District of Maine
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Portland Man Sentenced to 2 Years for 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 Jason
Campbell, 40, of Portland, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy
to 2 years in prison for pharmacy robbery. Campbell pleaded guilty to the charge on May 14,
2014.According to court records and evidence introduced at the plea hearing, on April 11,
2014, Campbell entered the CVS pharmacy on Congress Street in Portland carrying a backpack.
As he approached the pharmacy counter, he opened the backpack, said he had a “bomb,”
displayed what appeared to be a soda bottle with wires attached to it, and told the pharmacist to
evacuate the CVS and to close the gate in front of the store. He demanded the opioid pain
medications Duragesic (fentanyl), demerol and dilaudid and absconded after being given the
narcotics. He disposed of his outer clothing and the backpack in a nearby trash can. He was
located a short time later in the vicinity of his Portland residence and some of the stolen narcotics
were recovered. The investigation revealed that the bomb was not an explosive device.
In imposing sentence, Judge Levy noted, among other things, that “gas bombs are
designed to cause terror” and that Campbell’s conduct “put many people at risk.” Judge Levy
also cited Campbell’s lack of criminal history and his life-long battle with severe mental health
issues as the basis for the sentence.The investigation was conducted by the Portland Police Department and the Federal
Bureau of Investigation.Rockland Man Sentenced to More Than 3 Years for Pharmacy RobberyRead 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 Elbert
Ranquist, 43, of Rockland, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy
Torresen to 43 months in prison and three years of supervised release for pharmacy
robbery. Ranquist pleaded guilty to the charge on April 17, 2014.According to court documents, on the evening of August 5, 2013, Ranquist drove to
Jensen’s Pharmacy in Rockland in his wife’s distinctive vehicle. He entered the pharmacy
wearing sunglasses, a hooded sweatshirt pulled tight around his face, a small blue backpack and
blue surgical gloves. He went to the counter holding a knife in his left hand and demanded
oxycodone from the pharmacist. The pharmacist, who recognized the defendant as a regular
customer, asked out loud if he was really being robbed by “Elbert Ranquist.” The defendant
absconded with 10 5mg oxycodone pills.In pronouncing sentence, Judge Torresen stated that Ranquist had been in a vicious cycle
with drugs for years in which he tried to self-medicate and solve personal and family problems
but only caused himself more problems.The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Rockland Police
Department, the Maine State Police and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.Windham Man Sentenced to 8 Months for Passing Counterfeit Traveler’s ChecksRead the Press Release
Contact: Donald E. Clark
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Keith
A. Coleman, 48, of Windham, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy
Torresen to eight months in prison and three years of supervised release for passing $19,000
worth of counterfeit $100 American Express traveler’s checks. He was also ordered to pay
$19,000 in restitution. He pled guilty to the charge on May 1, 2014.According to court records and information disclosed at his sentencing hearing,
between December 17, 2013 and January 10, 2014, the defendant passed 190 counterfeit $100
American Express traveler’s checks at Applebee’s, Best Buy, CVS Caremark, Denny’s, TGI
Fridays, Longhorn Steakhouse, Olive Garden, Radio Shack, Rite Aid, Ruby Tuesday, Staples,
Target and Toys ‘R Us in Maine and Massachusetts.This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Auburn, Augusta,
Biddeford, South Portland and Topsham, Maine and the Everett, Massachusetts Police
Departments.Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
Contact: Darcie N. McElwee
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced Jermaine
Whindleton, a/k/a “Sin,” 28, formerly of Worcester, Massachusetts, was sentenced today in U.S.
District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release
for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Whindleton was convicted on April 9, 2014
following a two-day jury trial.According to trial evidence and court documents, in 2009, Whindleton was convicted in
Massachusetts of felony drug and assault charges. Several years earlier, he had also been
convicted in New York of felony drug and assault charges. On June 12, 2012, Whindleton used a
Mossberg 16 gauge pump-action shotgun in Porter, Maine to assault a drug associate by striking
him on the back of his head with the butt end of the firearm during an argument over a drug debt
owed to Whindleton.As a result of prior convictions, Whindleton was subject to an enhanced sentence as an
Armed Career Criminal requiring a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison.The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.Auburn Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Contact: Daniel J. Perry
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that David
Goyette, 27, of Auburn, Maine, pleaded guilty last Friday in U.S. District Court in Portland to
conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine.According to court records, from 2011 through June 2013, Goyette obtained kilogram
quantities of cocaine from Massachusetts, cooked some of it into crack cocaine and distributed
both substances in the greater Lewiston/Auburn area. On June 3, 2013, Goyette telephonically
made plans to meet his supplier the next day in Boston. The next day, law enforcement agents
followed Goyette as he drove from Auburn to Boston. In Boston, law enforcement agents
watched as Goyette and his supplier met and then left in separate vehicles. Shortly thereafter,
both vehicles were stopped and agents recovered about $25,000 in the supplier’s vehicle. On
June 4, 2013, search warrants were executed at Goyette’s and his mother’s residences. In a
closet outside the mother’s apartment, agents recovered about 500 grams of cocaine and a digital
scale. Inside Goyette’s apartment, agents recovered expensive jewelry.The defendant faces between five and 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine. He will
be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation
Office.The joint investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the
Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Auburn Police Department, and 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.Boston Man Convicted of Aiding and Abetting Interstate Transportation for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
Contact: Gail Fisk Malone
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Fritz
Blanchard, 28, of Boston, Massachusetts, was found guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court of
aiding and abetting the interstate transportation of women for prostitution following a four-day
jury trial in Portland.According to the indictment and trial evidence, on March 27, 2013, Blanchard and
Samuel Gravely caused a Presque Isle woman and a Portland woman to engage in prostitution at
a Portland hotel, advertising their services on backpage.com. The next day, Blanchard and
Gravely drove the two women, and another Portland woman, from Portland to Boston intending
that the three work as prostitutes there. When they arrived in Boston, Blanchard took two of the
women to a downtown street and told them how to attract customers and engage in prostitution.Blanchard faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after
completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. On November 20,
2013, Gravely pled guilty to interstate transportation of women for prostitution. He awaits
sentencing.The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland
Security Investigations, with assistance from the Boston Police Department; the Federal Bureau
of Investigation; the Portland, Presque Isle, Old Town, Brunswick and Saco Police Departments;
the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.Brunswick Men Indicted on Federal Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: James Chapman
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II and Deputy Assistant
Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division, Ronald A. Cimino,
announced today that F. William Messier, 70, and David E. Robinson, 75, both of Brunswick,
Maine, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Portland and charged with conspiracy to defraud
the United States by impeding and impairing the Internal Revenue Services (IRS). Messier was
also charged with failure to file income tax returns for the years 2008 through 2012, and
corruptly endeavoring to impede the IRS.According to the court documents, Messier has not filed a federal income tax return since
1997. The IRS assessed taxes, interest and penalties against Messier totaling $172,000 for the
