District of Maine
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud, Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Luis Medina, 49, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to submitting a false document to a government agency, social security fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court records, in August 2015, Medina, who was working for an asbestos abatement contractor, used a false name and social security number to gain access to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery. Based on the false information, Medina was cleared for access to the shipyard.
Medina faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the false document and social security fraud charges and a mandatory consecutive two-year sentence on the aggravated identity theft 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 Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the New Hampshire State Police; and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General.
Falmouth Doctor Sentenced to Two Years for Tax Evasion, Illegal Drug Distribution and Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
Contact: David B. Joyce
James W. Chapman, Jr.
Assistant United States Attorneys
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Dr. Joel A. Sabean, 69, of Falmouth, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to two years in prison and three years of supervised release for tax evasion, drug distribution for other than legitimate purposes, and health care fraud. He was also ordered to pay $5,311 in restitution, file amended tax returns and pay all outstanding tax obligations. He was convicted following a two-week jury trial on November 18, 2016.
According to court records, between January 2008 and December 2013, the defendant sent over $2.3 million to a relative who resided in Florida and had her fabricate and send him phony medical bills so that he could write off about $3 million in medical expenses on his 2008 through 2012 income tax returns. From 2007 through 2014, the defendant also wrote invalid prescriptions for the relative, in her name and the names of others, for controlled and non-controlled drugs, some of which were illegally reimbursed by the defendant’s insurance company that did not cover the relative. These prescriptions were invalid because, among other things, they were issued to a close family member who was not a patient without a medical examination.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Portsmouth (NH) Tactical Diversion Squad.
Winslow Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Contact: Jody Mullis
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Darrin Cates, 47, of Winslow, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S District Court by Judge John A Woodcock, Jr. to 10 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release for possessing child pornography. Cates pleaded guilty on October 23, 2015.
According to court records, on January 9, 2015, law enforcement authorities executed a search warrant at Cates’s residence and seized computer equipment. A forensic examination revealed about 550 images and 276 videos of child pornography depicting two to 11-year-old children. Cates admitted that he possessed large quantities of child pornography and that he was interested in eight to 12-year-old girls.
In imposing sentence, Judge John Woodcock noted that the images were “egregious,” “disturbing” and “abhorrent” and said that Cates “committed a crime that touches upon a societal nerve,” and that it was “profoundly troubling” that Cates collected such “truly sick images.”
The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Westbrook Men Indicted for SNAP and WIC Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact: James W. Chapman, Jr.
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that brothers Ali Ratib Daham, 40, and Abdulkareem Daham, 21, of Westbrook, Maine, were charged by indictment today in U.S. District Court with conspiracy to defraud and to commit offenses against the United States. In addition, Ali Ratib Daham was charged with SNAP and WIC trafficking, wire fraud, money laundering and theft of government funds. The charges arise out of the defendants’ operation of Ahram Halal Market on Forest Avenue in Portland. Ali Ratib Daham was the owner and operator of the market; Abdulkareem was an employee.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”) is a federal government program, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, designed to raise the level of nutrition among low-income households. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (“WIC”) is a federal program that provides supplemental food, health care referrals and nutrition for certain low-income women, and to infants and children up to age five who were found to be nutritionally at risk.
The indictment alleges that from about June 2011 until about April 2016, the defendants engaged in a SNAP and WIC trafficking conspiracy by allowing customers to exchange SNAP benefits and WIC checks for cash at a discounted rate and allowing SNAP benefits to be used to purchase ineligible goods or services or illegally pay off credit accounts at the market. The indictment also alleges that Ali Ratib Daham allowed customers to exchange SNAP benefits for cash or use their SNAP benefits to pay down credit accounts, allowed customers to redeem WIC coupons for cash, committed wire fraud by allowing a customer to use an EBT card containing SNAP benefits to obtain cash at a discounted rate, laundered proceeds of SNAP trafficking, and stole about $39,000 in SNAP and MaineCare benefits by failing to report or update changes to his income and assets with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (“MDHHS”).
Both defendants face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the conspiracy charge. In addition, Ali Ratib Daham faces up to five years in prison on the WIC and SNAP trafficking charges, up to 20 years on each of the wire fraud and money laundering charges, up to ten years on the theft charges and up to a $250,000 fine on each count.
"I am extremely grateful to MDHHS' investigative team for their incredible work on uncovering and prosecuting potential welfare fraud; I am committed to maintaining this focus to ensure our limited taxpayer dollars are going toward those who truly need them. The collaboration between our Department and the FBI highlights the importance of working together to protect the integrity of our welfare system. I also appreciate the work done by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) that led to the indictment.” said MDHHS Commissioner Mary Mayhew.
This case is being investigated by the FBI; the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General; the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and the MDHHS, Fraud Investigation and Recovery Unit.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed to be innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Standish Man Sentenced to a Year and a Day in Prison for Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
Contact: James W. Chapman, Jr.
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Paulo D. Braga, 66, of Standish, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to one year and a day in prison for health care fraud. He was also ordered to pay $89,445 in restitution. Braga pleaded guilty to the offense on November 29, 2016.
