District of Maine
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Mexican national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to making a false statement to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent.
According to court records, in January 2025, Felipe De Jesus Zavala Medel, 64, approached the Coburn Gore port of entry in a vehicle from the Canadian side of the international border and presented a North Dakota driver’s license in the name of “Johny Joe Olivo” along with identifying documents to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent. Zavala Medel falsely told the agent he was born in Texas. He also completed and signed a Customs Declaration form containing the false information. During questioning, he admitted that he did not have any documents that allowed him to legally enter, reside, or work in the U.S.
Zavala Medel faces a maximum prison term of five years and a fine up to $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
CBP and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
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Eddington Man Arrested, Charged with Making Online ThreatRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: An Eddington man, Thadius Wind, was arrested today and charged by criminal complaint with transmitting an interstate threat.
As alleged in the criminal complaint, in 2024, the FBI received information from Meta about a Facebook user who had discussed committing violence against police and military. The FBI also received online tips from members of the public about threatening statements made on X (previously known as Twitter). After further investigation, in November 2024 the FBI obtained and executed a search warrant relating to the X account. The recovered posts contained threats to Jews, political figures, the Supreme Court, and others. Details associated with the account were traced to Thadius Wind.
The FBI and Secret Service are investigating the case with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Massachusetts Man Caught in HSI Investigation into Online Child Predators Pleads Guilty to Sending Sexually Explicit ImagesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to attempting to transfer obscene materials to a minor.
According to court records, in May 2023, a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent in Portland began posing as a 13-year-old girl on Facebook as part of an investigation to identify potential child predators looking to travel to meet minors for the purpose of engaging in unlawful sexual contact. While on the platform, the undercover agent received numerous friend requests from adult men, including from Steven Tsaitsios, 60.
Within the first few conversations, Tsaitsios asked “Kim” her age, and “Kim” told him she was 13. He told the undercover agent that he was 45 years old and lived in Massachusetts, providing his cell phone number so that “Kim” could communicate with him. Tsaitsios communicated with “Kim” for approximately a month during which time he sent two sexually explicit images of himself. The images were later recovered from his phone and sexually explicit conversations were recovered from his Facebook account. In an interview with investigators, Tsaitsios admitted to messaging and having conversations with “Kim” and that he believed her to be a minor.
Tsaitsios faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a maximum $250,000 fine to be followed by up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HSI investigated the case.
Reports of child sexual exploitation are increasing: In 2023, The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline received more than 36 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation. That included nearly 187,000 reports of online enticement of children for sexual acts and 36 million reports of child sexual abuse materials. Victimization can take place across every platform, including social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, etc. To make a CyberTipline Report, visit https://report.cybertip.org/. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Convicted Felon from Millinocket Sentenced for Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Millinocket man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Jeffrey Barnard, 61, to time served, approximately 22 months, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Barnard pleaded guilty on March 3, 2025.
According to court records, in March 2023, an officer with the East Millinocket Police Department ran a registration check on a vehicle and discovered that it was registered to someone with a suspended driver’s permit. The officer stopped the vehicle, and a confrontation ensued between the officer and the driver, Jeffrey Barnard. Barnard was arrested with the assistance of a second officer and a private citizen. As he was searched, a .22 caliber revolver was found in his jacket pocket. Barnard is precluded from possessing a firearm due an extensive criminal history, which includes a 2017 conviction in the U.S. District Court for being a felon in possession of a firearm in a case that stemmed from an armed standoff with police in Ellsworth.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the East Millinocket Police Department.
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Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Entering the US After a Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to entering the United States after a prior removal.
According to court records, in January 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) assisted the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) with a search warrant in Lewiston. During the warrant’s execution, investigators arrested Odanis Manuel Brea Mejia, 53, for drug trafficking. A records check showed that Brea Mejia was a Dominican national with an extensive criminal history who had been previously removed from the country in October 2021. He had not obtained consent to re-enter the United States. HSI notified U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and a Border Patrol agent transported Brea Mejia to the Rangeley Border Patrol Station.
Brea Mejia faces a maximum prison term of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HSI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case with assistance from the MDEA.
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Topsham Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Charges Stemming from Burglary at Brunswick ResidenceRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Topsham man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing a stolen firearm.