years 2000 to 2004. In addition, from 2006 to 2012, Messier earned more than $390,000 in gross
income from renting antennae space on radio communication towers that Messier owned and by
renting access to his property to customers who constructed their own communications towers or
located electronic equipment on the property.David E. Robinson claims to be the “Interim Attorney General” of the “Maine Republic
Free State.” The indictment alleges that after the IRS sent Notices of Levy to Messier’s
customers, Robinson and Messier took a number of steps beginning in 2012 to obstruct and
impede the IRS, including presenting the IRS with a fake and worthless money order for the
amount due by Messier, and sending threatening and harassing documents to Messier’s
customers urging them not to cooperate with the IRS.Messier faces up to 13 years in prison and fines totaling $1,000,000 if convicted on all
counts. Robinson faces up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendants are
scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Portland on September 5, 2014 at 9:00 and 9:30
a.m.The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless
proven guilty in a court of law.Texas Man Sentenced to Four Years on Drug and Immigration ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Joel B. Casey
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Moises
Soto, 53, formerly of Corpus Christi, Texas, was sentenced yesterday to 4 years in prison for
conspiracy to manufacture more than 1,000 marijuana plants and harboring an illegal alien. Soto
pled guilty to the charges on July 30, 2013.Soto’s conviction stems from his involvement in large, sophisticated marijuana growing
operations in Penobscot and Washington counties that operated between 2006 and 2009. In late
2007, just weeks after becoming a naturalized U.S. Citizen, Soto was asked by coconspirator
Malcolm French to obtain illegal alien migrant workers to process marijuana that had been
harvested from Township 37 in Washington County. The defendant agreed to do so and located
three migrant workers in Florida. The workers were told they would be planting Christmas
trees. After they were brought to Maine, Soto told them that they would be processing
marijuana. The migrant workers did not speak English. Soto periodically checked in on their
work and translated instructions to them from other members of the conspiracy. In 2008 and
2009, the defendant obtained additional illegal alien migrant workers to grow and process
marijuana, checked in on their work and translated for them.On September 22, 2009, law enforcement agents discovered the marijuana grow in
Township 37 with several of the migrant workers tending the plants. The workers and two
American coconspirators -- Rodney Russell and Scott MacPherson -- fled into the woods to
avoid arrest. Investigators seized 2,943 marijuana plants. The workers were brought by Robert
Berg and Scott MacPherson to Berg’s residence in Corinna, Maine. Thereafter, Soto arranged
for an alien smuggler, or “coyote,” to pick up the workers and drive them out of state. Soto then
fled to Mexico where he remained until turning himself in to authorities in Texas in
2013. Agents located three of the workers three years later and they cooperated with the
investigation.In January 2014, Malcolm French, Rodney Russell, Kendall Chase, and Haynes
Timberland, Inc., were convicted of related charges following a jury trial and await
sentencing. Robert Berg, pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to the operation of
the marijuana grow in January 2014.The investigation was conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency with
assistance from the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division and U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.New York Man Pleads Guilty to Passing Counterfeit CurrencyRead 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
Andrew Cupidore, 21, of New York, New York, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court before
Judge D. Brock Hornby to passing counterfeit U.S currency.According to court records, on April 21, 2014, a police officer patrolling the Maine Mall
in South Portland located four female minors from New York who were using counterfeit $100
bills to pay for purchases in the mall. The officer seized over $1000 in counterfeit $100 bills
from the minors. The investigation revealed that Cupidore gave the minors the counterfeit bills
and told them to pass them in the mall and to return change from the transactions to him.
Officers located Cupidore hiding in a mall restroom and seized nine counterfeit $100 bills from
him.Cupidore faces up to 20 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. Secret Service, the South Portland Police
Department and the Seabrook and Newington, New Hampshire Police Departments.Augusta Man Pleads Guilty to Mail and Postal Money Order Theft 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 Jason
K. Stockmar, 28, of Augusta, Maine, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to stealing mail and
postal money orders while employed by the United States Postal Service (USPS).According to court documents, Stockmar was hired by the USPS in 2011. He was the
Postmaster Relief of the East Vassalboro, Maine Post Office when he stole about 25 to 30 pieces
of customer mail between about December 1, 2012, and April 21, 2013. Stockmar took cash,
checks, and gift cards from that mail. He also took 20 blank postal money orders from a safe in
the East Vassalboro Post Office.
Stockmar faces a sentence of up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He
will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation
Office.
The case was investigated by the USPS Office of the Inspector General.Houston Man Sentenced to More Than 14 Years in Federal 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
Apolinar Ortiz Islas, a/k/a “Polo”, 44, formerly of Houston, Texas was sentenced on
Wednesday, August 13, in U.S. District Court in Bangor to 14 years and 2 months imprisonment
after being found guilty of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute
five kilograms or more of cocaine, following a three day trial in October 2013.Evidence at trial established that Ortiz-Islas was the Houston based source of cocaine for
a group of Canadian drug traffickers from New Brunswick, Canada. The Canadian traffickers
would smuggle hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash into Northern Maine and have it
transported to Houston where it was used to pay Ortiz-Islas for kilograms of cocaine. The
cocaine would then be transported back to Maine and smuggled into Canada. Testimony at trial
indicated that Ortiz-Islas was obtaining the cocaine from a source in Mexico. Evidence further
established that the conspiracy operated in this manner for approximately two years. Ortiz-Islas
was arrested in Houston in September 2012 as he attempted to deliver ten kilograms of cocaine
to an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a courier for the Canadian drug traffickers.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security
Investigations Office in Houlton, Maine, with assistance provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration in Houston, Texas, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.Portland Woman Sentenced for Bank FraudRead 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
Sharon Conley, 56, of Portland, Maine, was sentenced by United States District Judge D. Brock
Hornby to 3 years imprisonment, 3 years supervised release and $72,282.03 restitution for one
count of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud, one count of Social Security fraud and one count of
aggravated identity theft. Conley pleaded guilty on April 3, 2014.According to court documents, Paul Bridges and Susan Winslow lived on Peaks Island
where Paul Bridges owned and operated a handyman business called “Call Paul” which provided
repair services to the residents of Peaks Island. In about 2005, Bridges employed their friend and
neighbor on Peaks Island, Sharon Conley, as a contract cleaner for Call Paul, and later, as a
bookkeeper for Call Paul. In this way, Conley gained access and control of Bridges’ and
Winslow’s personal and business information and financial accounts.
In November of 2009, without Susan Winslow’s knowledge or permission, Sharon
Conley obtained a Chase Bank credit card issued in Susan Winslow’s name. In order to do so,
Conley pretended to be Winslow and provided Chase Bank with Winslow’s identifying
information including Winslow’s date of birth, Social Security number, and mother’s maiden
name in order to confirm her identity. Conley used the card to purchase personal items for
herself and to pay bills such as her monthly telephone bill. Between about February 2010 until
about October of 2010 when Paul Bridges and Susan Winslow discovered Conley’s fraud and
confronted Conley about it, Conley made approximately $15,585 worth of unauthorized,
personal purchases using the Chase Bank credit card.
