller was interviewed by federal agents in Michigan and admitted sexually abusing his relative during the 1995 interstate trips.
Under federal law, the statute of limitations for the offenses did not expire before Congress extended it to the life of the child in 2003. Where a statute of limitations has been extended by Congress, it may be applied to crimes that preceded enactment so long as the prior statute of limitations has not expired.
The defendant faces a sentence of between 10 years and life 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 investigation was conducted by the Bath Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 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.
Limington Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Distributing MethadoneRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Alfred McIntosh, Jr., a/k/a “Bim,” 45, of Limington, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 12 years in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release for distributing methadone.
According to court records, on June 1, 2012, McIntosh burglarized the residence of a family member and stole methadone. On June 7, 2012, he distributed some of the stolen methadone to Drew Conners who consumed some of it and passed away on June 8, 2012 from acute methadone toxicity.
This case results from an investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Buxton, Windham and Portland Police Departments, and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
Lewiston Man Pleads Guilty to Credit Union RobberyRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Brent Roaix, 33, of Lewiston, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to robbing a federally insured credit union.
According to court records, on January 25, 2017, Roaix entered a Rainbow Federal Credit Union in Lewiston and gave a handwritten note to a teller demanding money and stating that he was armed. The teller gave him money and he absconded on foot. Shortly thereafter, Lewiston police officers found him hiding in a nearby apartment, arrested him, and recovered all of the stolen money.
The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
This investigation was conducted by the Lewiston Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
New Hampshire Man Sentenced to over 10 Years for Home Invasion RobberyRead the Press Release
Contact: Benjamin M. Block
May 17, 2017 Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Xavier Watson, 24, of Brentwood, New Hampshire, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 121 months in prison and three years of supervised release following convictions for robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Watson pleaded guilty to the charges on October 5, 2016.
According to court records, early on January 15, 2016, Watson and four other men drove from New Hampshire to Lyman, Maine, for the purpose of committing a home invasion robbery of a licensed medical marijuana caregiver. Watson and three of the men broke into the home, brandishing two firearms – a pistol and a shotgun. Watson possessed the pistol and co-defendant Vincent Casazza possessed the shotgun. Five victims were present in the residence. Watson physically assaulted a male victim. Records introduced by the government at sentencing indicate that Watson also sexually assaulted a 17-year-old female victim during the robbery. Watson and his co-conspirators stole three firearms from the residence, as well as U.S. currency, marijuana, various electronics, and other items of value.
Watson's co-defendants, Vincent Casazza, Reynan Mora, and Andre Thomas, have pleaded guilty in federal court to their involvement in the robbery but have not yet been sentenced.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Maine State Police, with assistance from the Office of the Maine Attorney General and the York County District Attorney’s Office.
Detroit Man Pleads Guilty in Case Involving BitcoinsRead the Press Release
Contact: Michael J. Conley
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Sal Mansy, 41, of Detroit, Michigan, and TV TOYZ, LLC, a Michigan corporation, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to operating an unlicensed money service business.
According to court documents, Mansy bought and sold approximately $2,400,000 worth of the virtual currency “Bitcoin” for profit online between August 2013 and June 2015. Mansy would funnel proceeds from his Bitcoin sales through the business bank account of TV TOYZ, a limited liability corporation he owned and operated.
A year-long investigation into Mansy’s activities culminated in June 2015 with a search of his Detroit residence and the seizure of three of his bank accounts, containing a combined total of $118,134.57.
Mansy engaged in the buying and selling of Bitcoin for profit without ever registering his money service business with federal authorities. Through this failure to register, Mansy violated Title 18, United States Code, Section 1960, which makes it a crime to transfer money for others as a business without obtaining appropriate licenses.
Mansy faces up to five 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 investigation was conducted by the Portland, Maine and Detroit, Michigan offices of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; and the Saco Police Department.
