District of Maine
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Whitefield Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Contact: David B. Joyce
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Peter Poland, 44, of Whitefield, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to seven years in prison and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was also sentenced to serve a consecutive term of one year and one day in prison for violating the terms of his supervised release. Poland pleaded guilty to the offense on September 28, 2016.
According to court records, in March 2016, the defendant burglarized a residence in Whitefield and stole three firearms. At the time, he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of a prior felony drug conviction for which he was on supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
Bath Man Sentenced to a Year and a Day for Attempting to Transfer Obscene Matter to MinorRead the Press Release
Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Garrett Brosnan, 25, of Bath, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to one year and one day in prison and two years of supervised release for attempting to transfer obscene matter to a minor. Brosnan pleaded guilty to the offense on September 14, 2016.
According to court records, in May of last year, agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) were investigating a report that an unknown adult male had an inappropriate online interaction with a minor girl in Arizona. Investigators obtained information suggesting that the male was Brosnan. An HSI investigator in Arizona initiated an undercover online conversation with Brosnan in late May. The investigator said she was a 14-year-old girl from Arizona. On June 2, Brosnan sent the investigator a picture of himself exposing his penis.
The investigation was conducted by HSI offices in Maine and Arizona.
Portland Man Sentenced to Almost Seven Years for Trafficking Bath Salts and OpiatesRead the Press Release
Contact: Daniel J. Perry
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: The Office of the United States Attorney announced that Jonathan Day, 42, of Portland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 80 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute bath salts, fentanyl, and heroin and for distributing heroin. Day pleaded guilty to the charges on April 1, 2016.
According to court records, from February through May 2015, Day was involved in a conspiracy that distributed bath salts, heroin, and fentanyl. Heroin and fentanyl were obtained from sources in New Hampshire and Massachusetts and bath salts were obtained through the mail from a source outside the United States. Day and his co-conspirators distributed the drugs to customers throughout the state.
This case results from an investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Scarborough and Portland Police Departments.
Georgetown Man Sentenced to over Three Years for Failing to Update Sex Offender Registration, Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Michael Nagell, 51, of Georgetown, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to 30 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for failing to update his sex offender registration. Nagell was convicted on September 22, 2016, following a jury trial. Nagell was also sentenced to 10 months in prison, to be served consecutively to his other sentence, for violating the terms of his supervised release imposed after a prior federal conviction.
Court records and trial evidence revealed that in 2007, Nagell was convicted in federal court in Massachusetts of attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. As a result, he was a sex offender for purposes of the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. In July 2012, he moved to Maine and registered with the Maine sex offender registry. In December 2015, Nagell became a full-time employee of a company in Portland, and remained employed with the company until April 2016. Nagell knowingly failed to update his sex offender registration to reflect this change in his employment.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Firearms 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 Malcolm Cowart, a/k/a “Prince”, 37, of Harlem, New York, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a kilogram or more of heroin, cocaine base, and oxycodone and to discharging a firearm during and in furtherance of that drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to court records, from about November 2011 until March 2014, Cowart conspired with others to distribute heroin, cocaine base, 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.
Cowart faces between 20 and 25 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a $10,000,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
This is the ninth federal conviction arising from this investigation; numerous state convictions of other individuals have also arisen from this investigation.
This joint investigation was conducted by the DEA, the MDEA and the Portland Police Department, with valuable assistance provided by Maine State Police Crime Laboratory and the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office.
Harmony Couple Sentenced for Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead 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 Eugene Moulton, 67, and Antoinette Perreault, 48, both of Harmony, Maine, were sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy for conspiring to distribute cocaine. Moulton was sentenced to three years in prison and three years of supervised release. Perreault was sentenced to 20 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Both pleaded guilty on July 20, 2016.
According to court records, the defendants participated for about three 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. The defendants acquired cocaine from Mujo and distributed it in the Harmony area. Moulton also traded cocaine for stolen property. On August 19, 2016, Belanger and Mujo were convicted following a jury trial and await sentencing.
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, the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office, and the Maine State Police.