At sentencing, the government presented information that Conley also made unauthorized
use of other Call Paul business accounts, Susan Winslow’s personal bank account, a home equity
line of credit on the Bridges/Winslow home, and of US Air Mastercard convenience
checks. Conley also double-billed one of Call Paul’s customers.
In pronouncing sentence, Judge Hornby observed that, sadly, the court has been seeing
more case of financial fraud, some in banks; others in small businesses. Such cases cause a
serious breach of trust. They affect the social fabric of a community and cause divisions,
especially on a small island such as Peaks. He affirmed that the evidence made clear that the
defendant was guilty, and that any belief that she was an innocent person railroaded was
mistaken.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Portland
Police Department.New Hampshire Man Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Federal Prison for Armed Pharmacy Robbery and Criminal ContemptRead the Press Release
Contact: Darcie N. McElwee
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced today that
U. S. District Court Judge Nancy Torresen sitting in Portland on Friday sentenced Robert
Pecora, 26, to 37 months in federal prison for committing an armed pharmacy robbery and
criminal contempt of court.Court records reveal that on about September 21, 2013, Pecora traveled from New
Hampshire to Kittery, Maine on a bicycle. He went to the Rite-Aid pharmacy counter on
Shapleigh Road in Kittery and presented a piece of paper believed to be a prescription. Pecora
then displayed a knife and pointed it at a pharmacy employee and demanded Oxycontin. When
the medicine safe was opened, Pecora instead demanded Percocet and was given 300 pills.
Pecora then immediately entered the pharmacy bathroom where responding Kittery Police patrol
officers located him. He had a light blue powdery residue on his upper lip. Pecora confessed to
the robbery, was arrested and taken from the store in handcuffs.Following his arrest, Pecora was released on bail conditions in February 2014 which
required him to remain at an addiction recovery center in Dover, New Hampshire. The
conditions of release also prohibited him from possessing a firearm.During the evening of March 20, 2014, Pecora left the addiction recovery center without
permission and later that same night committed a burglary of a residence in Greenland, New
Hampshire, during which he stole three firearms, $1,000 in cash and a motor vehicle. Pecora
remained at large until arrested by authorities in Keene, New Hampshire on March 25, 2014. The
three stolen firearms have yet to be recovered. Following his incarceration, Pecora will be on
federal supervised release for three years.The investigation was conducted by the Kittery Police Department, the Greenland and
Keene (New Hampshire) Police Departments and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.Old Orchard Beach 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 Billy
Schildroth, 37, of Old Orchard Beach, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court before
Judge Nancy Torresen to pharmacy robbery.According to court records and evidence introduced at the plea hearing, on February 13,
2014, Kyle Desmarais drove Billy Schildroth to a Rite Aid pharmacy located in Old Orchard
Beach so that Schildroth could rob the pharmacy. Schildroth absconded with Oxycontin
(oxycodone) and Suboxone (buprenorphine) after putting his hand inside his coat and telling the
pharmacist that he had “a gun and five bullets” and not to alert anyone or he would shoot the
pharmacist in the face.
On June 20, 2014, Desmarais pled guilty to aiding and abetting pharmacy robbery.Schildroth faces up to 20 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Old
Orchard Beach Police Department.Massachusetts Man Convicted of Failure to Pay Child Support and Drug ChargeRead 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 Jay
Dandreo, 52, of Lynn, Massachusetts, was convicted yesterday after a two-day jury trial in U.S.
District Court in Portland of willfully failing to pay child support and possession with the intent
to manufacture or distribute marijuana.According to evidence introduced at trial, in May 2004, the Maine Department of Health
& Human Services (MDHHS) ordered Dandreo to pay for the support of his four minor children.
Between May 2004 and November 2013, Dandreo knowingly and intentionally failed to make
any child support payments, resulting in an unpaid obligation of about $70,000. In August 2012,
Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) investigators searched property located in Limerick,
Maine owned by Dandreo’s father and seized marijuana plants growing at several locations on
the property, as well as drug distribution paraphernalia and several firearms.
Dandreo faces up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the child support charge
and up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the drug charge. 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. Department of Health & Human Services,
Office of Inspector General; MDHHS, Office of Family Independence, Division of Support
Enforcement & Recovery; and MDEA.Lewiston Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead 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 Derek
Hinkley, a/k/a “Ethan Hinkley,”30, of Lewiston, Maine, and formerly of Strong, was
sentenced yesterday in U.S District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to 25 years in prison and
supervised release for life for sexual exploitation of a child. Hinkley pled guilty on January 30,
2014.On July 17, 2012, Hinkley invited two boys, ages 12 and 15, to spend the night at his
apartment telling the boys that he was 18 years old. Upon arrival at his apartment, Hinkley used
a laptop computer to show them pornography and then, brandishing a knife, forced both to
masturbate and play with a sex toy. On July 18, 2012, shortly after midnight, Hinkley used a
webcam on his computer to capture and disseminate live over the internet on a social media
website the image of the older boy masturbating at knifepoint. On July 19, 2012, Hinkley’s
apartment was searched and detectives seized the computer and the sex toy. A forensic analysis
of the computer revealed that Hinkley used the social media website at the same time reported by
the victims. On July 20, 2012, Hinkley confessed to committing the crime.The charge required imposition of a mandatory minimum 15 year term in prison. In
imposing sentence, Judge Torresen said: "You do have a very serious problem and I can't be
comfortable that others will be protected unless I give you a very serious sentence."The investigation was conducted by the Lewiston Police Department and U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.St. Martin, Quebec Man Pleads Guilty to Smuggling ChargeRead the Press Release
Contact: Jim Moore
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Pierre
Poulin, 40, of St. Martin, Quebec pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to illegally smuggling
his wife, a citizen of Brazil, into the United States.According to court records, on July 17, 2014, Poulin used an ATV to drive his wife to a
wooded area near the international border and then drove his vehicle to the Jackman, Maine Port
of Entry intending to pick her up several miles south of the Port. Customs and Border Protection
(CBP) Officers at the Port became suspicious when Poulin claimed to be traveling alone, but had
in his vehicle, his wife’s passport, female clothing and a purse. His wife was located by Border
Patrol agents later that day near the border.Poulin faces up to 10 years of in prison and a $250,000 fine, or both. He will be
sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.The investigation was conducted by CBP and the Border Patrol, agencies of the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security.Corinth 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 David
Livingston Brown, 40, of Corinth, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor
to possession of child pornography.According to court records, in April 2013, the defendant emailed a video containing child
pornography to an undercover Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) special agent. On July 18,
2013, a search warrant was executed at the defendant’s residence in Corinth. The defendant
admitted sending and receiving images of child pornography by email and collecting hundreds of
images and videos of child pornography over several years. A forensic examination of
computers and computer storage devices seized from the residence revealed hundreds of images
and videos of child pornography.The defendant 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 jointly by the FBI and the Maine State Police Computer
Crimes Unit. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative
launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child
sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child
Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local
resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the
Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe
Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.Bucksport Woman Sentenced to More Than 8 Years for Bank Embezzlement and Tax 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 Lynn
M. Bowden, 63, of Bucksport, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to
97 months in prison and five years of supervised release for embezzlement by a bank employee
and tax fraud. She was also ordered to pay $3,822,166.27 in restitution. The defendant pleaded
guilty to the charges on February 19, 2014.According to court documents, Bowden was employed by Merrill Merchants Bank
(“Merrill”) in May 2004. Chittenden Corporation acquired Merrill in 2007. People’s United
Bank acquired Chittenden Corporation in 2008. Bowden maintained her employment through
these acquisitions. In October 2012, she was working as a wealth management officer managing
over 200 trust and investment management accounts when her embezzlement was discovered.
