District of Maine
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Lewiston Man Sentenced to Nine Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Contact: David B. Joyce
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Akylle Murchison, 24, 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 conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (also known as crack cocaine) and possession with intent to distribute bk-MDEA (a bath salt). He pleaded guilty to the charges on May 27, 2015.
According to court records, between 2011 and 2014, Murchison and others obtained cocaine and crack cocaine in Massachusetts and brought the drugs to Maine for distribution in Androscoggin County. On July 23, 2014, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence in Lewiston. Murchison fled out the back door when police entered. Police seized bk-MDEA and over $53,000 in drug proceeds during the search.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Maine State Police, the Auburn and Lewiston Police Departments, and the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office. This investigation is part of the ongoing effort of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
Lewiston Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Contact: David B. Joyce
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Romelly Dastinot a/k/a “Marcus,” 35, of Lewiston, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 14 years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute cocaine base (also known as crack cocaine), heroin and oxycodone. He pleaded guilty on April 17, 2015.
According to Court records, between 2012 and 2014, Dastinot was a leader of a drug trafficking organization that transported crack cocaine, heroin and oxycodone from Massachusetts to Androscoggin County, Maine, for further distribution. Twelve co-defendants have already been sentenced in connection with this investigation. Three other co-defendants await sentencing.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Maine State Police, the Auburn and Lewiston Police Departments, and the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office. This investigation is part of the ongoing effort of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
Southwest Harbor Man Pleads Guilty to Operating Under the InfluenceRead the Press Release
Contact: Jim Moore
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Justin Bent, 28, of Southwest Harbor, Maine, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to operating under the influence of alcohol (OUI) and causing serious bodily injury, operating a vehicle without due care and destroying trees and other natural resources.
Court records reveal that Bent, while under the influence of intoxicants, drove off of a roadway and crashed a van in Acadia National Park, causing serious bodily injury to a passenger and destroying trees. Bent’s blood alcohol content measured .14%. The passenger was transported by life flight to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor where he underwent emergency surgery for a severe leg fracture.
Bent faces up to six years in prison and a $250,000 fine for OUI and up to six-months in prison for operating the vehicle without due care and destruction of park property. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by National Park Service Rangers as well as the Southwest Harbor and Mount Desert Island Police Departments.
Sebago Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead 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 William Duffy, 58, of Sebago, Maine pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing child pornography.
According to court records, in May 2015, deputies with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant for Duffy’s laptop computer at his Sebago residence. A forensic analysis revealed numerous still images and video files depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, many of whom were younger than 12 years of age.
Duffy faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and supervised release for between five years and life. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit.
Westbrook Man Sentenced to Six Years for Distributing Bath Salts and Violating Release ConditionsRead the Press Release
Contact: David B. Joyce
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 280-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Christopher Coombs, 44, of Westbrook, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to five years in prison for possessing with intent to distribute alpha-PHP (a bath salt) and obstruction of justice and a consecutive one year in prison for Coombs’s violation of the terms of supervised release imposed on him in connection with a 2009 drug trafficking conviction. Coombs pled guilty on November 10, 2015.
According to court records, on October 31, 2014, law enforcement officers conducted a controlled delivery of about 500 grams of alpha-PHP to Coombs at his residence in Westbrook. This package was sent from China and was intercepted by customs officials in New York. After Coombs accepted the package, he was arrested. Following his arrest, he directed his wife to delete certain emails that were relevant to the investigation.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Westbrook Police Department, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
New Hampshire Man Found Guilty of Domestic Violence and Firearm Charges Arising Out of Saco Home InvasionRead the Press Release
Contact: Darcie N. McElwee
James W. Chapman, Jr.
Assistant United States Attorneys
Tel: (207) 280-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Gregory Owens, 59, of Londonderry, New Hampshire, was found guilty today by a jury in U.S. District Court of interstate domestic violence and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in connection with a home invasion shooting in Saco, Maine on December 18, 2014.
According to court records, on that date, Owens drove from New Hampshire to Maine intending to kill his wife who was an overnight guest at the home of friends living in Saco. During the home invasion, Owens shot his wife and the male home owner with a 9mm pistol. Both survived their injuries.
Owens faces up to 20 years in prison on the interstate domestic violence charge because the jury found that life threatening bodily injury occurred and no less than ten years and up to life on the firearm charge, which must be served consecutively. He also faces a $250,000 fine on each count.
The investigation was conducted by the Saco Police Department; the Maine and New Hampshire State Police; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Pharmacy RobberyRead 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 Scott McMahon, 32, of Orchard Park, New York, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Jon D. Levy to pharmacy robbery.
According to court records and evidence introduced at the plea hearing, on September 10, 2014, McMahon entered the Rite Aid pharmacy located at 461 Main Street in Saco and approached the pharmacy counter. Upon arriving at the counter, McMahon told a Rite Aid pharmacy employee, “I’m watching you” and then handed the employee a note which read, “Give me oxycontin. If you don’t it will get ugly.” The employee then placed OxyContin pills into a plastic bag and handed the bag to McMahon, who fled the store.
McMahon faces up to 20 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 Saco Police Department.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to Two Years for Interstate StalkingRead 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 Makwan Jaff, 36, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to two years in prison and three years of supervised release which will include up to one year of home confinement for interstate stalking. He pled guilty on September 29, 2015.
According to the criminal complaint affidavit and evidence introduced at the plea hearing, Jaff previously attended medical school in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis (“St. Kitts”). Between February 11, 2014 and June 25, 2014, with the intent to harass or intimidate a female former medical school classmate, Jaff created about five Facebook accounts in the victim’s name (or variations of her name with added words, such as “slut” and “whore”) and put pictures of her in them without her knowledge or permission. Once the Facebook accounts were deleted by the victim, Jaff sent threatening email and Facebook private messages to her and her immediate family. During these communications from St. Kitts, Jaff threatened to harm the victim and another classmate who were attending school in Scarborough, Maine from May 2014 until June 2014.