Ellsworth Man Sentenced to 78 Months for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Contact: Jody Mullis, Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorneys
Tel: (207) 945-0373
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jeffrey Barnard, 53, of Ellsworth, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge on June 7, 2016.According to court records, on May 31, 2014, Barnard barricaded himself in his camper with a .22-caliber semi-automatic rifle and ammunition beginning a 14-hour stand-off with police. During the stand-off, Barnard fired the weapon and proclaimed that “this is war.” Near the end of the standoff, Barnard emerged from his camper holding his rifle. Despite commands to put the rifle down, Barnard raised and pointed the rifle in the direction of the police officers. Barnard was prohibited from possessing the firearm and ammunition because he had been previously convicted of state felony offenses in California and Maine and of being a felon in possession of a firearm in U.S. District Court in Maine.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Woodcock said that “short of an actual injury or death from use of a firearm, this type of possession is the most serious and egregious imaginable.”
The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police; the Ellsworth and Bangor Police Departments; the Maine Attorney General’s Office; the Maine State Police Crime Laboratory; and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Athens Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the VARead the Press Release
Contact: Jim Moore
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Lisa-Marie Watson, 25, of Athens, Maine pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to defraud the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”).
According to court records, the defendant conspired with her father-in-law to illegally obtain VA compensation benefits. Watson and her father-in-law submitted documents to the VA falsely claiming she had suffered from mental disabilities that were connected to her service in the U.S. Army. Watson also falsely described her mental condition to VA doctors. On November 18, 2016, the defendant’s father-in-law, David Watson, pled guilty to engaging in a conspiracy to defraud the VA and awaits sentencing.
The defendant faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She will be sentenced after completion of a presentence report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Criminal Investigation Division of the VA Office of the Inspector General.
Guilford Man Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Distributing Heroin and 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 Willie Harper, 48, of Guilford was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 21 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for distribution of heroin and oxycodone. Harper pleaded guilty to the charges on June 1, 2016.
According to court records, on August 13, 2015, Harper sold a quantity of heroin to an undercover law enforcement officer at a location in Guilford, Maine. Two weeks later, Harper sold the undercover officer ten oxycodone pills at a different location in Guilford. In imposing the sentence, Judge John Woodcock noted that Harper had contributed to Maine’s ongoing heroin problem and that Harper has “a horrible criminal record.” Harper’s criminal record includes felony convictions in Illinois for armed robbery, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, and in Maine for sexual abuse of a minor.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Greenville, Maine Police Department.
Brewer Man Sentenced to Five Years Probation for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Contact: Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Charles Roberson, 44, of Hermon, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to five years probation for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The defendant pled guilty to the charge on July 21, 2016.
According to court records, in 2004, Roberson was convicted in Minnesota of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the First Degree. This felony conviction made Roberson a lifetime sex offender registrant. In or about the fall of 2015, Roberson moved from Minnesota and began living and working in Hermon, Maine. He did not notify the Minnesota Predatory Offender Registration unit that he was moving. Further, up until his arrest on February 23, 2016, he made no attempt to register with the Maine State Police Sex Offender Registry.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
New Haven, Connecticut Man Sentenced to 32 Months in Prison for Distribution of Crack CocaineRead 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 D’Hati Coleman, 38, of New Haven, Connecticut was sentenced today by United States District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. in Federal Court in Bangor to a 32-month term of imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release for distributing crack cocaine.
Court records and evidence introduced at the hearing demonstrated that on September 3, 2014, Coleman sold crack cocaine to an MDEA confidential informant. At the time of the transaction, Coleman was a fugitive from Connecticut, having escaped from a half-way house in that state. Evidence presented at the hearing also showed that during the time when Coleman was trafficking in drugs, he was also engaged in commercial sex trafficking by causing women to engage in prostitution for which Coleman received money. In sentencing the defendant, U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. told Coleman “it is bad enough to be selling drugs, but it is a different magnitude of evil to be involved in selling human beings.”
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the New Haven, Connecticut Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Haven Department of Police Services.
Easton Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Contact: Chris Ruge
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Zane Wetzel, 31, of Easton, Maine, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to possessing child pornography.
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.
Wetzel faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and between five 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations.
Bangor Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Violate Federal Firearms LawsRead 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 Hayri Berberoglu, 31, of Bangor, Maine pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiring to violate federal firearms laws.