According to court records, from 2010 to 2013, the defendant was a licensed clinical professional counselor who had offices in Portland and Windham, Maine. He billed MaineCare through a third-party mental health agency that required him to submit progress notes for each counseling session. MaineCare is part of the federal Medicaid program. Braga hired former mental health and substance abuse clients as office assistants and then instructed them to create and then sign his name to progress notes based on past progress notes, or that they created using their “imagination.” He instructed them to bill for sessions based on his calendar of appointments, regardless of whether the client showed up for the appointment. He also instructed his office assistants to always bill for the maximum number of sessions for a client that MaineCare allowed under its cap. As a result, his staff submitted progress notes to his billing agency that contained false information or dates-of-service and caused MaineCare to pay for counseling sessions that never took place.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations and the Healthcare Crimes Unit of the Maine Attorney General’s Office.
South African Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Sexually Exploiting a Minor and Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Denver Carolissen, 42, of Kuilsrivier, South Africa, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 25 years in prison and 15 years of supervised release for sexually exploiting a minor and transporting child pornography. Carolissen pleaded guilty on December 8, 2016.
According to court records, in 2010, Carolissen, who was in South Africa, took several sexually explicit photographs of a minor girl. In September 2014, he sent the photographs to undercover federal agents in Maine investigating the online exchange of child pornography. He also sent child pornography images depicting other children to the investigators. He was indicted in the District of Maine in November 2014, and arrested by South African authorities. Following his arrest, he admitted that he had engaged in sexual activity with the minor girl, taken photos and video footage of the activity, and sent images to other individuals using the internet.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offenses Unit of the South African Police Service.
Glenburn Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Contact: Jody Mullis
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Jonathan Gardiner, 31, of Glenburn, Maine pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, on November 13, 2014, law enforcement officers recovered a 12-gauge shotgun in the attic of the defendant’s residence and a 9-mm pistol on the ground behind the residence. Forensic testing revealed that the defendant held both firearms. Gardiner was prohibited from possessing firearms because of Maine felony convictions for burglary, aggravated assault, theft by unlawful use of property, and drug trafficking.
If Gardiner is found to be an armed career criminal, he faces an enhanced sentence of between 15 years and life in prison, five years of supervised release, 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 Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Maine State Police Crime Laboratory.
Connecticut Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution ChargeRead 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 Luis Hernandez, 35, of Waterbury, Connecticut, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to distribution of heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”
According to court records, on November 30, 2016, Hernandez distributed heroin and crack to an individual working with the law enforcement agents at a residence in Hermon, Maine.
The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency 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.
Newport Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin Conspiracy ChargeRead 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 Todd Shorey, 52, of Newport, Maine, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin.
According to court records, between May 2015 and January 2016, Shorey conspired with Jamie Akerson and others to distribute over a kilogram of heroin. Shorey, Akerson and others obtained large quantities of heroin on a weekly basis from an out-of-state source and had it distributed throughout Central Maine. Jamie Akerson pled guilty to the same charge on April 14, 2017.
The charge carries a sentence of between 10 years and life in prison, an $8,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance provided by the Maine State Police; and investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Former Lewiston Man Sentenced to Nine Years for Crack Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Lamar Young, 30, formerly of Lewiston, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to nine years in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” He pleaded guilty on November 28, 2016.
According to court records, in late 2012 and early 2013, Young and other conspirators sold cocaine base out of an apartment in Lewiston. The conspirators pooled money to purchase powder cocaine and crack from suppliers in Massachusetts, had it transported to Maine, cooked powder cocaine into crack, and packaged it for distribution from the apartment.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Lewiston Police Department; and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.Bangor Man Sentenced to Almost 11 Years on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: F. Todd Lowell
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Ernest R. Cook, 58, of Bangor, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 130 months in prison and 15 years of supervised release for possessing child pornography and using the internet intending to view child pornography. He was also ordered to pay $16,500 in restitution. Cook pleaded guilty on November 18, 2016.
Court records reveal that on December 21, 2014, the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office received information that the defendant had images of child pornography on his computer. The sheriff’s office executed a search warrant and seized the defendant’s computer and a flash drive. A forensic examination by the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit (MSPCCU) revealed that the defendant used his computer to search for child pornography on the internet and saved those images to the flash drive.
In imposing sentence, Judge Woodcock said: “Society will not tolerate what you are doing.”
The investigation was conducted by the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office, the MSPCCU and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Bangor Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
Contact: Jody Mullis
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that John Oliveira, 32, of Bangor, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court records, on August 16 and 17, 2016, Oliveira sold fentanyl to a witness working with law enforcement.
Oliveira faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, and between three years and a lifetime of supervised release. 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 Drug Enforcement Agency and investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Portland Man Sentenced to 14 Months for Misusing a Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
Contact: James W. Chapman, Jr.
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Carlos Rafael Acosta-Joaquin, a/k/a “Kelvin Valle-Alicea,” 31, of Portland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 14 months in prison and two years of supervised release for misusing a social security number assigned to another person. On October 26, 2016, the defendant was convicted after a three-day jury trial.
The evidence at trial established that the defendant, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, entered the United States through Puerto Rico without proper documentation after he purchased the social security card and birth certificate of Kelvin Valle-Alicea, a citizen of Puerto Rico. In 2015, while assuming Valle-Alicea’s identity, the defendant used Valle-Alicea’s name and social security number on a state court form after he received a speeding ticket.
Acosta-Joaquin has been in custody since February 24, 2016, when U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agents arrested him on immigration charges. Federal agents arrested him on social security fraud charges the next day. A condition of supervised release requires that he surrender to immigration authorities upon his release from prison.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Fraud Investigations and Recovery Unit.