During some of the communication sent to the victim while she was in Maine, Jaff threatened: “Let me tell you what I am gonna do when I get home; rent a car first thing and come to [M]ain[e]….It is only a 24 hours drive...I won’t stop believe me I will f**k your world upside down!...I will turn your life in to a living hell…I will not go away I will f**k with you for the rest of your f**ken life…Keep thinking I am playing game till I hit where it f**ken hurts!”Jaff’s conduct caused substantial emotional distress to the victim and her immediate family. Jaff also sent hundreds of email messages to the classmate about the victim, many of which were similarly threatening and harassing.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Augusta Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Contact: Jim Moore
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jacob Choate, 27, of Augusta, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release for defrauding over a dozen banks and businesses by seeking to negotiate over $28,000 worth of washed, altered and counterfeit checks. Choate was also ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
Court records reveal that the investigation arose out of complaints made in July and August 2014 about checks stolen from the mail and the cashing of stolen checks. The investigation revealed that Choate presented numerous counterfeit and altered checks to banks in central and southern Maine. Video surveillance images from the banks depicted Choate cashing or attempting to cash the checks.Judge Woodcock noted that victims included eight banks, 16 payors and 11 payees. He stated that Choate’s role as a “check casher” in the bank fraud warranted a two-and-a-half year prison sentence because of his “unremitting degree of criminality since the age of 17 years.”
The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service as well as Augusta, Portland, Saco and Scarborough Police Departments.Haynes Timberland Fined $100,000 in Township 37 Marijuana Grow CaseRead the Press Release
Contact: Joel Casey
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Haynes Timberland, Inc., a Maine corporation, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. and ordered to pay a $100,000 fine for managing and controlling property used to manufacture marijuana.
The charge arose out of the September 22, 2009 seizure of 2,943 marijuana plants in Township 37, Washington County. Haynes Timberland, Inc. and co-defendant, Malcolm 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.Judge Woodcock continued the sentencings of co-defendants French, Rodney Russell and Kendall Chase that had been scheduled to take place today.
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Maine State Police, Washington and Penobscot County Sheriff’s Offices, Maine Warden Service, Maine Forest Service and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Portland Man Sentenced to 40 Months for 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 William Alfred Roscoe, 30, of Portland, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 40 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release for possessing child pornography. Roscoe pleaded guilty to the charge on June 23, 2015.
According to court records, in early 2015, federal agents were investigating the exchange of child pornography over the internet. In April, as part of the investigation, agents took custody of a laptop computer located in the Portland apartment Roscoe shared with his girlfriend and her children. Agents obtained a search warrant for the laptop. A forensic analysis revealed numerous still images and video files depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, that a user of the laptop had searched for files using keywords commonly associated with child pornography and that numerous files with titles indicative of child pornography were in the process of being downloaded to the laptop over the internet at the time agents took custody of the laptop. The investigation revealed that Roscoe knowingly possessed the laptop and knew that it contained child pornography.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Portland Police Department.
Bowdoinham Man Sentenced to 57 Months 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 Daniel Lajoie, Jr., 46, of Bowdoinham, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 57 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for possession of child pornography. Lajoie pleaded guilty to the charge on October 8, 2015.
According to court records and proceedings, between April 29 and June 3, 2012, the defendant used a computer and peer-to-peer software to make available for sharing videos of child pornography. A federal agent, acting in an undercover capacity, downloaded seven of those videos and traced them to a computer Lajoie used at a residence in Oakland, Maine. Lajoie’s computer was seized and examined and investigators found over 50 images and 110 videos of child pornography.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Task Force.
Former Connecticut Resident Sentenced to Three Years for Crack 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 Torrence Benton, a/k/a “T-Black,” a/k/a “Scotty,” 28, formerly of New Haven, Connecticut was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to three years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine base, commonly referred to as “crack.” This sentence is in addition to the 34 months that Benton has already served in the Maine State Prison on a related state charge.
According to court records, the defendant was a member of the Red Side Guerilla Brims (“RSGB”), a New Haven based street gang affiliated with the Bloods street gang. Between January 2010 and August 2013, Benton conspired with other RSGB gang members and Bangor area residents to distribute crack in Bangor area. In early 2013, he came to the Bangor area and began distributing crack. He obtained crack from other members of the conspiracy who brought it to Maine from New Haven and he was held responsible for distributing over 62 grams of it for $50 per half gram and $100 per gram. On April 7, 2013, the defendant was arrested by Old Town Police on state charges and found to be in possession of about 10 grams of crack.
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (New Haven Office); the New Haven Police Department; and the Old Town Police Department.A related racketeering case against other members of RSGB is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Spector and Peter Markle in the District of Connecticut.
Monroe Man Sentenced to 15 Months for Social Security FraudRead 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 Gary D. Hallett, 47, of Monroe, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 15 months in prison and three years of supervised release for fraudulently obtaining social security disability benefits. Hallett was also ordered to pay $67,753 in restitution. He pleaded guilty to the charge on May 12, 2015.
Court records show that the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) paid disability benefits to Hallett from 2004 until 2014. In 2012, the Bangor Daily News reported that the defendant had been charged with an elver fishing violation. The article indicated that Hallett’s attorney in the state matter had asked the Maine court to delay the trial of the violation because the defendant had the opportunity to make $200,000 in the upcoming elver season. That story led to an investigation by the SSA Office of Inspector General that revealed that Hallett had been working and earning income since 1999 which he had not reported to the SSA as required. As a result, the SSA paid $67,753 in benefits to Hallett to which he was not entitled.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Woodcock said: “I consider your conduct to be deplorable …. The Social Security program is a reflection of the good faith of the American people…. You have been cheating your fellow citizens.”
The investigation was conducted by the SSA Office of Inspector General.