According to court documents, between approximately February 7, 2012 and October 12, 2012, Bergerlogu was employed at a Brewer, Maine pawn shop which was licensed to sell firearms. During that time, Berberlogu knowingly facilitated multiple straw purchases of firearms by selling them to people who falsely claimed to be the actual buyers of the firearms. In fact, as Berberlogu knew or had reasonable cause to know, all of those people were buying the firearms on behalf of non-Maine residents who were prohibited under federal law from purchasing firearms. To accomplish these straw purchases, Berberlogu participated in the falsification of documents that are required to be submitted to the federal government in connection with the sale of firearms.
The conspiracy count carries a maximum prison sentence of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and up to three years supervised release. Berberlogu will be sentenced after a presentence report is prepared by the United States Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Maine Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the New Haven, Connecticut Office of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance provided by the Brewer, Maine Police Department.
Lewiston Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Accessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Douglas Blodgett, 46, of Lewiston, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 10 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release for accessing with intent to view material containing images of child pornography. He pleaded guilty to the charge on August 22, 2016. Blodgett was also ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to the child depicted in several of the child pornography images he accessed.
According to court records, in March of this year, Blodgett used the internet to access Internet Relay Chat channels and chatrooms containing child pornography images. Investigators executed a search warrant on Blodgett’s computer and residence, and found that he had accessed internet addresses containing child pornography images. In an interview with agents, Blodgett admitted visiting chatrooms containing child pornography.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Lincoln County Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Contact: Darcie N. McElwee
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Daniel Colby, Jr., 34, formerly of Wiscasset, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to more than seven years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Following a two-day jury trial, he was found guilty of that offense on June 2, 2016.
According to court records and trial evidence, on March 17, 2015, Colby, who had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, broke into the home of a neighbor armed with a stolen .38 caliber revolver and threatened the neighbor. The revolver was later recovered from Colby’s property in Wiscasset.
The investigation was conducted by the Wiscasset and Augusta Police Departments, the Sagadahoc and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Offices and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Former Portland Couple Pleads Guilty to Fraud and False Statement ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Darcie N. McElwee
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Marat Muslimov, 30, and Dziyana (Diana) Biruk, 29, both of Bronx, New York and formerly of Portland, Maine, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to charges arising out of sham marriages. Muslimov pleaded guilty to marriage and visa fraud conspiracies and making false statements to a government agency. Biruk pleaded guilty to visa fraud and making false statements to a government agency.
According to court records, from about September 2010 until about August 2011, Muslimov, a Russian citizen, conspired with a U.S. citizen to enter into a sham marriage so that he could become a lawful permanent resident (“LPR”), or green card holder. To that end, Muslimov submitted false documents and lied under oath to immigration authorities about his marriage to the U.S. citizen. Muslimov also falsely claimed to be living with the U.S. citizen, as husband and wife, in Portland, when, in fact, he and Biruk were living as a couple in Portland.
In June 2012, Biruk, a citizen of Belarus, made false statements in immigration documents on the basis of her sham marriage to another U.S. citizen so that she could become an LPR. Biruk falsely claimed that she and the U.S. citizen were living together, as husband and wife, in Hollis, Maine when, in fact, she was living with Muslimov in Portland.
Biruk faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the visa fraud charge. The remaining charges against both defendants carry penalties of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Both will be sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service.
Waterville Man Sentenced to 10 Months for Selling Counterfeit CoinsRead 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 Mwashuma M. Sithole, 32, of Waterville, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release for selling counterfeit coins. He pleaded guilty to the crime on May 9, 2016.
Court records show that the defendant began ordering counterfeit Morgan dollars online in May 2014. The Morgan dollar is a United States dollar coin minted from 1878 to 1904 and then again in 1921. The coins that the defendant ordered and received were offered as counterfeits and made in China. The defendant paid about $2 for each coin. The coins resembled genuine Morgan dollars in appearance, design, and weight.
From 2013 thought 2015, the defendant sold and pawned about $12,000 worth of counterfeit Morgan dollars. He knew that the coins were counterfeit but told the buyers that the coins were genuine Morgan dollars. He sold and pawned coins in Augusta, Newport, Farmington, Lewiston, and South Portland. Law enforcement officers executed a warrant at the defendant’s residence on January 22, 2015. They seized about 1200 counterfeit Morgan coins that belonged to the defendant.