The investigation revealed that from April 4, 2005 to September 26, 2012, Bowden
embezzled $2,990,429.65 from client accounts that she managed by transferring the funds into
her personal accounts. She used all of the money for herself and family members. Bowden
failed to report this income to the Internal Revenue Service on her tax returns causing a tax loss
of more than $750,000 for the period from 2007 to 2011. On October 26, 2012, the bank
terminated her employment, and ultimately reimbursed customers for their losses.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal
Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations.Portland Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Crack Cocaine TraffickingRead 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
Abdullahi Nur, 26, of Portland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z.
Singal to 10 years in prison for crack cocaine trafficking. Nur was convicted following a jury
trial in October 2013.According to court records, Nur regularly acquired crack cocaine in Boston and
distributed it in the greater Portland area. He was involved in two traffic stops over three months
in 2011 during which narcotics were seized. The Wells Police Department stopped Nur on July
31, 2011 and seized from the trunk 174 30 mg. Oxycodone pills located on top of a 9mm Smith
and Wesson Sigma semi-automatic handgun on which Nur’s DNA was found. The weapon was
used in a shooting in South Portland less than two weeks prior to the traffic stop. The
Scarborough Police Department stopped Nur at 2:00 a.m. on October 25, 2011. Nur got out of
the vehicle and fled on foot into a nearby wooded area. Police officers eventually arrested him
and seized crack cocaine. Nur admitted that he sold drugs to make money and travelled to
Boston weekly to pick up an ounce of crack for resale in Portland.
In imposing the lengthy sentence, Judge Singal noted, among other things, Nur’s lengthy
criminal history, his long-time involvement in drug trafficking, his possession of a firearm
during his drug trafficking, and his contemptuous conduct during his trial.The investigation was conducted by the Scarborough, Wells and South Portland Police
Departments; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; and the Southern Maine Gang Task Force
which is comprised of investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the Portland
and Biddeford Police Departments.Massachusetts Fugitive Sentenced to 81 Months on Firearms and Identity Theft 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 Gary
Irving, a/k/a “Gregory Irving” and “Gregg Irving,” 54, of Gorham, Maine, was sentenced
today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to 81 months in prison and three years of
supervised release for being a fugitive in possession of firearms and aggravated identity
theft. Irving pleaded guilty to the charges on March 27, 2014, a year after his apprehension for
being a fugitive for 34 years.Court records reveal that Irving was arrested in Maine on March 27, 2013 on a fugitive
warrant from Massachusetts for a 1979 conviction for rape and other crimes. At the time of his
arrest, he had nine firearms in his residence, including two illegal short-barreled firearms. He
had been living in Maine under a false identity since 1979. He fraudulently used his brother’s
name and social security number and an incorrect date of birth to renew his driver’s license. For
more than 16 of his years in Maine, he illegally used firearms to hunt.
The aggravated identity theft charge required imposition of a consecutive mandatory
minimum two year term in prison because Irving knew the social security number he illegally
used belonged to an actual person. In imposing sentence, Judge Singal said: “This isn't a
victimless crime, even on his own family. In my view, that's a serious set of events and deserves
a serious sentence."
Norfolk (Mass) District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey, whose office secured a 36 to 40
year state prison sentence in May 2013 for Irving’s rape and kidnapping convictions said “the
Maine State Police and all of the law enforcement partners who have been part of this
investigation and prosecution have done exemplary work.” He added “This is a man with a
proven capacity for extreme brutality. Law enforcement works best with cooperation across the
local, state and federal levels. That partnership here has made the public safer.”
The investigation was conducted by the Massachusetts and Maine State Police, the
Gorham Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector
General.Gray Man Pleads Guilty to Passing Counterfeit CurrencyRead 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 John
E. Williams, 33, of Gray, Maine pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to passing
counterfeit United States currency.According to court documents, on November 15, 2012, the defendant used a counterfeit
$100 bill to buy $18.51 worth of merchandise at the Advanced Auto Parts store in Windham. On
November 26, 2012, he used a counterfeit $50 bill to buy kerosene at the Big Apple store in
Windham. The counterfeit currency was created with an inkjet printer and bleached currency of
lower denominations. Law enforcement agents searched the defendant’s residence in Raymond and
his vehicles on November 28, 2012 and seized counterfeiting materials.
Williams faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. He will be sentenced
after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Scarborough,
Windham, Raymond, Paris, Oxford, Saco, Kittery, and Auburn Police Departments, and the
Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.Gardiner Resident Charged with Bank 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 today that
John C. Slater, 66, of Gardiner, Maine, was arrested in New Hampshire and charged in U.S.
District Court in Bangor by criminal complaint with bank robbery. The charge arises from the
June 23, 2014 bank robbery of the Bank of Maine, in Hallowell, Maine.According to court records, Slater robbed $15,000 from the Bank of Maine after handing
a bank employee a 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 defendant will make an initial appearance in the U.S. District Court in Bangor today
at noon.The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Maine State
Police, and the Hallowell police department.A complaint is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven
guilty in a court of law.Norridgewock Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation and Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Patrik
Arsenault, 27, most recently of Norridgewock, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court
in Bangor to sexual exploitation of a minor and transportation, receipt and possession of child
pornography. He was indicted on the charges on October 16, 2013.
According to court records, in June and July of 2013, the defendant, a former special
education teacher, sexually abused three minors and recorded images and videos of the
abuse. The defendant then sent recordings of the abuse of two of the minors, as well as other
images of child pornography, to several e-mail trading partners. The defendant also received
images of child pornography from his trading partners. On August 21, 2013, law enforcement
agents seized a hard drive during the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s
residence. A forensic examination revealed videos of the defendant’s abuse of the two minors
and over 7,500 images and 250 videos depicting child pornography.
“I would like to thank my agents for their tireless efforts, in pursuing those individuals
who would use their position of trust to carry out these unthinkable acts”, said Bruce Foucart,
special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security
Investigations (HSI) in Boston. “I would also like to thank our partners in the Maine State Police
Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit for their constant support and dedication in
tackling these disturbing types of crimes.”