Scarborough Man Sentenced to 33 Months on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Contact: Darcie N. McElwee
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Primo Tosi a/k/a “Brian”, 31, of Scarborough, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a person subject to a protection order. Tosi pleaded guilty to the charge on October 31, 2016.
Court records reveal that in May 2016, officers of the Scarborough Police Department responded to a call from Tosi’s former girlfriend who reported being threatened with a firearm by him. While later executing a search warrant, officers seized a 12 gauge shotgun and ammunition in Tosi’s bedroom and an antique rifle. Tosi was prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of a protection from abuse order issued by the Maine District Court in Bridgton in January 2016.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Hornby departed upward one year from the advisory sentencing guideline range because of Tosi’s prior criminal history that included four convictions for misdemeanor crimes involving domestic violence against three different women and due to his risk of recidivism.
The investigation was conducted by the Scarborough Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing CrackRead the Press Release
Contact: Jody Mullis
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Adam Williams, a/k/a “Pacman,” 36, of Worcester, Massachusetts pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to distribution of cocaine base, commonly known as crack.
According to court records, on April 10, 2015, a witness working with law enforcement, purchased $200 worth of crack from Williams in Bangor.
Williams faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, and between three years and a lifetime of supervised release. 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 Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Brewer Man Sentenced to 2½ Years for Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Contact: Jody Mullis
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Walter Botelho, 52, of Brewer, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 2½ years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of firearms. Botelho pleaded guilty on September 2, 2016.
According to court records, on May 2, 2016, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the defendant’s Brewer residence and recovered, among other things, two rifles and two shotguns. The defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions for first-degree manslaughter (New York), receiving stolen goods (Rhode Island), and assault and battery (Massachusetts).
In imposing a sentence, Judge Woodcock noted that Botelho had “a problem beating up women,” noted that some of Botelho’s prior criminal conduct was “chilling,” and warned that if he did not turn his life around, his dream of having a stable life in Maine would “turn into a nightmare for others.”
The investigation was conducted by the Brewer Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
South Paris Woman Pleads Guilty to Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
Contact: Darcie N. McElwee
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Stephanie Knightly, 50, of South Paris, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to 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 she 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.
Knightly faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She will be sentenced after completion of a pre-sentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police; the Lewiston Police Department; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced to Time Served for Failure to Present at a Border CrossingRead the Press Release
Contact: Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Rocky Allen Resides, 27, of Xenia, Ohio, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to time-served in U.S. District Court by Magistrate Judge John C. Nivison for unlawfully entering the United States without presenting himself at a border crossing point.
According to court records, on April 2, 2017, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered Resides walking on U.S. Route 1 in Calais, Maine near the Canadian border. The investigation revealed that Resides illegally entered Canada in July 2016 and did not return to the United States on April 2, 2017 through a border crossing point.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol.
Former Westbrook Tax Collector Sentenced to Six Months for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
Contact: Richard W. Murphy
Acting United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Ann Marie Williams, 52, of Falmouth, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby, to six months in prison and three years of supervised release for embezzling funds from the City of Westbrook while employed as the City’s Tax Collector. Williams was also ordered to pay $118,000 in restitution. She pleaded guilty on September 19, 2016.
According to court records, from July 2015 through April 2016, while employed as the Tax Collector for Westbrook, Williams embezzled a portion of cash tax payments made by residents. She concealed her thefts by altering records reflecting the amount of cash tax payments that had actually been received by the City.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Colorado Man Sentenced to Ten Years for Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Anthony Derrico, 36, of Grand Junction, Colorado, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to 10 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release for transporting child pornography. He was also ordered to pay a total of $10,000 in restitution to children who were depicted in child pornography images he possessed. He pleaded guilty on November 21, 2016.
According to court records, in May 2016, a federal agent in Maine investigating the online exchange of child pornography saw that an individual, later identified as Derrico, posted child pornography images to an online chat group. In a later private chat session with the agent, Derrico expressed an interest in child pornography, and sent the agent three child pornography images. The agent learned that Derrico, who was a truck driver, was driving from Idaho to Texas. Derrico was found in Laredo, Texas and arrested in his truck. Memory cards seized at the time of his arrest contained numerous child pornography images.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Two Men Indicted in Maine for Illegally Trafficking American EelsRead the Press Release
William Sheldon, 71, of Woolwich, Maine, and Timothy Lewis, 46, of Phippsburg, Maine, were each indicted in Portland, Maine, with crimes related to illegally trafficking juvenile American eels, also known as “elvers” or “glass eels.” A seven-count indictment was returned on March 1, charging Sheldon with conspiracy to smuggle elvers and violate the Lacey Act. A two-count indictment was returned on March 29, charging Lewis with conspiracy to traffic elvers and violate the Lacey Act. Sheldon was arraigned today in U.S. District Court in Portland. An arraignment for Lewis will be scheduled in the future.
The indictments were announced today by Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and Acting Director Jim Kurth of the USFWS.
These indictments were the result of “Operation Broken Glass,” a multi-jurisdiction U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) investigation into the illegal trafficking of American eels. To date, the investigation has resulted in these two indictments, as well as guilty pleas for eleven individuals in Maine, Virginia and South Carolina. These eleven defendants combined have admitted to illegally trafficking more than $2.75 million worth of elvers.