The investigation was conducted by the Augusta, Waterville, Auburn, Lewiston, South Portland and Newport Police Departments; the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; the Maine State Police, and the U.S. Secret Service.
Canadian Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Illegally Enter the United StatesRead 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 John D. Fraser, a/k/a “John Knight,” 54, of Nova Scotia, Canada pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to 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 was the driver and he 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 (“CBP”) 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 in 2010 had been ordered removed from the United States.
The investigation was conducted by CBP.
Cushing Man Charged with Seaman’s ManslaughterRead the Press Release
Contact: Halsey B. Frank
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Christopher A. Hutchinson, 28, of Cushing, Maine was arrested today and charged by indictment in U.S. District Court with Seaman’s Manslaughter.
According to court records, on November 1, 2014, the lobster boat, No Limits, sank off of the Maine coast resulting in the loss of two crew members. Hutchinson was the owner and captain of the boat. The indictment alleges that his negligent and unsafe operation of the boat in forecasted dangerous weather and sea conditions and after using controlled substances and alcohol caused the loss of life.
The defendant is scheduled to make an initial appearance today in U.S. District Court at 4:00 p.m. If convicted, he faces up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Etna Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Heroin ConspiracyRead 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 Don Grace, 54, of Etna, Maine, was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 15 years in prison and eight years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute heroin. He pled guilty on May 4, 2016.
According to court records, between August 2015 and January 2016, Grace conspired to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin. Grace and others obtained large quantities of heroin on a weekly basis from an out of state source of supply and distributed it throughout Central Maine. On January 25, 2016, agents arrested Grace and seized 3,300 bags of heroin from the vehicle in which he was traveling and 1,500 bags of heroin from his Etna residence.
Grace had been federally prosecuted 5 times in 2004, 2007 and 2009 for felony drug offenses and for violating the terms of his supervised release. Judge Woodcock noted that, in his 13 years on the bench, Grace was the only defendant who he had to sentence on five occasions.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance provided by the Maine State Police and was investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Augusta Man Pleads Guilty to 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 Joshua Harrison, 34, of Augusta, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possession of child pornography.
According to court records, in August 2015, law enforcement agents learned that child pornography had been located in the defendant’s email account. A search warrant was executed at the defendant’s Augusta residence and agents seized his laptop computer. Agents also seized a second computer belonging to the defendant from a local pawn shop. Forensic examination of these devices revealed multiple images of child pornography. During the search of his residence, the defendant also admitted that he obtained child pornography by email and a messaging application and that he met people in online chat rooms to obtain child pornography.
The defendant faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit, and the Augusta Police Department.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $3,730,685 in Civil and Criminal Actions for U.S. Taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2016Read the Press Release
Contact: Donald E. Clark
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine collected $3,730,685.68 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2016. Of this amount, $1,082,526.09 was collected in criminal actions and $2,648,159.59 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the District of Maine worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $925,487.01 in cases pursued jointly with these offices. Of this amount, $2,625.01 was collected in criminal actions and $922,862.00 was collected in civil actions.
Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch announced today that the Justice Department collected nearly $15.4 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2016. The $15,380,130,434 in collections in FY 2016 represents more than five times the appropriated $2.93 billion budget for the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the main litigating divisions of the Justice Department combined in that same period.“Every day, the men and women of the Department of Justice work tirelessly to enforce our laws, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used properly and that the American people are protected from exploitation and abuse,” said Attorney General Lynch. “Today’s announcement is a testament to that work, and it makes clear that our actions deliver a significant return on public investment. I want to thank the prosecutors and trial attorneys who made this year’s collections possible, and I want to emphasize that the department remains committed to the well-being of our people and our nation.”
The District of Maine recovered over $633,000 as part of a settlement with Maine Dermatology arising out of allegations of false Medicare claims; over $439,000 as part of a settlement with Belcon Enterprises f/k/a “Roof Systems of Maine” arising out of allegations of false claims relating to government contracts; $685,000 as part of a foreclosure action involving Spring House Associates; and $125,000 as part of a settlement with Northern Maine Medical Center arising out of allegations that it failed to create and maintain adequate records of its handling and disposal of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
The largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or environmental laws. In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration and Department of Education.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $1,733,252 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2016. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Fund and the Treasury Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead 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 William Curtis Oliver, 52, of Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, and formerly of Dougherty County, Georgia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to failing to register as a sex offender. He was indicted on October 14, 2016.