Arsenault faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison on the
sexual exploitation charges, a minimum of 5 years and up to 20 years in prison on the
transportation and receipt of child pornography charges, and up to 20 years in prison on the child
pornography possession charge. He also faces a fine of up to a $250,000 on each count. He will
be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation
Office.
The investigation was conducted jointly by HSI, the Maine State Police, and the Maine
State Police Computer Crimes Unit. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a
nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing
epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the
Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals
federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who
exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information
about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.New York City Man Sentenced to More Than 8 Years for Drug 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
Kenneth Robinson, a/k/a “Kill”, 46, of New York, New York, was sentenced today to 100
months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to
distribute and to distribute oxycodone and cocaine. He pled guilty to the charge in March 2013.His conviction stems from his involvement in a large drug trafficking conspiracy
operated by Maurice McCray in Central Maine. Court records reveal that between May 2009
and May 2012, Robinson supplied oxycodone to McCray for distribution by a network of
conspirators. The conspiracy was dismantled following a three month investigation that revealed
the details of McCray’s drug distribution operation and its membership.The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the
Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.Waterville Woman Sentenced to 15 Months on Immigration, Money Laundering and Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Donald E. Clark
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Mei Ya
Zhang, 29, of Waterville, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge
John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 15 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release for
harboring undocumented aliens for commercial advantage and private financial gain, money
laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to file false employer's quarterly federal tax returns. She
was also ordered to pay more than $88,000 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS). Zhang pled guilty to the charges on June 5, 2013.According to court records, between 2006 and 2011, the defendant was the manager of
the Twin Super Buffet, located on State Street in Brewer, Maine. In that capacity, she managed
a Chinese buffet restaurant that brought undocumented aliens into Maine to work, had them
work six days per week, eight to 10.5 hours per day, housed them in squalid conditions at a
residence on Elm Street in Brewer, transported them back and forth each day to work, paid them
under the table with cash generated illegally by the employment of undocumented aliens, and
filed numerous false quarterly employment tax returns in which the undocumented aliens were
not disclosed and employment taxes were not properly withheld or paid. The investigation
revealed that about half of the employees at the buffet over that period were undocumented, and
that the defendant’s activities concealed about $400,000 in wages and thwarted the collection of
about $88,000 in employment taxes.
In imposing sentence, Chief Judge Woodcock noted that a primary obligation of
citizenship is to obey the law. In this case, over a five year period, the defendant illegally hired
undocumented aliens and paid them in cash under the table even after telling federal agents that
she had stopped doing so. As a result, she unfairly competed with legitimate restaurants that
paid their employees fair wages and that properly withheld and remitted employment taxes to the
government.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s
Homeland Security Investigations; IRS-Criminal Investigation; and the U.S. Department of
Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering & Fraud Investigations; with
assistance from the Brewer Police Department.California Man Pleads Guilty to Theft and Embezzlement from the Passamaquoddy TribeRead 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 Charles
Fourcloud, 59, of San Jose, California, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in
Bangor, to stealing and embezzling funds from the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point.Court records show that in May 2013, the defendant was hired by the tribe to serve as its
chief financial officer (CFO). He applied for the CFO position using a fictitious employment
history and fake references and he had concealed the fact that he had been convicted of a federal
crime and served a prison sentence. From April through August 2013, the defendant
fraudulently obtained and stole about $20,000 from the tribe by submitting fraudulent travel
expense reports and supporting documentation and by submitting fraudulent documentation
related to moving expense reimbursement.Fourcloud faces up to 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will also be required to
make full restitution. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation
report by the U.S. Probation Office.The investigation was conducted jointly by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, Office of Inspector General and the Pleasant Point Police Department.Former Cumberland Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Bank Fraud and Tax EvasionRead 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 Walter
Scott Fox, 56, formerly of Cumberland, Maine, and now of Canton, Georgia, was sentenced in
U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 10 years in prison and 3 years of supervised
release for bank fraud and tax evasion. He was also ordered to pay over $9,500,000 in
restitution. At the conclusion of the sentencing, he was remanded into the custody of the United
States Marshals Service. Fox pleaded guilty on February 4, 2014.According to court documents, from 1995 until 2011, Fox used his position as a loan
officer at Casco Northern Bank and at its successor, KeyBank, to originate or authorize over
$14,000,000 in fraudulent loans and lines of credit using the identities of four real individuals,
without their knowledge or consent. He used over $5,800,000 of the fraudulent proceeds to keep
the loans current and prevent the detection of his scheme. He used almost $8,200,000 for
personal expenses including to pay for his children’s educations and family vacations, and to
support his business, “The Boathouse.” Fox failed to report receiving any of this income to the
Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) causing a tax loss of over $1,300,000 between 2006 and 2011.The scheme was discovered in 2012 when KeyBank denied an increase for one of the
credit lines because it did not fit the model for its community development loans. With no funds
available to make payments and keep the scheme afloat, all the fraudulent loans became
delinquent by August, 2012. Fox abruptly resigned his position at KeyBank on September 7,
2012 when a supervisor became concerned about the delinquent loans and made inquiries about
the status of his loan portfolio.
Judge Hornby observed that the sentence was needed to send a message, promote respect
for the law and provide just punishment because Fox used the proceeds of his fraud to fund a
lifestyle that most people cannot afford.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS - Criminal
Investigations.Guatemalan Man Sentenced to 16 Months for FraudRead 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 Sergio
Suhum, also known as Sergio Suhum-Nacho, 26, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in
the United States, who most recently resided in Brunswick, Maine, was sentenced in U.S.
District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 16 months in prison for social security fraud,
immigration document fraud, false personation of an American citizen, and theft of government
benefits. He was also ordered to pay $1,354 in restitution. He pled guilty in February 2014.According to court records, from at least March 2008, the defendant lived and worked in
Maine using the identity of an actual United States citizen who resided in Texas. The defendant
bought a fraudulent Texas birth certificate and Social Security card in the victim’s name. He
used the victim’s identity to obtain a Maine identification card and to apply for a Maine driver’s
license; to obtain employment at DeCoster Egg Farm, Moark Farms, and Days Inn; to apply for
Mainecare and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits; and to obtain about
$1,500 in SNAP benefits before his crimes were discovered.