Eels are highly valued in east Asia for human consumption. Historically, Japanese and European eels were harvested to meet this demand; however, overfishing has led to a decline in the population of these eels. As a result, harvesters have turned to the American eel to fill the void resulting from the decreased number of Japanese and European eels.
American eels spawn in the Sargasso Sea, an area of the North Atlantic Ocean bounded on all sides by ocean currents. They then travel as larvae from the Sargasso to the coastal waters of the eastern U.S., where they enter a juvenile or elver stage, swim upriver and grow to adulthood in fresh water. Elvers are exported for aquaculture in east Asia, where they are raised to adult size and sold for food. Harvesters and exporters of American eels in the U.S. can sell elvers to east Asia for more than $2000 per pound.
Because of the threat of overfishing, elver harvesting is prohibited in the U.S. in all but two states: Maine and South Carolina. Maine and South Carolina heavily regulate elver fisheries, requiring that individuals be licensed and report all quantities of harvested eels to state authorities.
The offense in this case is a felony under the Lacey Act, each carrying a maximum penalty of five years’ incarceration, a fine of up to $250,000 or up to twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss, or both.
Operation Broken Glass was conducted by the USFWS and the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section in collaboration with the Maine Marine Patrol, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division, New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife Bureau of Law Enforcement, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Conservation Police, Virginia Marine Resources Commission Police, USFWS Refuge Law Enforcement, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement, Massachusetts Environmental Police, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Law Enforcement, New York State Environmental Conservation Police, New Hampshire Fish and Game Division of Law Enforcement, Maryland Natural Resources Police, North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission Division of Law Enforcement, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Yarmouth, Massachusetts Division of Natural Resources, North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Police Department and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
The government is represented by Environmental Crimes Section Trial Attorneys Cassandra Barnum and Shane Waller of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
Gorham Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Program Fraud ChargeRead the Press Release
Contact: Daniel J. Perry
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Jamie Hussey, 35, of Gorham, Maine, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to committing federal program fraud.
Court records show that between February 2014 and September 2016, the defendant embezzled over $91,577 from the South Portland Housing Authority (SPHA), an agency that that administers public housing units and that receives federal benefits each year under programs administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”). The defendant was employed as the SPHA Resident Services Coordinator for the Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSS), a program that promotes the development of local strategies to coordinate public and private resources that help public housing tenants obtain employment that will enable participating families to achieve economic independence. Under this program, a participant can earn monetary credits that are placed in an escrow account based upon the participant meeting certain goals. Upon successfully completing a FSS contract, a participant may claim funds in their escrow account if no family member is receiving welfare assistance. The defendant caused 48 checks to be issued in the names of FSS program participants and deposited into her personal bank account. None of the participants ever requested these checks, nor received any proceeds of the checks.
Hussey faces up to 10 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 HUD-Office of the Inspector General and the South Portland Police Department.
Sanford Man Sentenced to One Month in Prison for Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Jody Mullis
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that William Klingensmith, 47, of Sanford was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., to one month in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release for unlawfully possessing firearms. Klingensmith pleaded guilty on August 4, 2016.
According to court records, Klingensmith possessed a total of eleven firearms at different times between February 20, 2015, and July 11, 2015. On or about June 13, 2015, Klingensmith used a 9 mm rifle and a Colt 38 revolver for target shooting at a range in Fairfield. On July 11, 2015, officers found another nine firearms, consisting of rifles and shotguns, hanging on the wall of Klingensmith’s former residence in Waterville. In imposing the sentence, Judge Woodcock stated that because of this felony conviction and Klingensmith’s prior misdemeanor conviction of domestic violence, there would be “no firearms for Mr. Klingensmith forever.”
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Waterville, Maine, Police Department.
Portland Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
Contact: David B. Joyce
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Moses Okot, 28, of Portland, Maine, entered a guilty plea in U.S. District Court to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Court records revealed that on November 16, 2015, Okot discharged a firearm in Portland’s Old Port district, striking two people standing on the sidewalk. Okot fled from the scene of the shooting in a vehicle. A Portland Police Officer followed the vehicle to a residence in Portland. Okot was later found hiding on a nearby third-story porch. The firearm used in the shooting was found in the vehicle.
At the time of the shooting, Okot was on state probation as a result of a 2011 conviction for felony murder. He was therefore prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms.
Okot faces a period of imprisonment of up to ten years and a fine of up to $250,000. However, the plea agreement in this case calls for imposition of a ten-year sentence to be served consecutively to a probation revocation sentence imposed in state court.
The investigation was conducted by the Portland Police Department and the Southern Maine Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the Portland, South Portland, and Lewiston Police Departments.
Portland Man Convicted of Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
Contact: David B. Joyce
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Mustafa Hassan, 34, of Portland, Maine was convicted yesterday following a jury trial in U.S. District Court of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 28 grams or more of cocaine base, commonly known as crack.
Court records and trial evidence revealed that between January 2016 and March 2016, Hassan, Nelson Calderon, and others trafficked in cocaine and crack in southern Maine. The two men were arrested on March 6, 2016, as law enforcement interrupted a pending drug transaction. A subsequent search warrant at Calderon’s residence revealed about 160 grams of crack and about 460 grams of cocaine.