Court records reveal that in November 2012, the defendant was convicted of child molestation in Georgia. As a result of his conviction, the defendant was required to register as a sex offender and keep his registration current. In December 2015, the defendant moved to Maine and lived and worked in Guilford and Dover-Foxcroft. He failed to notify the sex offender registry in Georgia that he left Georgia and did not register in Maine. He was arrested on September 15, 2016.
He 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 U.S. Marshal’s Service and the Dover-Foxcroft Police Department.
Steuben Man Sentenced to a Year and a Day for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead 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 Aaron C. Robinson, 51, of Steuben, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to a year and a day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Robinson pleaded guilty to the charge on June 22, 2016.
Court records show that on November 16, 2015, the Maine Warden Service (MWS) found the defendant with a Savage .308 rifle hunting deer with bait from a tree stand in Steuben. The defendant had prior Maine state court felony convictions for terrorizing, violations of conditions of release, possession of a firearm by a felon, burglary and aggravated criminal mischief.
The investigation was conducted by the MWS and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
South African Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting a Minor and Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Denver Carolissen, 42, of Kuilsrivier, South Africa, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to sexually exploiting a minor and transporting child pornography. He was indicted on November 4, 2014.
According to court records, in 2010, Carolissen, who was in South Africa, took several sexually explicit photographs of a minor girl. In September 2014, Carolissen sent the photographs and other child pornography images to undercover federal agents in Maine investigating the online exchange of child pornography. After he was indicted, the U.S. Department of Justice asked South African authorities to arrest him and extradite him to the United States. On November 25, 2014, South African law enforcement officers arrested the defendant at his residence. 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.
He faces between 15 and 30 years in prison for sexually exploiting a minor and between five and 20 years in prison for transporting child pornography. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and up to life on supervised release for each offense. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
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.
Gardiner Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Trafficking Bath Salts and HeroinRead 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 Luke Greenlaw, 43, of Gardiner, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to seven years in prison and five years of supervised release for distributing bath salts and heroin.
According to Court records, from at least February through July 2015, Greenlaw was part of a conspiracy that distributed bath salts and heroin throughout the state. The heroin was obtained from New Hampshire and Massachusetts and bath salts were obtained through the mail from a source outside the United States.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Scarborough and Portland Police Departments and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
New York Man Sentenced to 11½ Years for Distributing HeroinRead the Press Release
Contact: Julia M. Lipez
Jamie R. Guerrette
Assistant United States Attorneys
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Todd Rasberry, a/k/a “Champagne,” 35, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 11½ years in prison and three years of supervised release for distributing heroin. The defendant pled guilty to the charge on June 15, 2016.
Court records reveal that on July 15, 2015, federal agents learned that an individual was delivering heroin to a location in Portland. Agents confronted the individual, seized heroin that was packaged for sale, and learned that the individual’s heroin source was located in a motel room in Scarborough, Maine. Agents went to the motel room, seized 51 grams of heroin, packaging material and a digital scale, and arrested the defendant.
This case was investigated the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Scarborough Police Department.
Bangor Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Crack Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact: Joel B. Casey
Chris Ruge
Assistant United States Attorneys
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Akeen Ocean, a/k/a “A,” a/k/a “Alex” 42, of Bangor was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” On June 27, 2016, the defendant was convicted following a six-day jury trial.
The trial evidence revealed that the defendant joined a conspiracy that operated between January 2010 and August 2013 and that acquired crack cocaine in New Haven, Connecticut 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. 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. Ocean was held responsible for 780 grams of crack distributed during his involvement in the conspiracy.
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the New Haven Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the 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 also assisted in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
Portland Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Glenn Strout, 53, of Portland, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing child pornography.
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.
Strout faces up to 20 years in prison, five years to life on 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 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.
Portland Man Sentenced to 16½ Years for Armed Bank RobberiesRead 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 Neil West, Sr., 65, of Portland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 14½ years in prison and five years of supervised release for armed bank robbery and conspiracy to commit bank robbery. The charges arose out of the September 2015 robberies of University Credit Union (UCU) in Portland and TD Bank (TDB) in Lewiston. West was found guilty on July 28, 2016 following a jury trial. West was also ordered to serve a consecutive two-year sentence for violating conditions of supervised release.