At sentencing, the victim said that the defendant’s use of his identity caused him
numerous problems. He was denied credit cards and had difficulty getting a car loan. Maine
Revenue Services sent him dunning letters for failing to file returns and pay taxes in Maine. The
Texas Department of Public Safety repeatedly threatened to revoke his commercial driver’s
license because of OUI convictions that the defendant accumulated in Maine which also
jeopardized the victim’s job driving vehicles in Texas oil fields. He was detained for hours at the
border after visiting relatives in Mexico because of a warrant issued on the basis of the
defendant’s activities in Maine. In imposing sentence, Judge Hornby noted that the problems that
the defendant caused the victim were people’s worst nightmare and caused a great deal of
anxiety and stress.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland
Security Investigations; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the
Inspector General; the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General; and the
Maine Department of Health and Human Services.Corinna Business Pleads Guilty to Trafficking in Counterfeit GoodsRead the Press Release
Contact: Joel B. Casey
F. Todd Lowell
Assistant United States Attorneys
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Robert
Berg Enterprises, Inc., d/b/a “Berg Sportswear” of Corinna, Maine pleaded guilty today in
U.S. District Court in Bangor to trafficking in counterfeit goods.The defendant operates a screen printing business that prints, markets and sells apparel
items bearing trademarks and other logos and images. A trademark is a symbol, word, or words
legally registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office or established by use as
representing a company or product. According to court records, between January 2006 and
January 2011, the defendant counterfeited apparel bearing the trademarks of the Boston Red Sox,
Boston Celtics, New England Patriots, New York Yankees, Harley Davidson, John Deere, Jack
Daniels, Orange County Choppers and Playboy. Employees designed counterfeit trademarks,
created screens from which the trademarks could be printed on apparel items and printed the
counterfeit trademarks on those items.
The defendant faces a fine of up to $5,000,000. It will be sentenced after the completion
of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.On January 7, 2014, defendant’s owner, Robert Berg, pleaded guilty to being an
accessory after the fact to the manufacture of 1,000 or more marijuana plants arising from his
involvement in assisting individuals involved in the operation of the Township 37 marijuana
grow evade apprehension.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland
Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the
Internal Revenue Service -- Criminal Investigation Division.Berwick Resident Sentenced to 22 Years on Armed Bank Robbery and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Donald E. Clark
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Phillip
G. Gage, 47, of Berwick, Maine, was sentenced to 22 years in prison and five years of
supervised release for armed bank robbery, being a felon in possession of a firearm and using a
firearm during the commission of a bank robbery. He was also ordered to pay $20,054 in
restitution. The charges arise from the August 21, 2013 armed bank robbery of Citizen’s Bank,
in Somersworth, New Hampshire; the October 7, 2013 armed bank robbery of Peoples United
Bank, in Exeter, New Hampshire; the October 19, 2013 armed bank robbery of Kennebunk
Savings in Eliot, Maine; and the October 26, 2013 armed bank robbery of the Ocean
Communities Federal Credit Union in Sanford, Maine. Gage pled guilty to the charges on March
4, 2014.According to court records, during the Citizen’s Bank robbery, Gage displayed a demand
note that read in part: “I have a bomb and a gun if you say a word you will die” and absconded
with $3,132.80. In the People’s United robbery, Gage’s demand note read in part: "There's a
bomb in the trash can, keep it quiet" and absconded with $1,451. During the Kennebunk Savings
robbery, Gage pointed a Ruger Red Hawk .44 Magnum revolver at tellers while, an associate,
Daniel Barry, vaulted over the teller counter and took $7,896 from teller drawers. During the
Ocean Communities Federal Credit Union robbery, Gage pointed a Dan Wesson .22 caliber
revolver at tellers and absconded with $8,574.
Gage was convicted of the following felonies: robbery in Florida in 1986, assault in
Maine in 1999, possession of a firearm by a felon in Maine in 1999 and attempting to commit a
Class B crime in Maine in 2002. As a result, Gage received an enhanced sentence as an armed
career criminal.This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Maine State
Police, and the Eliot, Kittery, Sanford, Berwick, York, Maine and Exeter, Somersworth, Alton
and Pembroke, New Hampshire 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, county and federal law enforcement agencies across
two states worked closely together.”Sanford Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Bank RobberyRead 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 Michel
D’Angelo, 35, of Sanford, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy
Torresen to 15 years in prison and three years of supervised release for bank robbery. D’Angelo
pleaded guilty on February 13, 2014.Court records reveal that on September 21, 2012, D’Angelo stole about $1,300 from
Kennebunk Savings Bank in Berwick. D’Angelo robbed the bank disguised as a woman and
wearing a sweat suit, wig, sunglasses and a purse. He also used white surgical tape to cover a
“Real Deal” tattoo on his fingers and a pink scarf to conceal a large “Karma” tattoo on his neck.
He approached the teller counter, verbally demanded cash and said that he had a bomb in his bag
and would set it off if the teller pushed any buttons.
D’Angelo was subject to an enhanced sentence as a career offender for prior violent
crime convictions.The investigation was conducted by the Berwick and Kittery Police Departments and the
Federal Bureau of Investigation.Old Orchard Beach 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 Kyle
Desmarais, 33, of Old Orchard Beach, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court before
Judge Nancy Torresen to aiding and abetting pharmacy robbery.According to court records and evidence introduced at the plea hearing, on February 13,
2014, Desmarais drove Billy Schildroth to a Rite Aid pharmacy located in Old Orchard Beach,
so that Schildroth could rob the pharmacy. Schildroth absconded with Oxycontin (oxycodone)
and Suboxone (buprenorphine) after putting his hand inside his coat and telling the pharmacist
that he had “a gun and five bullets” and not to alert anyone or he would shoot the pharmacist in
the face. After the robbery, Desmarais drove Schildroth away knowing that he had committed the robbery.On June 3, 2014, Schildroth was indicted for the pharmacy robbery and awaits trial. An
indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed to be innocent unless proven
guilty in a court of law.
Desmarais faces up to 20 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Old
Orchard Beach Police Department.Falmouth Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Trafficking and Firearms 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 Adam
White, 27, of Falmouth, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possession with
intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of
a drug trafficking crime.Court records reveal that on February 12, 2013, law enforcement officers stopped
White’s vehicle in Portland in connection with a drug trafficking investigation and found about
400 grams of cocaine in the trunk of the car, and a handgun and loaded magazine near the
driver’s seat. Officers searched White’s home in Falmouth later that day pursuant to a search
warrant and found about 3 kilograms of cocaine, over $13,000 in cash, other items consistent
with drug trafficking, and a loaded handgun.White faces a minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine
on the drug charge, and a minimum of five years and up to life in prison and a $250,000 fine on
the firearms charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation
report by the U.S. Probation Office.The investigation was conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration, the Maine State Police, and the Portland, South Portland, and
Falmouth Police Departments.Former Greenbush Resident Pleads Guilty to Bath Salt Distribution Conspiracy and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Joel B. Casey
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Ryan
Ellis, 33, formerly of Greenbush, Maine pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in
Bangor to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute MDPV, a chemical
compound commonly referred to as “bath salts” or “monkey dust” and to possession of firearms
during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense.According to court records, between April and December 2011, the members of the
conspiracy illegally distributed large quantities of MDPV in Penobscot, Aroostook and Knox
counties. The defendant obtained MDPV from other conspirators, processed and repackaged it,
and distributed it to other conspirators for sale to drug addicts. On November 22, 2011, he was
found in possession of two handguns and a shotgun and nearly 400 grams of MDPV.
On the drug count, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, or
both. On the firearms count, he faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison
which must be served consecutive to the drug sentence and a $250,000 fine. The defendant will
be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation
Office.