Florida Man Sentenced to Five Years of Probation for Failing to Pay Child SupportRead 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 Jeffrey Kingman, 51, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to five years of probation for failing to pay child support. He was also ordered to pay $101,387.74 in restitution. Kingman pled guilty on September 16, 2015.
According to the evidence, Kingman was ordered to pay $216 per week in child support as part of his July 2007 Maine divorce judgment. Between August 2007 and March 2011, he made 57 reduced and variable child support payments totaling $12,150. As of October 2012, Kingman owed $60,112 in child support. From October 2012 through September 2015, Kingman made no child support payments. To date, Kingman owed $101,387.74 in child support.
The conditions of Kingman’s probation include that he pay restitution and child support. In pronouncing sentence, Judge Levy observed that Kingman has caused great harm to his children by financially and emotionally abandoning them over a period of years. Judge Levy also observed that Kingman had obtained full-time employment enabling him to make payments through a wage garnishment. Judge Levy explained that the statutory purposes of criminal punishment include getting defendants to pay restitution and getting parents to pay child support. If Kingman fails to make restitution or pay child-support while on probation, he faces an additional two years in prison.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Support Enforcement and Recovery.
Winthrop Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Jody Mullis
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Chad Goucher, 38, of Winthrop, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and possession of an unregistered sawed-off shotgun.
According to court records, on March 6, 2015, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Goucher’s residence in Winthrop. Officers recovered heroin, drug paraphernalia, and three firearms, including a .12 gauge Iver Johnson sawed-off shotgun. Goucher had a prior felony conviction from the State of Maine which prohibited him from possessing firearms. Goucher admitted to law officers that he intended to distribute some of the heroin and he also admitted that he knew that he was not permitted to possess firearms.
Goucher faces up to 20 years in prison on the heroin charge, a $1,000,000 fine, and between three years and life on supervised release. He faces up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine for each of the firearms charges. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Winthrop Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Massachusetts Woman Pleads Guilty to Distributing Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
Contact: Jody Mullis
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Tawana Smith, a/k/a “Tawana Greene,” a/k/a “T,” 24, of Springfield, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to distributing cocaine base, commonly known as crack cocaine.
According to court records, on July 8 and July 15, 2015, Smith distributed crack cocaine in the parking lot of two Bangor area hotels. On each occasion, Smith was contacted by an individual cooperating with law enforcement, she arranged the time and location of the transaction, and she sold crack cocaine for $300.
Smith faces up to 20 years, a $1,000,000 fine, and between three years and a life on supervised release on each count. She 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.
Gardiner Man Sentenced to More than 9½ Years for Robbing the Bank of MaineRead 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 C. Slater, 68, of Gardiner, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 115 months in prison and three years of supervised release for bank robbery. He was also ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution. The defendant pleaded guilty on October 28, 2014.
According to court records, on June 23, 2014, the defendant robbed $15,000 from the Bank of Maine, in Hallowell, Maine after handing a bank employee a demand note that read: “Im Here to Rob your Bank, no silent Alarms my cell Phone rings, your all dead, I have a hand grenade, and a gun, no marked bills, or inked, if so, one day I will come back and kill all of you, do you understand.???”
The ensuing investigation identified the defendant as a suspect. On June 27, 2014, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at two locations where the defendant had been living. Those searches revealed evidence that connected the defendant to the bank robbery. On July 9, 2014, the defendant was arrested in New Hampshire.
The investigation was conducted by the Hallowell, Augusta and Gardiner Police Departments; the Maine State Police; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Bangor Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
Contact: Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Andy Quinn Goodall, 28, most recently of Bangor, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to sexual exploitation of a minor.
According to court records, the defendant took sexually explicit images of two prepubescent minors, uploaded them to a foreign website and provided links to the images in emails he sent to others.
Goodall faces between 15 and 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and between five 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 investigation was conducted jointly by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Bangor Police Department, and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office.
Waterville Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Contact: Jody Mullis
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Brian Mulkern, 35, of Waterville, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of ammunition. He pled guilty on August 14, 2015.
According to court records, on August 26, 2014, Mulkern was apprehended by police in Winthrop, Maine while in possession of 10 rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition. The defendant stole this ammunition during the course of a day-time burglary. An 11-year-old girl was in the home at the time of the burglary. The defendant was captured by local police at the scene of the burglary with the ammunition in his backpack. He told police that he tried to steal a handgun located in a safe in the home during the burglary. He was unable to open the safe. Mulkern was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to past felony convictions in Maine state courts for burglary, robbery and drug trafficking. He faced an enhanced sentence because Judge Woodcock found him to be an Armed Career Criminal due to his past drug trafficking and violent felony convictions.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Winthrop Police Department.
Portland Man Sentenced to 1½ 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 Cory Girard, 27, of Portland, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 1½ years in prison and three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm while being an unlawful user of marijuana. He pled guilty on October 1, 2015.
According to court records, on January 8, 2010, Girard was found by police at a Rackleff Street, Portland apartment in possession of a semi-automatic pistol that he purchased in October 2009 and used to protect his drug trafficking business. Over that period of time, Girard was an illegal daily user of marijuana and had smoked marijuana on January 8, 2010.
The investigation was conducted by the Portland Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Alfred 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 Kevin Millette, 43, of Alfred, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing child pornography.
According to court records, in November 2015, federal agents executed a search warrant at Millette’s residence in Alfred. Millette was present, agreed to be interviewed, admitted that he had accessed child pornography recently using his phone and estimated that he had thousands of child pornography images on the phone.
Investigators seized three cell phones and a memory card from the residence. One of the phones was in the process of downloading child pornography images when it was seized. A forensic analysis of the phone and its memory card revealed thousands of digital still images depicting children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, as well as a smaller number of child pornography videos. Another memory card was also found to contain child pornography images.