According to court records, in May 2024, officers from the Brunswick Police Department responded to a citizen’s report of suspicious activity at a nearby residence. The responding officers found that the door of the residence’s garage was open and cabinets inside appeared to have been pried open, with ammunition scattered on the floor. The owner informed the officers that multiple firearms were stored in the locked cabinets. Officers located a vehicle matching the description the reporting witness had provided. Christopher Tucker, 34, the owner and only occupant of the vehicle, fled on foot before being secured and placed into custody. Officers recovered a total of 20 firearms from inside the vehicle. Tucker was prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple past felony convictions.
Tucker faces up to 15 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 to be followed by up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the Brunswick Police Department and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
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Lewiston Woman Sentenced, Ordered to Repay $90,674 for Defrauding Social Security AdministrationRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for Social Security fraud.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Donna Desrosiers, 62, to one year of probation and ordered her to pay $90,674 in restitution. Desrosiers pleaded guilty on October 21, 2024.
According to court records, Desrosiers began receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in 2003. At that time, she was informed that she was required to report any changes in her household composition, income, or resources. In a 2012 eligibility review, Desrosiers was reminded of her reporting responsibilities yet did not indicate that her husband was part of her household or that he contributed any income. She received additional reminders of her reporting responsibilities over the years. In 2022, she acknowledged being married to her husband but claimed they had not lived together since 2003, the year she became eligible for SSI. The investigation showed that the couple deposited their funds into a joint bank account.
During an October 2022 interview with investigators, Desrosiers admitted that her husband lived with her and stayed at her apartment at least part of each month for the previous 11 years. When investigators asked what would have happened if she had reported the presence of her husband in her household, she responded, “They would probably take my check.” From 2011 to 2022, Desrosiers fraudulently collected approximately $90,674 in SSI benefits.
SSA’s Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.
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Smoking Marijuana in a Parked Car Leads to 6-Year Sentence for Massachusetts Felon Found with a GunRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Jermaine Gillespie, 31, to 72 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Gillespie pleaded guilty on August 26, 2024.
According to court records, in September 2022, Biddeford police officers responded to a report that an individual was smoking marijuana in a parked vehicle. Responding officers identified Gillespie and learned that he had existing bail conditions that prohibited the use or possession of marijuana. After a search of the vehicle, the officers recovered a 9 mm pistol. Gillespie is prohibited from possessing firearms due to his conviction history which includes a 2013 conviction in Massachusetts for assault and battery with serious bodily injury, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and carrying a dangerous weapon.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the Biddeford Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods: This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn.
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Biddeford Man Sentenced to 1 ½ Years in Prison for Cocaine PossessionRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing cocaine with intent to distribute.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Gage Barton, 26, to 18 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty on December 10, 2024.
According to court records, in September 2024, a Biddeford police officer responded to a call of a fight occurring at an apartment building. The officer encountered Barton walking away from the building. Barton was on probation for unlawful possession of cocaine and was also on bail conditions in the State of Maine District Court in York County. The officer searched Barton under his bail conditions. Barton was wearing a sling bag under his coat, and when the officer felt the bag, he discerned what he believed to be a weapon. When the officer looked inside the bag, he discovered a small digital scale and several clear plastic bags containing approximately 308 grams of cocaine.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case with assistance from the Biddeford Police Department.
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Lewiston Man Sentenced for Fraudulently Obtaining $20,833 PPP Loan During PandemicRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Lewiston man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for filing a fraudulent application for a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Shahied Golden, 30, to 12 months and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $24,090.82 in restitution. Golden pleaded guilty on September 27, 2024. The sentence will be served consecutively to Golden’s 27-month state prison sentence for illegal possession of a firearm and a state probation violation.
According to court records, in April 2021, Golden filed a fraudulent PPP loan application and received approximately $20,833 in PPP funds. The application listed a false gross income for 2020 and falsely stated the loan proceeds were needed to make payroll payments for his alleged business. He also submitted a fraudulent document in support of his application, which falsely stated his gross income, among other things. Further, Golden caused the funds to be deposited into his own personal bank account, quickly withdrew the funds, and did not use the PPP proceeds for approved expenses.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP permitted participating third-party lenders to approve and disburse SBA-backed PPP loans to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills incurred by qualifying businesses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the SBA.
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Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegally Entering the US After a Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Guatemalan national pleaded was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for entering the United States after a prior removal.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Jorge Martinez-Urizar, 50, to time served. Martinez-Urizar had been detained since November. He will likely face deportation now that the case has concluded. Martinez-Urizar pleaded guilty on February 5, 2025.