Co-defendants Elizabeth Mikotowicz, a/k/a “Beth,” Steven Orosco, a/k/a “Pablo,” Alan
Alan Ketchen, a/k/a “AJ,” Daniel Hines, Adam Hathorn, and Tina Keaton, a/k/a “Fumble,” all of
Bangor; Jessica Bryden, of Greenbush, Maine; Matthew Tardiff and Michael Tardiff, a/k/a
“Bub,” of Old Town, Maine; and Gina Nelson, of Bradley, Maine; previously pled guilty to the
conspiracy charge and await sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency with assistance from
the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Brewer and Bangor Police Departments.Pittston Woman Sentenced to over Two Years on Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jennifer
Dowling, 33, of Pittston, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge
John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 31 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for distribution
of oxycodone. Dowling pleaded guilty to the offense on January 27, 2014.According to court records, on May 9, 2012, the defendant sold over 30 oxycodone pills
to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. During sentencing, the court noted
that prior to her arrest on this charge, Ms. Dowling was a significant drug trafficker in the
Augusta area.The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the
Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office.Mexican Restaurant Owners Plead Guilty to Hiring Undocumented Aliens and False StatementsRead the Press Release
Contact: Julia M. Lipez
James W. Chapman, Jr.
Assistant United States Attorneys
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that
brothers, Guillermo Fuentes, 38, of Westbrook, Maine and Hector Fuentes, 40, of Waterville,
Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to knowingly hiring 10 or more
undocumented aliens in a 12-month period and making false statements to federal agents.Court records reveal that the employment charge relates to hiring practices at the Fajita
Grill restaurant in Westbrook. The false statement charge arises out of post-arrest statements the
defendants made to law enforcement officers in September 2011 regarding the hiring practices at
the Fajita Grill and at the Cancun Mexican Restaurant in Waterville, in which they falsely stated,
among other things, that federally required documentation regarding the immigration status of
employees had been properly completed.The defendants face up to five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. They will be
sentenced after the completion of a pre-sentence 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 United States Department of Labor, Office of
Inspector General.Former Chelsea Selectman Sentenced to More Than 7 Years on Extortion and Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Donald E. Clark
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Carole
J. Swan, 56, of Chelsea, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor by Chief
Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 87 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for
extortion, federal tax fraud and federal worker’s compensation fraud. She was also fined
$125,000 and ordered to pay over $106,000 in restitution. On July 26, 2013, Swan was
convicted on the fraud charges following a three week jury trial. On September 17, 2013, Swan
was convicted on the extortion charges following a one week jury trial.According to the court records and trial evidence, Swan was an elected member of the
Chelsea Board of Selectmen. Between January 2010 and February 2011, she used her position to
extort and attempt to extort $20,000 from Frank Monroe Construction, a local construction
company that plowed, salted and sanded Chelsea’s roads. She also filed false federal income tax
returns for tax years 2006 through 2010 in which she under-reported about $650,000 in gross
receipts and sales for her business, Swan Construction, thereby evading about $145,000 in
income and self-employment taxes. She also fraudulently obtained over $75,000 in worker’s
compensation benefits, by failing to report, among other things, her ownership of, and work for,
Swan Construction and a harness horse racing business, and by under-reporting the hours she
worked as a selectman and assessor.In imposing sentence, Chief Judge Woodcock found that Swan obstructed justice by
repeatedly, deliberately and willfully lying throughout the proceedings. Chief Judge Woodcock
also noted that Swan breached her duties of honesty and trust to Chelsea and Frank Monroe and
described Monroe as “a local hero” for bringing Swan to justice.The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Internal Revenue
Service – Criminal Investigations Division; the Department of Homeland Security, Office of
Inspector General ("OIG"); the U.S. Department of Labor, OIG, Office of Labor Racketeering
and Fraud Investigations; the U.S. Postal Service, OIG; and the Kennebec County Sheriff's
Office.Milford Woman Sentenced to 2 Years for Straw Gun PurchasesRead the Press Release
Contact: Gail Fisk Malone
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that
Maureen Hammond, 50, of Milford, Maine, was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison and
three years of supervised released for conspiring to make false statements during the purchase of
firearms. Hammond pled guilty in June 2013.Court documents reveal that on October 9, 2012, Hammond purchased three handguns in
two transactions at Jimi’s Trading Center in Brewer, Maine. At the time of the sales, she
completed a federally-required form claiming to be the actual buyer, when, in fact, she was
buying the handguns for a man she knew to be a drug dealer and paying with money he had
given to her. The handguns have never been recovered.The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office.Monroe Man Sentenced to Almost 4 Years on Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Contact: Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Paul
Ford, 33, of Monroe, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge
John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 46 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release for conspiracy to
manufacture marijuana and manufacturing marijuana. Ford pleaded guilty to the offenses on
May 7, 2013.According to court records, from approximately 2006 until November of 2011, the
defendant and other family members operated a large and sophisticated indoor marijuana
growing operation out of the defendant’s parents’ home in Monroe, Maine. The defendant also
operated a separate indoor marijuana growing operation at his residence in Swanville, Maine.The investigation was conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office and the Maine State Police.Linneus Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Child Pornography PossessionRead 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 Ronald
H. Trecartin, 31, of Linneus, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Bangor
to 10 years in prison and 20 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography. He
pled guilty on November 6, 2013.According to court records, in May 2012, a law enforcement agent learned that videos
containing child pornography were being shared over a file sharing network from a computer
located at Trecartin’s residence in Linneus. On September 26, 2012, agents executed a search
warrant at the residence and seized two laptop computers and other media and electronic devices
belonging to Trecartin. A forensic examination of the items seized revealed that three contained
child pornography.The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s
Homeland Security Investigations.Arundel Man Pleads Guilty to Theft by Bank OfficerRead 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 Jeffrey
Burnham, 41, of Arundel, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge George
Z. Singal to theft by a bank officer.According to court records, from about February of 2011 to February of 2012, Burnham,
who was a Vice President with TD Bank, stole about $240,000 from the bank. Burnham used
his corporate credit card to charge personal expenditures at gentlemen’s clubs located in Maine,
Massachusetts, New York, and Florida and then submitted false expense reports and other false
information that caused the bank to pay for those personal expenditures. Burnham also gave TD
Bank gift cards that were designed to be given as gifts to TD Bank clients instead to employees
of the gentlemen’s clubs.Burnham faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. He will be sentenced after
completion of a pre-sentence investigation report by the United States Probation Office.The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Brunswick Women Pleads Guilty to Federal Program and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Contact: Donald E. Clark
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Stacey
A. Backman, 41, of Brunswick, Maine, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to federal program and
tax fraud charges.According to court records, the defendant was a fund accountant at Coastal Enterprises,
Inc. (CEI). CEI is a private, nonprofit, charitable Community Development Corporation and
Community Development Financial Institution based in Wiscasset, Maine that received more
than $10,000 in federal funds each year. From 2010 to January 2014, the defendant embezzled
over $300,000 from CEI and failed to report the embezzled income on her federal income tax
returns. CEI learned of the embezzlement in January 2014 and terminated the defendant’s
employment.The defendant faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the federal program
fraud charge and up to 3 years in prison and a $100,000 fine on the federal tax fraud charge. She
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 (OIG); the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations Division; the
U.S. Department of Agriculture, OIG; and the Wiscasset Police Department.Chelsea Contractor Sentenced to 2¾ Years for Filing False Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Contact: Donald E. Clark
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that
Marshall Swan, 56, of Chelsea, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor by
Chief Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 2¾ years in prison and 1 year of supervised release for
federal tax fraud. He was also fined $40,000.According to the indictment and trial evidence, Marshall Swan and his wife, former
Chelsea selectman, Carole Swan, filed false federal income for tax years 2006 through 2010 in
which they under-reported about $650,000 in gross receipts and sales for their business, Marshall
Swan Construction, thereby evading about $145,000 in income and self-employment taxes.In imposing sentence, Chief Judge Woodcock found that shortly after the federal
indictment, the defendant paid two individuals $200 to slash truck tires and to shoot out the
windows of two excavators owned by Frank Monroe who had been a central witness in the
investigation. The defendant also told them to hit his brother for comments he made to a reporter
following the indictment. The two individuals stole a generator and two chainsaws from the
defendant’s brother. In imposing sentence, Chief Judge Woodcock noted that tax fraud crimes
are serious crimes and that these crimes were a way of life for the defendant. He also noted that
intimidating witnesses strikes at the heart of the judicial process and threatens the foundation of
our judicial system.The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations
Division; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Department Homeland Security, Office of
Inspector General ("OIG"); the U.S. Department of Labor, OIG, Office of Labor Racketeering
and Fraud Investigations; the U.S. Postal Service, OIG; and the Kennebec County Sheriff's
Office.Old Orchard Beach Man Sentenced to 2½ Years for Child Pornography PossessionRead 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 Carl E.