Millette faces a sentence of between 10 and 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and between five years and life on supervised release. He faces enhanced penalties because he has a prior child pornography conviction. 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 Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit.Swan’s Island Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Illegally Possessing Guns and AmmunitionRead 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 Shaun G. Lemoine, 36, of Swan’s Island, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock Jr. to seven years in prison and three years of supervised release for illegally possessing firearms and ammunition. Lemoine pleaded guilty on March 17, 2015.
Court records reveal that on January 24, 2014, the Swan’s Island Police Department executed a warrant at Lemoine’s home and seized two firearms and 48 rounds of ammunition. Lemoine was prohibited from possessing these items because of prior federal (gun) and state (burglary and theft) felony convictions.
Prior to this sentencing, the defendant had been jailed over a half dozen times including being sentenced three times in federal court. The defendant also obstructed justice in this case by pressuring a witness to provide false information. In imposing the lengthy sentence, Judge Woodcock said that the defendant’s attempt to cover up his crime and his lengthy criminal history spoke “volumes about [his] utter disrespect for the law” and that “the only answer [was] to place [him] in jail.”The investigation was conducted by the Swan’s Island Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Lincoln Resident Sentenced to 1½ Years on Firearms 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 Bruce Smith, 60 of Lincoln, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 1½ years in prison and three years of supervised release for possessing firearms while being an unlawful user of controlled substances. Smith pled guilty on August 7, 2015.
According to court records, between January and April 2014, the defendant possessed seven firearms at a time when he was regularly using Alpha-PVP. Alpha-PVP is a schedule I controlled substance and is among a group of illegal, street drugs commonly referred to as bath salts. Two of the firearms were seized on March 9, 2014 following a traffic stop and Smith’s arrest by the Lincoln Police Department. Two more were seized on March 11, 2014 in Bradford, Maine and traced back to Smith. Smith possessed three more on April 8, 2014 when he was questioned by federal agents. Smith was a regular user of bath salts during this period of time and had pawned two of the firearms for Alpha-pvp in January 2014.
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Lincoln Police Department.Sebago Man Sentenced to Two Years of Probation for Interstate Theft of NarcoticsRead the Press Release
Contact: Julia M. Lipez
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jeffrey P. Wheeler, Jr., 31, of Sebago, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to two years of probation for theft from interstate shipments. Wheeler also was ordered to pay $1,376.28 in restitution. He pleaded guilty on September 28, 2015.
Court records reveal that between December 2013 and February 2014, Wheeler was employed as a delivery truck driver for United Parcel Service (UPS). During this period, Wheeler stole several shipments of prescription narcotic medications that had been shipped via UPS from the Veterans Administration medical facility in Togus, Maine to outpatient veteran clients.
This case was investigated by the Criminal Investigations Division of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.
Four Plead Guilty in Dexter Area Drug Conspiracy CaseRead 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, a/k/a “John-John”, 39, of Stetson, Maine, Cynthia Williams, a/k/a “Cindy”, 43, of Stetson, Maine, Whitney Chadbourne, 22, of Harmony, Maine and Corey Pomerleau, 24, of Harmony, Maine, pleaded guilty today at the U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances.
According to court records, between January 1, 2002 and November 22, 2014, there existed a conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone and five kilograms or more of cocaine. The drugs were being brought into the Dexter, Maine area from Rhode Island and then were being distributed by members of the conspiracy. John Williams, Cindy Williams and Whitney Chadbourne participated in the conspiracy during all or a portion of its existence. The Williams were involved in the distribution of the drugs in the Dexter area, whereas Chadbourne was involved in transporting the drugs to Maine from Rhode Island.
In addition, between February 10, 2011 and November 22, 2014, there existed a related conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone only. The drugs were being brought into the Dexter, Maine area from Rhode Island and then were being distributed by members of the conspiracy. Corey Pomerleau participated in the conspiracy during a portion of its existence by distributing oxycodone in the area.The conspiracy counts carry a maximum penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine and at least three years supervised release and up to life supervised release.
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.Bronx Man Sentenced on Federal Drug 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 Anthony Gomez, a/k/a “Tone”, 35, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced at the U.S. District Court in Bangor, Maine to a term of imprisonment of three years and five months and a 3 year term of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute oxycodone.
According to court records, between January 2012 and March 2012, Gomez conspired with Maurice McCray and others in Waterville, Maine and surrounding communities to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone. Gomez was one of McCray’s New York sources of supply for oxycodone. Gomez is the twenty-third person to be convicted and sentenced in the federal investigation into drug distribution in the Waterville, Maine area. He was arrested following an 18 month long fugitive investigation by the U.S. Marshal’s Service.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency with assistance from the Waterville, Maine Police Department.Bangor Woman Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact: Chris Ruge
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Tiffany Sutherland, 30, of Bangor, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base.
According to court records, from April to October, 2014, Sutherland conspired with others to receive drugs from out of state and then distribute those drugs in Maine. As part of the conspiracy, Sutherland would locally sell heroin and cocaine base (commonly known as “crack”), and would remit proceeds from those sales to one of her coconspirators.
Sutherland faces between five and 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine, and between four years and a lifetime of supervised release. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the Bangor Police Department; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.
Topsham Couple Pleads Guilty to Diverting Social Security BenefitsRead 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 Thomas Gerken, 63, and Jill Gerken, 63, of Topsham, Maine, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to defraud the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) by diverting Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. SSI benefits are paid to people who are blind, disabled or elderly and whose income is below specified levels and are to be used to pay for the needs of the beneficiary.