Hassan faces between five and forty years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. On November 21, 2016, Calderon entered a guilty plea to the drug conspiracy charge. He awaits sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the U.S Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) in conjunction with the Southern Maine Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers from the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the DEA; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the Portland, South Portland, and Lewiston Police Departments.
Acting U.S. Attorney and IRS Special Agent in Charge Present Equitable Sharing Funds from Township 37 Marijuana Grow Case to Maine Law Enforcement PartnersRead the Press Release
Contact: Donald E. Clark
Assistant United States Attorney
(207) 780-3257
Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy and Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, announced the distribution of more than $1.1 million of criminally forfeited funds to eight Maine law enforcement agencies for their participation in the successful federal prosecution of Malcolm French and Haynes Timberland, Inc. Pursuant to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Equitable Sharing Program, the funds have been distributed to the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the Maine State Police; the Maine Warden Service; the Washington County Sheriff; and the Brewer, Biddeford, Scarborough and Gorham police departments.The prosecution arose out of the September 22, 2009 seizure of 2,943 marijuana plants in Township 37, Washington County. On January 24, 2014, following a jury trial, French was convicted of conspiracy to manufacture over 1000 marijuana plants, manufacturing over 1,000 marijuana plants, managing and controlling property used to manufacture marijuana, and harboring illegal aliens. His business, Haynes Timberland, Inc., was found guilty of managing and controlling property used to manufacture marijuana.
On February 10, 2016, Haynes Timberland was sentenced to pay a $100,000 fine. On April 21, 2016, French was sentenced to 175 months in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $100,000. Haynes Timberland and French were also ordered to forfeit $1,550,000, a warehouse compound in Township 31, and a hunting camp in LaGrange that facilitated drug trafficking. The funds shared today were from the forfeiture of the $1,550,000.
Canadian Man Sentenced to Almost Four Months for Attempting to Enter the United States After Having Been Ordered RemovedRead the Press Release
Contact: F. Todd Lowell
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that John D. Fraser, a/k/a “John Knight,” 54, of Nova Scotia, Canada was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to time served (three months and 22 days) in prison and one year of supervised release for attempting to enter the United States after having been ordered removed.
Court records reveal that on November 20, 2016, a vehicle with Florida registration plates arrived at the Calais, Maine port of entry to the United States. The defendant, who was a passenger in the vehicle, provided a valid Canada passport in the name John Knight. He said he was going to his winter home in Port St. Lucie, Florida. An officer with U.S. Customs and Border Protection referred the defendant to secondary inspection. After initial denials, the defendant admitted that he had been living and working in the United States for over 30 years without authorization. A fingerprint check showed that the defendant had a significant criminal history under the name John D. Fraser and had been ordered removed from the United States in 2010.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security.
Acting U.S. Attorney and IRS Special Agent in Charge Announce Ceremony to Present Equitable Sharing Funds from Township 37 Marijuana Grow Case to Maine Law Enforcement PartnersRead the Press Release
Contact: Donald E. Clark
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy and Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, announced that on Thursday, March 16, 2017, at 11:00 a.m., in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, located at 202 Harlow Street, Bangor, Maine they will recognize the distribution of more than $1.1 million of criminally forfeited funds to eight Maine law enforcement agencies for their participation in the successful federal prosecution of Malcolm French and Haynes Timberland, Inc. Pursuant to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Equitable Sharing Program, the funds have been distributed to the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the Maine State Police; the Maine Warden Service; the Washington County Sheriff; and the Brewer, Biddeford, Scarborough and Gorham police departments.
Auburn Man Sentenced to over Five Years for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Contact: David Joyce
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Derrick Favreau, 33, of Auburn, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 63 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He was also fined $5,000. He pleaded guilty July 26, 2016.
According to Court records, in May 2014, law enforcement officers seized distributable amounts of cocaine from a hidden compartment in Favreau’s vehicle. Later, officers seized $19,000 from a hidden compartment in a second vehicle operated by Favreau and $10,000 during the execution of a search warrant.
This case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Maine State Police, the Lewiston and Auburn Police Departments, and the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office.
Acting United States Attorney AnnouncedRead the Press Release
Contact: Donald E. Clark
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: The United States Attorney’s Office announced that on Friday the President of the United States requested the resignation of U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II. Pursuant to the Vacancies Reform Act, Richard W. Murphy, previously the First Assistant U.S. Attorney (“FAUSA”) is now the Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Murphy has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for nearly 27 years and as FAUSA since September 2010. He is a South Portland native. He graduated from Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts and from the University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor. He was a partner in the Portland law firm of Pierce Atwood before joining the U.S. Attorney's Office in 1990.
Gorham Man Sentenced to 12 Months and 1 Day for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Contact: Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Steven Tutt, 46, of Gorham, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 12 months and 1 day in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography. He was also ordered to pay a $3,000 fine. The defendant pled guilty on November 29, 2016.
According to court records, law enforcement, using a peer-to-peer file sharing program, downloaded a child pornography video from the defendant’s home computer. A search warrant was subsequently obtained for the defendant’s residence. A forensic examination of the defendant’s computer was conducted and revealed several additional videos of child pornography. During an interview with law enforcement, the defendant admitted that he had actively searched for and obtained images and videos of child pornography using peer-to-peer software.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit.