According to court records, on September 4, 2015, co-conspirators Joseph Richards and Crystal Default robbed UCU. On September 12, 2015, Richards robbed TDB. West served as the getaway driver for both robberies. The TDB robbery resulted in a high-speed chase which culminated in Saco. Following the chase, West and Richards were arrested.
At the time of the robberies, West was on federal supervised release for being an Accessory After the Fact (to Bank Robbery) and for which he received a 41-month prison sentence in June 2013. His conditions of release prohibited him from committing another federal offense.
On September 14, 2016, Richards was sentenced to 15 years in prison. On October 4, 2016, Dufault was sentenced to three years in prison.
In sentencing West, Chief Judge Torresen noted that bank robberies cause “great emotional harm to tellers and customers and put people at risk.” She also noted that West’s lengthy criminal history and his “extremely reckless driving through residential neighborhoods at high rates of speed” while absconding were both aggravating factors warranting the stiff sentence.
The joint investigation was conducted by the Franklin (New Hampshire), Manchester (New Hampshire), Freeport, Portland, Lewiston, Old Orchard Beach and Saco (Maine) Police Departments; the Maine State Police; and the Southern Maine Gang Task Force comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the Portland, South Portland, Lewiston and Biddeford Police Departments.
U.S. Attorney Delahanty praised the cooperation among these law enforcement agencies noting that “these armed bank robberies were quickly solved because local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies across two states worked closely together.”
Greenfield Man Sentenced to 15 Months on Gun ChargeRead 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 Tobin White, 42, of Greenfield Township, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 15 months in prison and one year of supervised release for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. White pleaded guilty to an indictment on January 17, 2014.
On February 12, 2013, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the defendant’s home in Greenfield Township. As officers approached, the defendant left the house holding a flashlight and a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol. When the officers identified themselves and ordered the defendant to the ground, he complied. Officers found the gun in a holster next to the defendant. The defendant was prohibited from possessing the firearm because he had been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence (assault) in 2003.
The case was investigated by the Maine Warden Service. the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Maine State Police.
Gorham Man Pleads Guilty to Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
Contact: James W. Chapman, Jr.
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Paulo D. Braga, 66, of Gorham, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to health care fraud. He was indicted on August 9, 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. He instructed his office staff to create and sign his name on false progress notes based on scheduled appointments that did not occur, or on past progress notes, or that they created using their “imagination.” 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. The investigation revealed that MaineCare paid $5,202 for over fifty counseling sessions that took place when Braga was out of the country and also paid for weekly or bi-weekly counseling sessions with some clients with whom he met less frequently or for less than the time billed.
Braga 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 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Healthcare Crimes Unit of the Maine Attorney General’s Office and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Gorham Man Pleads Guilty to 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, 45, of Gorham, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possession of child pornography.
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 defendant faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit.
Orono Woman Pleads Guilty to Maintaining a Drug-Involved PremisesRead 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 Amy Hakola, 42, of Orono, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to allowing her residence to be used as a place to use powder cocaine and to distribute cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”
According to court records, between about January 2010 and August 2013, the defendant allowed her Orono residence to be used by Jermain Mitchell and others from New Haven, Connecticut to distribute crack. Although the drug deals did not occur in her residence, Hakola was aware that digital scales, packaging materials and drugs were stored in her residence. She was aware that men staying at her residence repeatedly left the residence to conduct transactions with people who pulled up outside the residence. On occasion, she drove the men from her residence to different locations in the Bangor area so that they could deliver drugs. She also knew that Mitchell did not have regular employment, yet regularly had large amounts of cash some of which he paid to her for rent and household expenses. Finally, Mitchell and the other men shared powder cocaine with her that was used in the residence.
The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, a $500,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the New Haven Office of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the New Haven Police Department.
Former Lewiston Man Pleads Guilty to Crack ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Lamar Young, 29, formerly of Lewiston, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”
According to court records, in late 2012 and early 2013, Young and other conspirators acquired crack and cocaine powder from suppliers in Massachusetts, brought it to Maine, turned the powder into crack as necessary, packaged it for distribution, and sold it out of an apartment in Lewiston to customers in that area.