According to court records, in November 2024, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent conducted a records check on Martinez-Urizar. The check showed that he had been removed from the country on three prior occasions, most recently in July 2005, and that he had not filed any applications or petitions granting him permission to reenter or remain in the United States lawfully. Martinez was removed in 2005 after serving a 70-month sentence in Oregon for assault in the second degree and unlawful use of a weapon.
ICE investigated the case.
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Gang-Affiliated California Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A California man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of firearms.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Lonnel Diggs (aka Cash, Cashiiso Runzitup), 40, to nine years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Diggs pleaded guilty on August 19, 2024.
According to court records, in March 2022, Diggs, of Van Nuys, Calif., and a co-conspirator proposed to a couple who purchased crack cocaine from Diggs that they purchase firearms on the men’s behalf in exchange for cash and crack cocaine. The couple agreed and began traveling to gun shows and stores in Maine to make the straw purchases. At one of the gun shows, Diggs took photos of firearms and texted the images to the couple who then made the purchases and provided him with the firearms. Diggs was convicted in California for robbery in 2003 and for assault with a dangerous weapon on a peace officer in 2010 and is therefore precluded from possessing any firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Lewiston Police Department.
STRAW PURCHASING: A straw purchase is an illegal firearm purchase where the actual buyer of the gun, being unable to pass the required federal background check or desiring to not have his or her name associated with the transaction, uses a proxy buyer who can pass the required background check to purchase the firearm for him/her.
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Dominican National Faces 10+ Years in Prison for Massachusetts-to-Bangor Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Dominican national pleaded guilty to two counts in U.S. District Court in Bangor today for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
According to court records, from August 2023 to June 2024, Alexis Mariano De Leon (aka Leon Leon), 28, and coconspirators transported quantities of fentanyl from Massachusetts to Maine for distribution. The investigation showed that an individual known as “Leon Leon” was using a Facebook account and other means to arrange for fentanyl to be transported to the Bangor area. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arranged for several controlled buys and in June 2024 arranged a traffic stop of De Leon’s vehicle near Pittsfield with the assistance of the Maine State Police. More than a kilogram of a substance containing fentanyl was recovered from the vehicle. Investigators recovered additional evidence from De Leon’s Massachusetts residence, including a press for compressing powder into brick form.
De Leon faces 10+ years in federal prison, a maximum fine of $10 million, and five years to life of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The DEA investigated the case with assistance from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Maine State Police.
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New Hampshire Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Sell Stolen Government PropertyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A New Hampshire man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for conspiring to transport stolen property in interstate commerce and conspiring to sell stolen government property.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Christopher Hagan, 33, to 12 months plus one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also fined $10,000, ordered to forfeit $150,000, and will be required to refile his tax returns for five years. Hagan pleaded guilty on May 13, 2024.
According to court records, between October 2017 and September 2021, Hagan obtained stolen government items which he resold on online forums. One of Hagan’s coconspirators, Jonathan Chaisson, 34, of New Hampshire was employed by a national defense contractor based in New Hampshire and received used and/or broken Advance Target Pointer Illuminator Aiming Laser (ATPIAL) devices designated for military and law enforcement use. Chaisson stole or converted new and used parts and components to repair the ATPIALs and provided Hagan with the repaired devices to sell.
Hagan also conspired with Wade Walker, 45, and Michael Humphrey, 46, both of Texas, to steal and sell military equipment from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), an agency of the United States Department of Defense. Both Walker and Humphrey were employed by the DLA Red River Army Depot facility in Texarkana, Texas. On multiple dates in 2019 and in 2020, Humphrey transferred stolen government property to Walker for resale, and Walker provided the stolen property to Hagan for further resale. Through the investigation, agents determined that Hagan had at least one customer in China.
On July 24, 2023, Chaisson pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport stolen property in interstate commerce and was sentenced to probation for two years. On October 31, 2023, Humphrey pleaded guilty to conspiring to sell stolen government property and was sentenced to probation for two years. On January 8, 2024, Walker pleaded guilty to conspiring to sell stolen government property and was sentenced to probation for three years.
The United States Department of Commerce – Office of Export Enforcement and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service investigated the case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
“That Mr. Hagan and his conspirators would exploit their connections to the defense industry to put their own financial gain ahead of the nation’s security is unconscionable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Craig M. Wolff. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office commends the remarkable interagency cooperation that underpinned this complex and important investigation.”