Citizen of Mexico Pleads Guilty to Being in the United States After RemovalRead the Press Release
Contact: F. Todd Lowell
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Presiliano Gonzalez Berruete, 53, a citizen of Mexico, 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 from the United States. Gonzalez Berruete was indicted for that crime in February 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 and had been removed from the United States in 2010. The removal of the defendant happened after the defendant was convicted of a federal felony drug trafficking offense and had served time in prison for that offense. The defendant returned to the United States after that removal by entering the United States without inspection at a place that was not designated for entry.
The case was investigated by United States Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security.
Presque Isle Man Sentenced to 73 Months for Bath Salts Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact: Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Nathan Brewer, 35, of Presque Isle, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 73 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute bath salts. The defendant pled guilty on January 23, 2015.
According to court records, between about January 2012 and June 2014, Brewer conspired with others to obtain bath salts overseas via the internet and to distribute it in Aroostook County. Brewer raised money from other conspirators to place orders large enough to receive a bulk discount.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency with assistance from the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
“Youth Voices on the Opiate Crisis Media Contest” AnnouncedRead the Press Release
Contact: Daniel Perry
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Thomas E. Delahanty II, United States Attorney for the District of Maine, is pleased to announce the “Youth Voices on the Opiate Crisis Media Contest.”
Each day in Maine, on average, one person dies of a drug overdose; in 2015 and 2016, overdose deaths increased by over 31%. In these challenging times, United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine and the Office of the Maine Attorney General are jointly sponsoring the “Youth Voices on the Opiate Crisis Media Contest.” This contest is open to Maine students and is designed to provide a platform to creatively document and reflect on the impact of substance abuse in their lives and communities. The goal of this contest is to build awareness and spark conversation among Maine’s youth. Prize money will be awarded to winning entrants.
Details about the contest can be found at: www.noStigmaForMe.com.
Maine Woman Sentenced to 14 Years on Cocaine and Oxycodone Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Joel B. Casey
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Kelli Mujo, 31, of Harmony and Wellington, Maine and Central Falls, Rhode Island, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 14 years in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone and cocaine and maintaining a drug involved premise. Mujo and her father, Roger Belanger, were convicted following a jury trial on August 19, 2016.
The evidence at trial revealed that between 2002 and 2014, the defendant and her father ran a cocaine and oxycodone distribution conspiracy that stretched from Rhode Island to the Dexter, Maine area. Conspirators obtained over 22 kilograms of cocaine and thousands of oxycodone pills in Rhode Island and transported 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, the Penobscot, Somerset and Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Offices.
Dexter Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Cocaine and Oxycodone Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact: Joel B. Casey
Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorneys
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Mark Tasker, 49, of Dexter, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and oxycodone and maintaining a drug involved premise. He pleaded guilty on July 20, 2016.
According to court records, between January 2002 and November 2014, Tasker conspired with Kelli Mujo and her father, Roger Belanger, to distribute cocaine and oxycodone in the Dexter area. The drugs were acquired by Mujo and Belanger in Rhode Island and transported to Maine. From January 2012 until November 2014, Tasker used his residence in Dexter to distribute them.
In sentencing the defendant, Judge Levy observed that the length and breadth of the conspiracy was “extraordinary” and that Tasker had participated in it during its entire existence.
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, the Penobscot, Somerset and Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Offices.
Whiting Man Pleads Guilty to Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
Contact: Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Daniel Fitzsimmons, 54, of Whiting, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to social security fraud.
According to court records, the defendant began receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (“SSDI”) payments in 2002. SSDI benefits are paid by the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) to people with disabilities. From 2002 to 2013, the defendant and his dependents received over $157,000 in SSDI benefits. In order to obtain those benefits, the defendant was required to certify that he could no longer perform “substantial gainful work.” In numerous forms submitted to the SSA and at an in-person SSA interview, the defendant reported little work activity and very low annual earnings between 2002 and 2013. An investigation revealed that, contrary to his statements, the defendant was actively and consistently engaged in commercial fishing over that period.
The defendant 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 case was investigated by SSA’s Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Norridgewock Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing OxycodoneRead the Press Release
Contact: Jody Mullis
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Brandon Lancaster, 21, of Norridgewock, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to distributing oxycodone.
According to court records, on August 31, 2016, in a Pittsfield, Maine parking lot, Lancaster sold eleven 30 mg oxycodone pills for $500 to a person working with law enforcement.
Lancaster faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, and between three years and a life on supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated 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.
Alna Man Sentenced to Two Years for Conspiring to Distribute Crack and HeroinRead the Press Release
Contact: Jody Mullis
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Bradford Christopher, 36, of Alna, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock Jr. to two years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute cocaine base, commonly known as “crack,” and heroin. He pleaded guilty on October 13, 2016.
According to court records, between May 2015 and August 2016, Christopher conspired to distribute crack and heroin in central Maine. He supplied drugs to co-conspirators and drove them to “trap houses” where the drugs were sold.
In imposing sentence, Judge John Woodcock said that by engaging in this activity, the defendant was a “traitor” to his community and “affect[ed] how young people grow up” in central Maine.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office and investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Norwegian Citizen Sentenced to 15 months for Making Threatening Interstate CommunicationsRead the Press Release
Contact: Michael J. Conley
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Espen Brungodt, 29, of Norway, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court Judge D. Brock Hornby to 15 months in prison for making threatening interstate communications. He pled guilty on September 26, 2016.