Cushing Man Sentenced to One Month for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Joseph Dinapoli, 28, of Cushing, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to 30 days in prison and three years of supervised release for possessing firearms after being convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. He pled guilty on August 22, 2016.
According to court records, in June 2008, Dinapoli was convicted of Domestic Violence Assault, a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, and as a result was prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms. In June 2014, Dinapoli was found in possession of two handguns.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
New York Man Sentenced to 2½ Years for Heroin and Crack DistributionRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Charles Flores, 27, of Bronx, New York was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 2½ years in prison and three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack”. Flores pled guilty on January 9, 2017.
Court records reveal that on March 21, 2016, federal agents responding to a tip went to a hotel in Brunswick, Maine and observed Flores engage in what appeared to be a drug deal. A search of Flores and his hotel room resulted in the seizure of heroin, crack and $6,900.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine State Police and the Lewiston Police Department, and investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Portland Man Sentenced to Six Months for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Pablo Martinez, 40, most recently of Portland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to six months in prison and five years of supervised release for failure to register as a sex offender. He pled guilty on January 31, 2017.
According to court documents, Martinez was required to register for life as a result of a 1997 New York state conviction for the second degree rape of a 13-year-old girl. Martinez registered in New York until 2002. In May 2002, he moved and stopped registering, and a warrant issued for his arrest. Over the next 13 years, Martinez lived in various places including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Missouri, but did not register. In August 2015, he moved to Portland, but again, did not register. In October 2015, he was arrested in Portland for assaulting his girlfriend.
In pronouncing sentence, Judge Levy stated that Martinez’ failure to register for 13 years was a serious violation that frustrated the registration law’s purpose to protect the public.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Augusta Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing MailRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Amanda K. Wentzell, 26, of Augusta, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to stealing mail while being a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee.
According to court documents, in February 2016, the defendant began working as a retail clerk the post office in Temple, Maine. In July 2016, a Temple resident complained that his son had not received a prepaid debit card sent to him by U.S. mail. Investigation revealed that the defendant activated the debit card and used it to make two purchases totaling the $100 value of the debit card, she had been “rifling” mail, and between about April and August 2016, she took and opened several pieces of mail that were being processed by the post office. On August 9, 2016, the defendant resigned her USPS position.
Wentzell faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the USPS, Office of Inspector General.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 7½ Years for a Heroin Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Victor Rosario, 32, of Lawrence, Massachusetts was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 7½ years in prison and four years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute heroin. Rosario pled guilty on January 6, 2017.
Court records reveal that between July 2015 and January 2016, Rosario regularly supplied heroin to several Maine residents who transported it from Lawrence to Maine and distributed some of it to associates and customers. In January 2016, state agents seized over 100 grams of heroin from one of Rosario’s Maine customers who was returning to Maine after purchasing it from Rosario. Federal agents later arranged for the covert purchase of heroin from Rosario in Lawrence.
This case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Maine State Police, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Herman Woman Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Issuing Postal Money OrdersRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Allison Pluard, 30, of Herman, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to fraudulently issuing postal money orders.
Court records reveal that Pluard was employed at C&K Variety, a Contract Postal Unit (CPU) in Hermon. Between September and November 2016, she purchased low-denomination postal money orders from the CPU, but fraudulently imprinted them for up to $1,000. When confronted by inspectors, she confessed. The loss exceeds $4,200.
Pluard faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Bangor Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Shirley Reynolds, 60, of Bangor, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to stealing Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. SSI benefits are paid to people with limited income who are blind, disabled or elderly.
Court records reveal that between 2009 and October 2016, Reynolds falsely represented to the Social Security Administration (SSA) that she was living alone. In fact, she was living with her husband. When confronted by investigators, Reynolds said that she lied because she knew that her SSI benefits would be reduced or eliminated if she disclosed her true living situation.
defendant faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She will be sentenced after completion of presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the SSA, Office of the Inspector General.