“The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Inspector General, is fully committed to protecting the integrity of the DoD supply chain,” said Patrick J. Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “Profiting from the sale of stolen DoD property undermines the mission of the Defense Logistics Agency and negatively impacts our military members. This investigation demonstrates DCIS’ commitment to work with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to hold accountable those who harm the DoD.”
“By stealing sensitive military technology and selling it to China, Christopher Hagan along with those he conspired with, prioritized greed and personal gain over U.S. national security,” said Special Agent in Charge James Guanci, U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement, Boston Field Office. “This case serves as a strong reminder that those who betray the trust of the American people will be held accountable.”
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California Man Sentenced to 11 ½ Years for Role in California-to-Maine Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A California man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and money laundering.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Alex Hanna, 31, to 138 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Hanna pleaded guilty on March 14, 2024.
According to court records, between May 2022 and March 2023, Hanna and others trafficked methamphetamine in Downeast Maine, receiving the drugs by mail from a source in California. Hanna coordinated drug shipments from the source and found coconspirators in Maine willing to receive the packages. He also sent the sales proceeds to the source via Walmart2Walmart, Cash App and Venmo, using coconspirators’ identifications and accounts to conceal his involvement in the transactions.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Ellsworth Police Department, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, Holden Police Department, and Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.
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Pulled over for a Suspended Driver’s License, Convicted Felon Faces up to 15 Years for Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Millinocket man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, in March 2023, an officer with the East Millinocket Police Department ran a registration check on a vehicle and discovered that it was registered to someone with a suspended driver’s permit. The officer stopped the vehicle, and a confrontation ensued between the officer and the driver, Jeffrey Barnard, 61. Barnard was arrested with the assistance of a second officer and a private citizen. As he was searched, a .22 caliber revolver was found in his jacket pocket. Barnard is precluded from possessing a firearm due an extensive criminal history, which includes a 2017 conviction in the U.S. District Court for being a felon in possession of a firearm in a case that stemmed from an armed standoff with police in Ellsworth.
Barnard faces up to 15 years imprisonment and a maximum $250,000 fine to be followed by up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the East Millinocket Police Department.
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Waterville Woman Sentenced to 3+ Years for Directing Another to Illegally Purchase a Firearm for HerRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Waterville woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for aiding and abetting another individual in making false statements during the purchase of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Nikeshia Knight, 25, to 37 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Knight pleaded guilty on October 30, 2024.
According to court records, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) obtained a copy of an ATF Form 4473 regarding a June 16, 2022 firearm purchase from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Fairfield, Maine. Further investigation revealed Knight was involved in this purchase. When interviewed, Knight admitted that she had used a straw purchaser to acquire the firearm because she would not pass a background check, providing money for the purchase and fentanyl after it was successfully made. Text messages between Knight and the proxy purchaser confirmed that Knight directed the purchase.
Jason Palmer, 44, of Albion was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for making the straw purchase.ATF investigated the case.
STRAW PURCHASING: A straw purchase is an illegal firearm purchase where the actual buyer of the gun, being unable to pass the required federal background check or desiring to not have his or her name associated with the transaction, uses a proxy buyer who can pass the required background check to purchase the firearm for him/her.
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Convicted Felon Caught with Firearm During Traffic Stop Sentenced to 30 MonthsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Keon Shine (aka Keylin Hall), 35, to 30 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Shine pleaded guilty on July 29, 2024.
According to court records, in June 2023, the Lewiston Police Department stopped a vehicle in which Shine was a passenger. A check of the vehicle’s occupants revealed that Shine had previously served six and a half years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm and was on federal probation. When questioned by law enforcement, the vehicle’s driver said there was a firearm in the vehicle’s center console. Shine later admitted when questioned by investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that the Glock firearm recovered belonged to him. Shine’s 2017 conviction in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine precluded him from possessing a firearm.
The Lewiston Police Department and ATF investigated the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods: This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn.
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Stolen Debit Card Numbers, Illicit Purchases Lead to Guilty Plea from Massachusetts ManRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court records, from January to February 2023, Andre Hill, 25, obtained and used multiple debit card numbers without the knowledge of the account holders. Hill loaded the stolen numbers into a digital wallet application on his phone and then traveled to Maine and other locations to make purchases, request cash back, and purchase money orders payable to himself. The purchases made in Maine took place at multiple retail locations and post offices in the greater Portland area.