Young faces between five and 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine and at least four years 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Lewiston Police Department; and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Making Illegal Campaign Contributions for the 2012 U.S. Presidential ElectionRead the Press Release
A Windermere, Florida, man pleaded guilty today to illegally making political contributions in the names of others to a presidential candidate’s primary campaign committee, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II of the District of Maine.
Michael A. Liberty, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of making political contributions in the names of others before U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby of the District of Maine.
According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, between May and June 2011, Liberty made $22,500 in primary contributions through nine employees, associates and family members to the principal campaign committee of a candidate for President of the United States, when, in fact, Liberty paid for all of the contributions.
The FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Ryan J. Ellersick of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark of the District of Maine are prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Making Illegal Campaign Contributions for the 2012 U.S. Presidential ElectionRead the Press Release
Contact: Donald E. Clark
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257
Ryan J. Ellersick, Trial Attorney
Public Integrity Section
Department of Justice
Tel: (202) 514-2007Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II and Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, announced that Michael A. Liberty, 56, of Windermere, Florida pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to illegally making political contributions in the names of others to a presidential candidate’s primary campaign committee.
According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, between May and June 2011, Liberty made $22,500 in primary contributions through nine employees, associates and family members to the principal campaign committee of a candidate for President of the United States, when, in fact, Liberty paid for all of the contributions.
The defendant faces up to 2 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.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Colorado Man Pleads Guilty to Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Anthony Derrico, 36, of Grand Junction, Colorado, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to transporting child pornography. He was indicted on June 22, 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 the defendant, 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.
Derrico faces between five and 20 years in prison, between five years and life on 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Mechanics Falls Woman Sentenced to 30 Days in Tax CaseRead the Press Release
Contact: James W. Chapman, Jr.
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Amanda Ouellette, 38, of Mechanics Falls, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to 30 days in prison and two years of supervised release for failing to account for and pay over federal employment taxes. She was also ordered to pay $114,488 in restitution. She pleaded guilty on July 12, 2016.
According to court records, from 2008 to 2013, Ouellette operated Daddy O’s, a restaurant in Oxford, Maine, and paid wages on a regular basis to several employees. She withheld federal income and FICA taxes from her employees’ gross pay, but from 2009 through 2013, she failed to file quarterly federal income tax returns and pay over the taxes she withheld to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), as required.
The investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.Madison Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Defraud the VARead the Press Release
Contact: Jim Moore
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that David B. Watson, Sr., 66, of Madison, Maine pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to defraud the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
According to court records, the defendant conspired with his daughter-in-law to illegally obtain for her VA compensation benefits. 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.
Watson faces up to five 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 VA Office of the Inspector General.
Falmouth Doctor Convicted of 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: The United States Attorney’s Office announced that Dr. Joel A. Sabean, 69, of Falmouth, Maine, was found guilty today following a two-week jury trial in U.S. District Court of five counts of tax evasion, 52 counts of drug distribution for other than legitimate purposes, and one count of health care fraud. He was indicted on October 20, 2015.
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.
The defendant faces up to five years in prison and a $100,000 fine on the tax charges, up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the drug charges, and up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the health care fraud charges. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Portsmouth (NH) Tactical Diversion Squad.
Chapman Man Sentenced to 2½ Years for Illegally Possessing HandgunRead the Press Release
Contact: James M. Moore
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Frank Lavway, 66, of Chapman, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock Jr. to 2½ years in prison and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was also fined $7,500. Lavway pleaded guilty on August 18, 2015.
Court records reveal that on September 13, 2014, a Maine State Trooper encountered the defendant at his Chapman residence carrying a loaded Derringer handgun in his pocket. The defendant was prohibited from possessing the handgun because he had a 2009 Maine felony drug conviction.
In sentencing the defendant, Judge Woodcock found that Lavway used the handgun in connection with maintaining a drug-involved premises where bath salts had been distributed.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Maine State Police.
Brewer Man Pleads Guilty to 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 Ronald Boersma, 38, of Brewer, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possession of child pornography.
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 defendant faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and the U.S. Secret Service.
Bangor Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead 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 Ernest R. Cook, 58, of Bangor, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing child pornography and using the internet intending to view child pornography. Cook was indicted for those crimes in November 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.