According to court records, the defendants are the parents of two disabled children. In 2004, on the basis of those disabilities, the defendants applied for and were granted SSI benefits for the children. Jill Gerken was designated as the representative payee for each child. As such, she was required to use the funds for their benefit, to annually account for her expenditure of the funds, and to periodically submit information to SSA to allow SSA to determine whether the children remained eligible for benefits.Between January 2007 and July 2013, during a period of time that the children resided on a full-time basis at an assisted living facility, the defendants diverted about $108,000 of the SSI benefits and used them to pay for household expenses, including, but not limited to, their mortgage, a home equity loan, utilities, groceries, travel, restaurant meals and books. Over that period of time, they also failed to pay the assisted living facility even though Jill Gerken falsely certified to SSA each year that she spent the SSI benefits on food and housing at the assisted living facility.
The defendants face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. They will be sentenced after completion of presentence investigation reports by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the SSA, Office of Inspector General.Portland Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery ChargeRead 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 Jimmy Odong, 25, of Portland, pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to bank robbery. The charge arises out of the July 17, 2015 robbery of Key Bank in Freeport, Maine.
According to court documents, on July 17, 2015, at about 2:30 p.m., Odong stole a vehicle and cell phone from a woman in Portland. At about 3:00 p.m., he entered the Key Bank branch wearing a wig and sun glasses, pointed what appeared to be a gun at tellers and demanded cash. After tellers complied, Odong absconded with about $11,700. He drove from scene of the robbery in the stolen vehicle. Police recovered it and a forensic examination revealed the defendant’s partial palm print on the outside of the vehicle. On July 23, 2015, the defendant was arrested and found to be carrying about $1,180 in cash and the carjacking victim’s cell phone.
The defendant faces up to 20 years in jail and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); the Freeport, Portland and Brunswick Police Departments; the Maine State Police; and the Southern Maine Gang Task Force comprised of agents and officers from the FBI; 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 “this bank robbery was quickly solved because local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies worked closely together.”
Winter Harbor Woman Sentenced to Probation for Theft from the Postal ServiceRead the Press Release
Contact: Chris Ruge
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Sandra Melnick, 53, of Winter Harbor, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to three years of probation for the theft of public money. She was also ordered to pay the U.S. Postal Service $1,629.55 in restitution. The defendant pled guilty on August 11, 2015.
According to court records, from about May 19 to September 12, 2014, while serving as a Postmaster Relief at the Sullivan, Maine Post Office, Melnick issued a series of money orders without reporting the sale or tendering the money to the Postal Service. Many of these money orders were cashed by recipients before the defendant reported them as sold. When Postal Service investigators audited Melnick’s accounts, there were three previously-cashed money orders that Melnick had not reported as sold.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General.
New Hamphire Residents Plead Guilty to Armed Bank Robbery ChargesRead 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 Crystal Dufault, 33, and Joseph Richards, 46, both of Manchester, New Hampshire, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to armed bank robbery and conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery. The charges arise from the August 3, 2015 armed bank robbery of Norway Savings Bank, in Freeport, Maine by Richards; the August 14, 2015 armed bank robbery of Franklin Savings Bank, in Franklin, New Hampshire by Dufault and Richards; the September 4, 2015 armed bank robbery of University Credit Union in Portland by Dufault and Richards; and the September 12, 2015 armed bank robbery of TD Bank in Lewiston, Maine by Richards.
According to court documents, a pellet gun was brandished during each of the robberies and the robber(s) absconded with $5,854 from Norway Savings Bank; $9,887 from Franklin Savings Bank; $12,308 from University Credit Union; and $9,888 from TD Bank.
The defendants face up to 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each charge. They will be sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
The joint investigation was conducted by the Franklin and Manchester, New Hampshire Police Departments; the Freeport, Portland, Lewiston, Old Orchard Beach and Saco 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.”Orono Man Sentenced to 41 Months for Wire and Bank Fraud ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
Contact: Chris Ruge
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jason Robinson, 30, of Orono, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 41months in prison and 5 years of supervised release for wire and bank fraud conspiracies. He was also ordered to pay over $13,000 in restitution to victims.
According to court records, from about February 2014 to May 2015, Robinson conspired with others to steal merchandise from Walmart, Hannaford, and other stores in Maine, and sell it on eBay; to return stolen merchandise to Lowe’s and Home Depot in return for store credit; and to defraud federally insured financial institutions by depositing worthless checks and withdrawing the money before those checks bounced.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Maine State Police, the Bangor Police Department, and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office.
South Portland Man Convicted on Visa and Bank Fraud, Firearms 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 a federal jury in Portland found Mukonkole Huge Kifwa, a/k/a “Ndowa Adrien Lushiku,” a/k/a “Adrien Ndowa,” a/k/a “Adrien Lushiku,” a/k/a “Hugue Kifwa,” 30, of South Portland, Maine guilty today of visa fraud, possession of firearms by a non-immigrant alien, bank fraud, and making false statements to a government agency.
According to the indictment and trial evidence, the defendant was a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo who fraudulently obtained a diplomatic visa in January 2014 in a false name and by making false representations. He illegally rented a pistol and a rifle in Maine in October and November 2014 under a false name. While living in Maine between September 2014 and March 2015, he committed a series of fraudulent transactions at four financial institutions in the greater Portland area. Finally, on July 14, 2015, he was arrested and falsely told federal agents that he had never been to Canada when, in fact, he previously lived in Canada for many years.
Kifwa faces up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 fine on each of the visa fraud and firearms charges, up to 30 years and a $1,000,000 fine on the bank fraud charges and up to five years and a $250,000 fine on the false statement charge. He will be sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Departments of State, Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Portland and Scarborough Police Departments; the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office; with assistance from Canadian authorities.
Caribou Man Pleads Guilty to 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 Dustin Giles, 30, of Caribou, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute bath salts.
According to court records, between about January 2012 and June 2014, Giles conspired with others in Aroostook County to obtain bath salts overseas via the internet and distribute it. Specifically, Giles was supplied with bath salts by another member of the conspiracy and distributed it to multiple customers.
The defendant faces up to 20 year in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the 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.