Kittery Man Sentenced to over Three Years for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Zachary Spinney, 36, of Kittery, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 38 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm while being subject to a protection from abuse order. Spinney pleaded guilty to the charge on November 28, 2016.
According to court records and proceedings, in July 2016, Spinney and his girlfriend purchased a Ruger, model AR556, 5.56mm semi-automatic rifle and over 180 rounds of ammunition from a licensed firearms dealer. Security footage captured Spinney carrying the ammunition out of the store. Later that day, Spinney fired the rifle at a sand pit in Eliot. Spinney was prohibited from possessing the firearm because of a March 2016 protection from abuse order issued in Maine.
In imposing sentence, Chief Judge Torresen heard testimony describing the defendant’s significant history of domestic violence and varied his sentence up five months from the top of the guideline range in order to protect the public.
The investigation was conducted by the Kittery Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Bangor Man Sentenced to over 18 Years for Conspiring to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Mario Lee, a/k/a “Moe”, 42, of Bangor, and formerly of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 218 months in prison and eight years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. Lee pled guilty on October 31, 2016.
According to court records, between August 2013 and September 2015, Lee conspired with others to distribute heroin in the Bangor area and elsewhere. Lee supplied heroin to dealers in the Bangor area and surrounding communities. Co-conspirators introduced customers to Lee, drove him to heroin transactions and allowed him to use their residences to distribute heroin. Lee paid them with heroin. Lee faced enhanced penalties as a result of a prior drug trafficking conviction in New York.
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Auburn Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Distributing HeroinRead the Press Release
Contact: Jamie R. Guerrette
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Darnell Robinson, a/k/a “Butta,” age 30, of Auburn, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to eight years in prison and three years of supervised release for distributing heroin. He pled guilty on January 12, 2017.
Court records reveal that on April 27, 2016, a witness working with federal agents purchased $1,000 worth of heroin from Robinson in Auburn. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement agents seized heroin from a customer who acquired it from Robinson.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine State Police, the Lewiston and Auburn Police Departments and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Damariscotta Dentist Agrees to Pay $90,000 to Settle Civil Health Care Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
Contact: Sheila W. Sawyer
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy today announced that Joseph W. Griffin, D.M.D. (“Dr. Griffin”) has entered into a civil settlement agreement with the United States and the State of Maine in which he will pay $90,000 to resolve allegations that he submitted false claims to MaineCare (Maine’s Medicaid program) from July 1, 2014 through July 1, 2015. MaineCare is primarily funded by the United States which pays about two-thirds of all claims submitted to MaineCare.According to a civil complaint, Dr. Griffin was alleged to have violated the state and federal False Claims Acts by submitted claims totaling $164,972 to MaineCare for dental services that were not rendered, were medically unnecessary, or were so inadequately documented in the patient’s medical record as to be unreviewable, all in violation of the requirements of the MaineCare Program. The settlement amount reflected Dr. Griffin’s inability to repay the full amount improperly billed and his retirement from his dentistry practice.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General and Maine Attorney General’s Health Care Crimes Unit. The civil action is docketed United States and the State of Maine v. Joseph W. Griffin, D.M.D., 2:17-cv-00162-JAW (D. Me.).Corinna Man Sentenced to 11 Years on Cocaine and Oxycodone Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Joel B. Casey
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Roger Belanger, 59, of Corinna, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 11 years in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone and cocaine. Belanger was convicted following a jury trial on August 19, 2016.
The evidence at trial revealed that between 2002 and 2014, the defendant and his daughter, Kelli Mujo, ran a cocaine and oxycodone distribution conspiracy that stretched from Rhode Island to the Dexter, Maine area. Belanger was central to the organization of the conspiracy and was directly involved in obtaining over 22 kilograms of cocaine and thousands of oxycodone pills in Rhode Island and arranging their transportation to Maine where it was distributed in Dexter and the surrounding communities.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, with assistance provided by the Dexter Police Department, and the Penobscot and Somerset County Sheriff’s Offices.