According to court records, on August 3, 2016, Brungodt sent an email to the Portland Police Department in which he threatened to kill police officers. The email read
Time for more police to die. We are getting our Sig Sauer MCX .223-caliber rifles ready, and very soon, my partners will head down to Portland Police Department on 109 Middle St. There they will shoot and kill as many police officers as they can. Meanwhile, I will get into position at the top of Cumberland County Parking Garage on 188 Newbury St. I have booby trapped the garage with explosives, so don't go there. Time to take action. More dead cops.
Brungodt sent the threatening email from his Portland hotel room, where he was located and arrested a few hours later.
In pronouncing sentence, Judge Hornby praised the response of the Portland Police Department to Brungodt’s threat and noted that the email constituted a “brutal threat of violence and death that resulted in complete disruption of public services and instilled public fear.” Judge Hornby also noted that the offense was a consequence of Brungodt’s well-documented mental health history and took into consideration his lack of criminal history.
As part of a plea agreement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has agreed to support any request by the defendant to transfer his sentence under to the International Prisoner Transfer Agreement that exists between the United States and the Kingdom of Norway.
Upon completion of his sentence, Brungodt will be removed from the United States and will be denied re-entry in the future.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Portland Police Department.Guilford Man Sentenced to Three Years for Distributing HeroinRead the Press Release
Contact: Jody Mullis
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Joshua Bickmore, 30, of Guilford, Maine was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to three years in prison and three years of supervised release for distributing heroin. He pleaded guilty to this charge on July 12, 2016.
According to court records, on August 13, 2015, Bickmore met with an undercover law enforcement officer and a confidential informant at the Cambridge, Maine General Store to sell heroin. Bickmore sold thirteen wax baggies of heroin in exchange for $390.
At sentencing, when describing Bickmore’s involvement with heroin, Judge Woodcock said that, “it doesn’t have to be this way” and that it was time for Bickmore “to man-up” and pursue legitimate employment.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Greenville Police Department.
Guilford Man Sentenced to Three Years for Distributing HeroinRead the Press Release
Contact: Jody Mullis
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Joshua Bickmore, 30, of Guilford, Maine was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to three years in prison and three years of supervised release for distributing heroin. He pleaded guilty to this charge on July 12, 2016.
According to court records, on August 13, 2015, Bickmore met with an undercover law enforcement officer and a confidential informant at the Cambridge, Maine General Store to sell heroin. Bickmore sold thirteen wax baggies of heroin in exchange for $390.
At sentencing, when describing Bickmore’s involvement with heroin, Judge Woodcock said that, “it doesn’t have to be this way” and that it was time for Bickmore “to man-up” and pursue legitimate employment.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Greenville Police Department.
New Haven Man Sentenced to More Than 21 Years for Crack Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact: Joel B. Casey and Chris Ruge
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jermaine Mitchell, a/k/a “Melo,” 44, of New Haven, Connecticut, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 260 months in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine base, commonly referred to as “crack.” He was convicted following a six-day jury trial on June 27, 2016.
The trial evidence revealed that between January 2010 and August 2013, the defendant was part of a conspiracy that acquired crack cocaine in New Haven and brought it into the Bangor area where it was distributed through a network of New Haven dealers staying in the Bangor area and local residents. Proceeds of the sales were transported back to New Haven and used to purchase, among other things, more crack cocaine to send to Bangor. The defendant and his cousin, Jeffrey Benton, also of New Haven, organized the crack distribution business. At the time, Benton was a member of the Red Side Guerilla Brims, a New Haven street gang affiliated with the Almighty Blood Nation.
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the New Haven, Connecticut Office of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the City of New Haven Department of Police Services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Spector and Peter Markle of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut are prosecuting a related case.
Dexter Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
Contact: Joel B. Casey
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Donald Vigue, 42, of Dexter, Maine, pleaded guilty today U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute cocaine.
According to court records, Vigue participated for several years in a conspiracy run by Roger Belanger and his daughter, Kelli Mujo, that existed between January 2002 and November 2014, to acquire cocaine in Rhode Island and distribute it in the Dexter area. Vigue is the ninth person to plead guilty in the investigation. On August 19, 2016, Belanger and Mujo were convicted following a jury trial.
The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and between three years and life on supervised release. 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 and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, with assistance provided by the Dexter Police Department, the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office and the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office.
Swanville Man Sentenced to Time Served for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Contact: Jim Moore
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that John T. Hines, 50, of Swanville, Maine was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to time served in prison (about 10 months) for unlawfully possessing firearms. He pled guilty to the charge on August 30, 2016.
According to court records, two Waldo County Sheriff’s deputies went to Hines’ residence to investigate a neighbor’s complaint of hearing gunfire coming from the property and found Hines in possession of a loaded .357 Ruger revolver, two rifles and a shotgun. Hines was prohibited under federal law from possessing any firearms because he had previously been convicted of domestic violence assault, a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office.Minot Man Sentenced to 7½ Years on Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Daniel J. Perry
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Ross Tardif, 30, of Minot, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 7½ years in prison and three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and cocaine, and possession a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He pled guilty on June 29, 2016.