Arrowsic Man Pleads Guilty to Social Security FraudRead 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 Robert Caton, 72, of Arrowsic, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to Social Security Fraud.
According to court documents, Caton’s mother received Retirement and Survivors Benefits (RSI) following the death of her husband. When Caton’s mother died in September 2000, the RSI benefits continued to be deposited into Caton’s and his mother’s joint bank account. Caton did not notify the Social Security Administration that his mother’s RSI benefits continued to be deposited into their joint account following his mother’s death. The excess RSI payments continued uninterrupted for 14 years, with the last payment occurring in September 2014. Excess RSI payments to Caton’s joint account totaled $162,786. Caton used these funds to pay his own personal bills and expenses, spending all but approximately $15,000.
Caton 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 U.S. Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General.
Winterport Man Pleads Guilty to Escaping from Re-Entry CenterRead the Press Release
Contact: Jim Moore
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Brandon Caparotta, 24, of Winterport, Maine pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to escape from federal custody.
According to court records, on November 23, 2015, Caparotta was arrested by federal marshals at a town house complex on Griffin Road in Bangor after he escaped from the Northern Maine Regional Re-Entry Center, a contracted correctional facility of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, at which he was completing a sentence for two felony firearm offenses. After arriving at the facility in late September 2015, Caparotta was instructed that he could not leave the facility without permission, he had to keep the facility advised of his whereabouts while on a work pass, he could not leave a work site without permission, and he had to return to the facility after work hours. On September 22, 2015, Caparotta received a work pass, but failed to return. The investigation revealed that Caparotta left his work site early that day and did not have permission to be at the Griffin Road complex.
Caparotta faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after completion of a presentence report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Marshals Service.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun 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 Wayman Sparrow, a/k/a “Blaze,” 25, of New York, New York, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack cocaine,” and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to court records, between October 2011 and January 2013, Sparrow conspired with others from New York and Portland to bring heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine to Maine and distribute it from apartments and hotels in the Portland area. The defendant brought the drugs from New York to Portland, distributed them to customers in the Portland area, and brought drug proceeds back to New York. On March 12, 2013, the defendant got into a gun battle using a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber handgun with a former conspirator in the hallway outside an apartment in the Lafayette Arms in Portland, while he was there distributing drugs.
Sparrow faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine on the drug charge and a consecutive sentence of between 10 years and life in prison and a $250,000 fine on the gun charge. He will be sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.The investigation was conducted by the Portland Police Department, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
District of Maine Selected as Phase II Anti-Trafficking Coordination TeamRead the Press Release
Contact: Julia M. Lipez
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced the selection of the District of Maine as one of only six federal Districts designated to participate in the Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team (ACTeam) Initiative, an interagency federal law enforcement initiative aimed at streamlining the investigation and prosecution of federal human trafficking offenses.
“Maine is a relatively small and rural state, but it is not immune from human trafficking issues,” said U.S. Attorney Delahanty. “They are a priority for our office and the District of Maine.” The ACTeam will consist of agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“HSI”), the Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) Wage and Hour Division and Office of the Inspector General and two Assistant United States Attorneys (“AUSA”), one of whom will be Human Trafficking Coordinator, Julia M. Lipez. In 2014, HSI formed the Human Trafficking Task Force (“HTTF”) in Maine which consists of agents from federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The ACTeam will enhance the efforts of the HTTF in Maine.
U.S. Attorney Delahanty’s announcement follows the joint announcement of Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, and Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez yesterday designating the following cities as Phase II ACTeam sites: Cleveland, Ohio; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Newark, New Jersey; Portland, Maine; Portland, Oregon; and Sacramento, California. The sites were selected by unanimous interagency consensus of the Federal Enforcement Working Group, comprised of national anti-trafficking experts of the Department of Justice (“DOJ”), Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, the Executive Office of United States Attorneys, the FBI, HSI, and DOL’s
Wage and Hour Division and Office of the Inspector General.ACTeams are aimed at developing high-impact human trafficking investigations and prosecutions involving forced labor, international sex trafficking, and sex trafficking of adults by force, fraud, and coercion, complementing Project Safe Childhood and related efforts aimed at combating child sexual exploitation, including child sex trafficking. ACTeams bring together federal prosecutors and federal agents from multiple federal investigative agencies to develop and implement proactive anti-trafficking case identification, investigation, and prosecution strategies in close coordination with one another and with national anti-trafficking subject matter experts.
During Phase I of the ACTeam Initiative, Phase I Pilot ACTeams were convened in Atlanta, Georgia; El Paso, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Los Angeles, California; Memphis, Tennessee; and Miami, Florida. Phase I proved highly successful, with ACTeam Districts collectively increasing prosecutions by 119%, compared to 35% nationwide during the same two-year period.
Based on the outstanding results of Phase I, Attorney General Lynch, Secretary of Homeland Security Johnson, and Secretary of Labor Perez launched Phase II on June 25, 2015 by soliciting joint applications from United States Attorneys’ Offices and their federal law enforcement partners nationwide.
“Human trafficking robs victims of their liberty, exploits them for labor and for sex, and infringes not only on their rights, but on their essential humanity,” said Attorney General Loretta Lynch. “Through the ACTeam Initiative, we are harnessing resources across the federal government to ensure that our multi-agency fight against human trafficking is as comprehensive and effective as possible. In the days and months ahead, the DOJ will continue to work alongside our federal partners to prosecute wrongdoing, support survivors, and bring this devastating crime to an end.”
“The ACTeam Initiative is an important tool in our collective ability to combat sex trafficking, forced labor and domestic servitude here in the United States,” said Secretary Jeh C. Johnson of Homeland Security. “It highlights our commitment to increase capacity to rescue victims and bring perpetrators of these terrible crimes to justice. Our collective efforts are amplified when we work together in furtherance of shared missions like this. And, through DHS’s Blue Campaign, we will remain focused on ending human trafficking in the United States.”