Cook faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the two counts. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office, the MSPCCU, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Salvadoran Man Sentenced to Eight Months for Unlawfully Re-Entering the United StatesRead the Press Release
Contact: Jim Moore
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Manual Antonio Guerra-Nolasco, 36, of Canton Matelapa, El Salvador, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to eight months in prison for unlawfully re-entering the United States after having been removed from the country. He pled guilty on August 5, 2016.
According to court records, on May 30, 2016, the defendant was arrested after a traffic stop in Orrington, Maine when a Penobscot County Deputy Sherriff learned that the pick-up truck he was driving was not registered and that his California driver’s license had been issued in the name of another person. Immigration records revealed that the defendant had been removed from the United States on August 20, 2007.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Border Patrol.
Former Augusta Man Indicted for Threatening Federal OfficialsRead the Press Release
Contact: Chris Ruge
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Peter Hamilton, a/k/a “Peter W. Merriman,” and “Peter M. Hooper,” 65, recently of Augusta, Maine, was charged by indictment in U.S. District Court for threatening federal officials.
According to court records, between May 2014 and May 2016, the defendant wrote messages and made statements threatening to kill President Barack Obama and U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree.
The defendant made an initial appearance by video teleconference today in U.S. District Court. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Capitol Police.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Clinton Man Sentenced to Almost Six Years for Pharmacy RobberyRead 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 James J. Senior, 40, of Clinton, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 71 months in prison and three years of supervised release for pharmacy robbery. He was also ordered to pay restitution. Senior pleaded guilty on June 11, 2015.
Court records show that on March 31, 2015, Senior entered the Rite Aid Pharmacy in Newport, Maine, approached the pharmacy counter, presented a note that demanded oxycodone and threatened that employees would be harmed if they did not comply. While Senior waited, he told the employees to “hurry up” and “get moving.” He absconded with three bottles of oxycodone and hydrocodone-ibuprofen pills.
Law enforcement officers released a video of the robbery. After receiving a tip, they confirmed that Senior was the robber by comparing the video footage to a known photograph of Senior. Officers also recovered the three pill bottles that Senior had discarded a short distance from the pharmacy. The next day, Senior surrendered to the Waterville Police Department and admitted that he was the robber.
In imposing sentencing, Judge Woodcock noted the defendant’s “horrendous” criminal history involving 17 convictions -- including felony drug trafficking and felony assault and battery convictions -- and the “chilling” nature of the robbery.
The investigation was conducted by the Newport Police Department, the Maine State Police, the Waterville Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Gray Man Sentenced to 17½ Years for Trafficking Bath Salts, Fentanyl, and HeroinRead 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 Scot Stolkner, 44, of Gray, Maine, was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 17½ years in prison and six years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute bath salts, fentanyl, and heroin. In addition, Stolkner was ordered to forfeit about $55,000. He pleaded guilty on April 1, 2016.
According to court records, from at least August 2014 through July 2015, Stolkner led a conspiracy that distributed bath salts, heroin, and fentanyl throughout the state. Stolkner obtained heroin and fentanyl from New Hampshire and Massachusetts suppliers and obtained bath salts through the mail from a source outside of the United States. Stolkner distributed the drugs personally and through other conspirators.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Scarborough and Portland Police Departments.
Stetson Man Sentenced to Almost 6 Years for Cocaine and Oxycodone Trafficking ConspiracyRead 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 John Williams, 40, of Stetson was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine and oxycodone. He pled guilty on January 25, 2016.
According to court records, between about 2012 and November 2014, the defendant conspired with nine other people to distribute oxycodone and cocaine in the Dexter, Maine area. The drugs were acquired in Rhode Island and were distributed from his Stetson residence.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, with assistance from the Dexter Police Department and the Penobscot and Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Offices.
Mars Hill Woman Sentenced to Six Years 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 Leda Giggey, 45, of Mars Hill, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to six years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute bath salts. The defendant pled guilty to the charge on March 7, 2016.
According to court records, between about January 2012 and June 2014, Giggey conspired with others in Aroostook County to obtain and distribute bath salts. On multiple occasions, Giggey ordered bath salts over the internet from China for personal use and to sell to other conspirators.
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.