According to court records, in August 2014, law enforcement responded to a 911 emergency call reporting a home invasion at Tardif’s home in Minot. Tardif was not home when agents arrived. While investigating the home invasion, the police discovered over 375 grams of cocaine, over 650 oxycodone pills, and over 14 kilograms of marijuana inside the house. Tardif arrived home after the drugs were seized and admitted to being involved in distributing those drugs. Subsequent investigation revealed that Tardif had been obtaining the drugs in New York since at least 2012 and distributing them in the Lewiston/Auburn area. Tardif also purchased a firearm to protect his drug distribution activities.This joint investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Maine State Police.
Hancock Woman Sentenced to a Year and a Day for Bank EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
Contact: F. Todd Lowell
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jodi L. Webber, 37, of Hancock, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by John A. Woodcock, Jr. to a year and a day in prison and five years of supervised release for embezzling bank funds. She was also ordered to pay $19,400 in restitution. Webber pled guilty on September 21, 2016.
According to court documents, in September 2015, Webber was hired by Camden National Bank as a teller at its Bar Harbor (Town Hill), Maine branch. Between November 2015 and February 2016, Webber stole $19,400 from her teller drawer and replaced it with money she withdrew from five customer accounts. She targeted the accounts of elderly customers and forged their signatures on withdrawal slips. She typically reversed those withdrawals on the same day that she made them after the bank’s cash audit had been completed. Her embezzlement scheme was discovered when a customer questioned an unauthorized withdrawal from the customer’s account that had not been reversed. That inquiry caused the bank to conduct a comprehensive examination of the defendant’s transactions and to contact law enforcement.
In imposing sentence, Judge Woodcock said: “You violated a fundamental obligation an employee owes to an employer not to steal from the employer or cheat its customers.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
New York Men Sentenced for Credit Card Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact: Daniel J. Perry
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Malik Delima, 26, and Shaun Wray, 26, both of Brooklyn, New York, were sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal for conspiring to manufacture and use fraudulent credit cards. Delima was sentenced to 75 months in prison; Wray was sentenced to 20 months in prison. Both were sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $28,483 in restitution. Both pled guilty in July 2016.
According to court records, in March 2015, Delima and Wray were part of a group that came to Maine from New York to commit credit card fraud. They purchased equipment used to manufacture fraudulent credit cards, purchased stolen credit card account numbers from a source in Ukraine, manufactured fraudulent credit cards and used them at retailers in Maine and elsewhere. The conspiracy involved over 1,100 stolen credit card accounts.On March 24, 2015, law enforcement personnel executed a federal search warrant at an apartment in Auburn, Maine and seized over 100 fraudulent credit cards, numerous blank gift cards that were in the process of being made into fraudulent credit cards, and the equipment used to manufacture fraudulent credit cards. At the time of the search, Delima, Wray and other conspirators were inside the apartment.
This joint investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Auburn Police Department, with valuable assistance provided by Maine State Police Crime Laboratory.
Florida Man Sentenced to 3½ Years for Credit Card Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Contact: F. Todd Lowell
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Ariel Perez-Calvo, 28, of Miami, Florida, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 3½ years in prison and three years of supervised release for credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft. He was also ordered to pay over $35,000 in restitution to the victims of his crime.
Court records show that in January 2016, Perez-Calvo and Roberto Lueje-Rodriguez used debit and credit card account numbers belonging to Maine bank customers located in Penobscot, Knox, Hancock, Piscataquis, Franklin, Somerset, Kennebec, and Androscoggin counties, to make unauthorized purchases totaling more than $48,000. The defendant engaged in similar conduct in Manchester and Concord, New Hampshire in November 2015 when he used debit and credit card account numbers belonging to New Hampshire bank customers to make unauthorized purchases totaling more than $1,000.
The name embossed on each fake card was “David Cuan,” which was not the name of any of the victims. Each fake card bore a unique account number and appeared to be an authentic debit or credit card, but their magnetic strips were encoded with the true account numbers of the victims.
At sentencing, Judge Woodcock noted: “The crimes you engaged in are insidious and destructive. First you steal private information and then you steal money.”
On July 8, 2016, Lueje-Rodriquez pleaded guilty to access device fraud and aggravated identity theft charges arising out of the same conduct and awaits sentencing.The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the Bangor, Brewer, Dexter, Dover-Foxcroft, Ellsworth, Hampden, Lincoln, Millinocket, Newport, Pittsfield, Rockland, Saco, Waterville (Maine) and Londonderry (New Hampshire) Police Departments.
Former Bangor Resident Sentenced to Five Years for Crack DistributionRead the Press Release
Contact: Joel B. Casey
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Wendell White, 52, of Rumford, Maine, and formerly of Bangor, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to five years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”
According to court records, the defendant joined a conspiracy that operated between about January 2010 and August 2013 and that acquired crack in New Haven, Connecticut and distributed almost a kilogram of it in Penobscot County and elsewhere. The defendant distributed and sold half-gram and gram quantities of crack throughout the Bangor area for $50 and $100, respectively, for Christian Turner, a/k/a “P” and Rodrigo Ramirez, a/k/a “Rico.” He also allowed Turner, Ramirez and others to use his Sanford Street, Bangor apartment -- where he and his three-year old son lived -- as a place where crack could be sold and used. Members of the conspiracy from New Haven included members of the Red Side Guerilla Brims, a violent street gang affiliated with the Almighty Blood Nation, a national street gang.
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the New Haven, Connecticut Office of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the City of New Haven Department of Police Services.