“A trafficking victim shouldn’t have to spend time trying to determine whether they have a DOL issue or a DOJ issue,” said Secretary Thomas Perez of the DOL. “Their basic rights are being violated, and we can accomplish so much more to redress those crimes when we work together. The Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team Initiative, by bringing our respective departments’ collective resources and expertise to bear, is helping us build a whole even greater than the sum of our individual parts.”
“Human trafficking is a modern day form of slavery that destroys lives and exploits the most vulnerable in our society,” said Director James B. Comey of the FBI. “These ACTeams are the most effective way to investigate human trafficking by allowing us to work in a collaborative, victim-oriented manner.”The Attorney General has declared efforts to bring human traffickers to justice and to restore the lives of human trafficking survivors be among the highest priorities of the DOJ.
Connecticut Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Crack Conspiracy and DistributionRead the Press Release
Contact: Julia M. Lipez
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Russell Gordon, 32, of Ansonia, Connecticut, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to 13 years in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute cocaine base, often referred to as crack cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. Gordon also was ordered to forfeit $10,706.50. He pleaded guilty to the charges
on May 29, 2015.Court records reveal that between December 2013 and January 2015, Gordon conspired with others to sell crack cocaine in Portland, Maine. Gordon would arrange for the acquisition of drugs out of state. Once the drugs were transported to Maine, they were provided to retail distributors who would sell the drugs in the Portland area, and then return the cash proceeds to Gordon. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officers conducted controlled purchases of crack cocaine from members of the conspiracy. Gordon was arrested on January 9, 2015 at 66 Smith Street in Portland. At the time of his arrest, officers found him next to a bag containing 89 grams of crack cocaine and over $10,000 in cash.
Marco Gordon previously was sentenced to eleven years in connection with this conspiracy and Robert Joiner, Jr. and Samuel Collins each were sentenced to three years. Other defendants connected to this conspiracy have entered guilty pleas and await sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Southern Maine Gang Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Portland, South Portland, Biddeford and Lewiston Police Departments; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Maine State Police also assisted with the investigation.
The case also results from the ongoing effort of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
New York Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Oxycodone and OxymorphoneRead 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 Damian Corbett, 40, of New Rochelle, New York, was found guilty today in U.S. District Court following a two-day jury trial of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and oxymorphone.
According to court records, on December 16, 2014, federal agents and task force officers seized approximately 1,000 oxycodone and oxymorphone pills at the home of a North Berwick, Maine resident. Investigators learned that, since at least June 2013, Corbett had been supplying those pills to the resident who, in turn, distributed them in southern Maine. On December 19, 2014, Corbett was arrested shortly after he met with the resident and agents seized about $2,500 that he had just been paid for a delivery.
Corbett faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 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 U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Portsmouth Tactical Diversion Squad, North Berwick Police Department, Maine State Police, and York County Sheriff’s Office.
Lewiston Woman Sentenced to Nine Years for Transporting a Minor for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
Contact: Julia M. Lipez
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Shawna Calhoun, 25, of Lewiston, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to nine years in prison and five years of supervised release for transporting a minor in interstate commerce with the intent that she engage in prostitution. She pleaded guilty on July 29, 2015
Court records reveal that on December 23, 2014, Calhoun and Alvin Houston, Jr. obtained a rental car in Maine and used it to drive a 13-year old girl and another individual from Maine to Boston, Massachusetts, where they stayed with Calhoun’s family. While there, Calhoun and Houston drove the 13-year old girl to various hotels in the Boston area to engage in prostitution. On December 30, 2014, Calhoun and Houston learned that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was looking for the minor. They drove her in the rental car back to Maine and ultimately to Bangor, so that she could again engage in prostitution. Early in the morning on December 31, 2014, Calhoun and Houston drove the minor to a hotel in the Bangor area so that she could meet with a client for the purposes of prostitution. The purported client turned out to be a member of law enforcement. Calhoun and Houston were arrested outside in the parking lot, where they were waiting in the rental car.
This case was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Human Trafficking Task Force, the Lisbon and Bangor Police Departments, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Auburn Man Sentenced to Nine Years for Transporting a Minor for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
Contact: Julia M. Lipez
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Alvin Houston, Jr., 28, of Auburn, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to nine years in prison and five years of supervised release for transporting a minor in interstate commerce with the intent that she engage in prostitution. He pleaded guilty on July 29, 2015.
Court records reveal that on December 23, 2014, Houston and Shawna Calhoun obtained a rental car in Maine and used it to drive a 13-year old girl and another individual from Maine to Boston, Massachusetts, where they stayed with Calhoun’s family. While there, Calhoun and Houston drove the 13-year old girl to various hotels in the Boston area to engage in prostitution. On December 30, 2014, Calhoun and Houston learned that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was looking for the minor. They drove her in the rental car back to Maine and ultimately to Bangor, so that she could again engage in prostitution. Early in the morning on December 31, 2014, Calhoun and Houston drove the minor to a hotel in the Bangor area so that she could meet with a client for the purposes of prostitution. The purported client turned out to be a member of law enforcement. Calhoun and Houston were arrested outside in the parking lot,
where they were waiting in the rental car.This case was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Human Trafficking Task Force, the Lisbon and Bangor Police Departments, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Media Notice - Press ConferenceRead the Press Release
Contact: Donald E. Clark
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: Thomas E. Delahanty II, United States Attorney for the District of Maine, Janet T. Mills, Maine Attorney General, and John E. Morris, Maine Commissioner for the Department of Public Safety, will host a press conference to discuss the Maine Opiate Collaborative (“MOC”) on Thursday, December 17, 2015 at 12:00 noon at the Maine Medical Association, 30 Association Drive, Manchester, Maine.