Johnson, 51, currently of Old Orchard Beach and formerly of Bailey Island, Maine, was
sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to 2½ years in prison and five years of
supervised release for possession of child pornography. Johnson pled guilty on September 5,
2013.According to court records, the defendant used peer-to-peer software to access and make
available for sharing images and videos of child pornography. Federal agents discovered some
of the child pornography online, traced it to Johnson’s computer, seized and examined the
computer, and found over 290 images and over 50 videos of child pornography.
In imposing sentence, Judge Torresen observed that child pornography crimes are very
serious. Children are tortured to create child pornography and they are humiliated by the fact
that it persists and circulates. People, like Johnson, who possess child pornography fuel the
demand for its creation.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland
Security Investigations.Old Town Man Sentenced to 4¾ Years for Bath Salt 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
Matthew Tardiff, 27, formerly of Old Town, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court
in Bangor to 4¾ years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess
with the intent to distribute and to distribute MDPV, a chemical compound commonly referred to
as “bath salts” or “monkey dust.” The defendant pled guilty on January 27, 2014.According to court records, Tardiff and 13 other members of the conspiracy illegally
distributed MDPV in Penobscot County and elsewhere between April and December 2011. He
obtained MDPV from other members of the conspiracy and traded, sold or otherwise distributed
it from his Old Town residence using cellular telephones and other means of communication.
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency with assistance from
the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Old Town Police Department.Hartford Man Sentenced to 6½ Years for Possession of 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
Stephen Scott Pennington, 41, of Hartford, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court
by Judge George Singal to 6½ years in prison and five years of supervised release for possession
of child pornography. Pennington pled guilty on November 25, 2013.
According to court records, the defendant used peer-to-peer software to access and make
available for sharing images and videos of child pornography. Federal agents discovered some
of the child pornography online, traced it to Pennington’s computer, seized and examined the
computer, and found over 100 images and over 400 videos of child pornography.
In imposing sentence, Judge Singal observed that child pornography crimes are one of the
worst types because they victimize defenseless children, the images are sickening, and the
defendant did not view it as a problem and made his collection available for sharing on the
Internet. The judge expressed his concern that the defendant still did not get it.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland
Security Investigations.Portland Man Pleads Guilty to Crack Cocaine 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
Hamadi Hassan, 26, of Portland, pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to conspiring to
distribute crack cocaine.According to court records, between November 2010 and February 2012, the defendant
was the leader of a drug trafficking conspiracy that acquired cocaine in Boston and distributed
crack cocaine in the greater Portland area. The defendant took orders for crack cocaine from
customers and co-conspirators, transported cocaine from Boston to Maine, and prepared,
packaged and delivered crack cocaine to his customers and co-conspirators.Hassan faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000
fine, or both. He will be sentenced after completion of a pre-sentence investigation report by the
U.S. Probation Office.The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the
Portland Police Department, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Maine State Police and
the Southern Maine Gang Task Force, which is a task force comprised of agents and officers
from FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Department of Homeland
Security, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Portland and Biddeford Police
Departments.New Hampshire Resident Sentenced to 4¾ Years for Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Contact: Donald E. Clark
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) (207) 780-3257Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that
Marvin Eugene Ansteth, Jr. 41, of Somersworth, New Hampshire was sentenced today in U.S.
District Court to 4¾ years in prison and three years of supervised release for armed bank
robbery. He was also ordered to pay $19,087 in restitution. The charges arose from the armed
bank robberies of Peoples United Bank in Exeter, New Hampshire on October 7, 2013; of
Meredith Village Savings Bank in Alton, New Hampshire on October 10, 2013; and of
Kennebunk Savings in Eliot, Maine on October 19, 2013. Ansteth pled guilty to the charges on
January 16, 2014.According to court records, Ansteth was the getaway driver for the three armed bank
robberies. Peoples United Bank was robbed of $1,451; Meredith Village Savings Bank was
robbed of $9,740 and Kennebunk Savings was robbed of $7,896.This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Maine State
Police, and the Eliot, Kittery, Sanford, Berwick, York, Maine and Exeter, Somersworth, Alton
and Pembroke, New Hampshire 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, county and federal law enforcement agencies across
two states worked closely together.”Poland Man Sentenced to Probation for Stealing VA Travel 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 Steven
Chartier, 58, of Poland, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy
Torresen to three years of probation with six months of home detention for submitting false
claims to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for travel benefits. He was also ordered
to pay $10,448.06 in restitution. Chartier pled guilty to the crime on September 26, 2013.
According to court records, the defendant claimed travel benefits for 64 260 mile trips
from Limestone, Maine, in Aroostook County, to the Togus V.A. Medical Center, in Gardiner,
for the purpose of receiving medical treatment. In fact, the defendant lived in Poland, Maine,
which is about 40 miles from the VA hospital. As a result, the defendant received $10,448.06
more than he was entitled to for travel.
In fashioning the sentence, Judge Torresen observed that fraud was not new to the
defendant and stated that she would have jailed him but for the cost to the taxpayers given his
deteriorated, wheelchair-bound, medical condition.
The case was investigated by the VA, Office of Inspector General.