U.S. Attorney Delahanty, Attorney General Mills and Commissioner Morris will provide information on the organization and activity of the MOC and its efforts to combat opiate abuse and addiction in Maine. Team leaders for the Law Enforcement, Treatment and Prevention/Harm Reduction Task Forces will also be available to answer questions and provide information. Dr. Wendy Wolf and Steve Rowe, Esq. will also be present representing the Maine Health Access Foundation and the Maine Community Foundation who will be announcing financial support for Maine community forums.
Members of the media should plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before the scheduled conference time.
Franklin Woman Sentenced to Two Years Probation for Social Security TheftRead the Press Release
Contact: Chris Ruge
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Barbara Phillips, 66, of Franklin, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to two years of probation and fined $3,000 for theft of public money. She was also ordered to pay $31,496.37 in restitution to the Social Security Administration.
According to court records, from about August 2011 until December of 2013, Phillips withdrew social security funds being deposited in her deceased mother’s checking account. In all, Phillip’s stole over $31,000 by drafting checks to herself from the decedent’s account.
The investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General.
Portland Man Sentenced to Three Years for Crack Cocaine Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Julia M. Lipez
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Samuel Collins, 47, of Portland, Maine, was sentenced today to three years in prison and three years of supervised release in connection with charges of conspiring to distribute cocaine base, often referred to as crack cocaine.
Court records reveal that between December 2013 and January 2015, Collins conspired with others to sell crack cocaine in Portland, Maine. Members of the conspiracy would arrange for the acquisition of drugs out of state. Once the drugs were transported to Maine, they were provided to retail distributors who would sell the drugs in the Portland area. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officers conducted controlled purchases of crack cocaine
from Collins and determined that Collins let other members of the conspiracy sell drugs from his apartment.Marco Gordon previously was sentenced to eleven years in connection with this conspiracy and Robert Joiner, Jr. was sentenced to three years. Several other members of the conspiracy have entered guilty pleas and await sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Southern Maine Gang Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Portland, South Portland, Biddeford, and Lewiston Police Departments, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Maine State Police also assisted with the investigation.
The case also results from the ongoing effort of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $1,742,830 in Civil and Criminal Actions for U.S. Taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2015Read 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 $1,742,830.04 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2015. Of this amount, $880,662.93 was collected in criminal actions and $862,167.11 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 $5,708,677.30 in cases pursued jointly with these offices. Of this amount, $600 was collected in criminal actions and $5,708,077.30 was collected in civil actions.
Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch announced today that the Justice Department collected $23.1 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2015. Collections in FY 2015 represents more than seven and a half times the approximately $2.93 billion of the Justice Department’s combined appropriations for the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the main litigating divisions in that same period."The Justice Department is committed to upholding the rule of law, safeguarding taxpayer resources, and protecting the American people from exploitation and abuse," said Attorney General Loretta Lynch. "The collections we are announcing today demonstrate not only the strength of that commitment, but also the significant return on public investment that our actions deliver. I want to thank the prosecutors and trial attorneys who made this achievement possible, and to reiterate our dedication to this ongoing work."
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.
Nationally, 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 financial, health, safety, civil rights and 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.
In March 2015, the District of Maine recovered $484,744 from Dr. Daniel P. Schecter, a dentist who provided services in Rockport, Maine, to settle claims involving improper billing to MaineCare (Maine’s Medicaid program).The District of Maine, working with partner agencies and divisions, also collected $942,407 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2015. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
New York Woman Pleads Guilty to Credit Card Fraud ConspiracyRead 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 Xiu Fang Zhang, 21, of New York, New York, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to commit credit card fraud.
According to evidence introduced at the plea hearing, between January 3 and January 6, 2015, Zhang and others used counterfeit credit cards to make purchases at retail stores and pharmacies in Maine. Zhang used counterfeit credit cards to purchase over $7,500 worth of items from Lowes, Home Depot, Bon-Ton, Rite Aid and Sears. She was paid by a co-conspirator for each fraudulent purchase.
Zhang faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She will be sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service and the Auburn and South Portland Police Departments.
Berwick Man Sentenced to Two Years for Possessing Child PornographyRead 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 Peter Anderson, 56, of Berwick, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to two years in prison and five of supervised release for possessing child pornography. He was also ordered to pay $5,000 to each of three victims who sought restitution. He pleaded guilty on April 10, 2015.
According to court documents, on April 23, 2014, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Anderson’s residence and seized laptops, USB drives and DVD discs containing 105 movie or video files and 430 image files depicting child pornography. Of those files, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children identified 194 images and 33 videos from 59 series depicting known minor victims. Anderson admitted that he downloaded child pornography for several years for sexual gratification and shared it online.
In pronouncing sentence, Chief Judge Torresen told Anderson that his crime was serious because the production of child pornography ruins the lives of innocent children. The victims described how the knowledge that people took pleasure from viewing pictures of their torture was hurtful. In addition, Chief Judge Torresen noted that the mere possession of child pornography contributes to the exploitation and rape of children by creating demand for the exploitive images.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit.
Georgia Man Sentenced to over 2½ Years for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead 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 James Robert Underwood, 43, of Dalton, Georgia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 33 months in prison for failing to register as a sex offender. Underwood pleaded guilty on June 24, 2015.
According to court records, Underwood was convicted in 1999 in Georgia for rape and other charges. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and was released in 2009. The rape conviction required him to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act in Georgia and any other state where he established residency. In March 2012, Underwood established residency in Maine, but failed to register as required.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Torresen noted that this was a particularly serious violation because while Underwood was not registered in Maine, he committed gross sexual assault. He was convicted for this crime in York County Superior Court and was sentenced in April 2013 to eight years in prison, with all but two years suspended.
Following Underwood’s sexual assault conviction, Georgia reclassified him as a "Dangerous Sexual Predator" under its State Sexual Offender Registry which subjects him to electronic monitoring for the rest of his life while residing in Georgia.The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Maine Probation and Parole Office and the Maine State Police, State Bureau of Identification.