Hill faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $1 million on the bank fraud charge. He faces a mandatory prison term of two years and a maximum fine of $250,000 on the aggravated identity charge. Any sentence imposed on the aggravated identity theft charge will run consecutively to any other sentence imposed. Following a term of incarceration, Hill faces up to five years of supervised release. He will also be required to pay restitution to the victims. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
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Four Sentenced for Roles in Penobscot and Aroostook County Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: Four individuals from Maine were sentenced today in separate hearings at the U.S. District Court in Bangor for their roles in a northern Maine drug trafficking ring. U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced the four defendants:
- John Miller, 24, was sentenced to 54 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. On April 19, 2023, Miller pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
- Jason Cunrod, 42, was sentenced to 48 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. On August 29, 2023, Cunrod pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
- Joshua Young, 48, was sentenced to time served (approximately 62 days), followed by three years of supervised release to include 24 months of home detention. On April 26, 2023, Young pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
- Carol Gordon, 53, was sentenced to time served (approximately 30 months and 25 days), followed by three years of supervised release to include six months of community confinement. On March 14, 2023, Gordon pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Cunrod, Miller, Gordon, Young and others trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and elsewhere. Miller, Cunrod,and Young each regularly arranged to obtain quantities from a coconspirator through phone calls, texts and social media using coded language and then distribute those drugs to customers in Aroostook County, using the proceeds to purchase more drugs from the source. In addition, during the conspiracy, Miller provided his source with dozens of firearms that he acquired from various individuals in Aroostook County. Gordon allowed others to sell drugs from her Bangor home and facilitated distribution events by serving as an intermediate between the seller and customer in exchange for narcotics for her personal use.
Twenty-one defendants have been charged in this and related cases for their part in a widespread northern Maine drug trafficking conspiracy. To date, 17 of the defendants have been sentenced while four await sentencing:
Sentenced:
- Andrew Adams (32, Aroostook County) – 10 years
- Matthew Catalano (38, Penobscot County) – 165 months
- Christopher Coty (44, Bangor) – 4 years
- Jason Cunrod (42, Caribou) – 48 months
- Blaine Footman (38, Bangor) – 5 years
- Nicole Footman (41, Holden) – 3 years
- Dwight Gary, Jr. (54, Medway) – Time served (approx. 5 months)
- Carol Gordon (53, Bangor) – Time served (approx. 31 months) plus 6 months of community confinement
- Thomas Hammond (26, Charleston) – 84 months
- Joshua Jerrell (30, Orrington) – Time served (approx. 36 months)
- James King (55, Caribou) – 165 months
- Shelby Loring (29, Bangor) – Time served (approx. 32 months)
- Danielle McBreairty (34, Glenburn) – 20 years
- John Miller (24, Caribou) – 54 months
- Aaron Rodgers (43, Bangor) – Time served (approx. 33 months)
- Wayne Smith (33, Bangor) – 85 months
- Joshua Young (48, Presque Isle) – Time served (approx. 2 months) plus 24 months home detention
Awaiting sentencing:
- Daquan Corbett (30, Brockton, Mass.)
- Daviston Jackson (28, Boston, Mass.)
- Sarah McBreairty (36, Dixmont) – sentencing scheduled 05/05/25
- James Valiante (42, Linneus) – sentencing scheduled 05/05/25
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the police departments in Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Maine State Attorney General’s Office and the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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United States Attorney’s Office Announces Departure of Darcie N. McElwee as U.S AttorneyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine announced today the departure of Darcie N. McElwee as U.S. Attorney following termination by the new administration.
Under the Vacancies Reform Act, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig M. Wolff is now the Acting U.S Attorney for the District of Maine. As Acting U.S. Attorney, he is the chief federal law enforcement official in the state of Maine.
Wolff is a career prosecutor who became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in 2002. He has served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney and Senior Litigation Counsel, and prior to joining the District of Maine he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Maryland for four years.
Wolff received an undergraduate degree from Harvard University and a law degree from the University of Virginia. Before joining the Department of Justice, he clerked for U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz in the District of Maryland and worked as an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of an international law firm.
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Maine Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison after Methamphetamine Recovered from Safe in Biddeford ApartmentRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Tyrone Fleurimont, 36, to 120 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to court records, in April 2024, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigators executed a search warrant at a Biddeford apartment used by Fleurimont. Agents seized approximately 180 grams of methamphetamine pills, 90 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 293 grams of cocaine, and 66 grams of cocaine base, along with cash, a 9mm handgun and a loaded 18-round magazine. Individually wrapped baggies containing approximately 14 grams of cocaine were also later recovered from Fleurimont’s person.
Fleurimont has prior criminal convictions in both Massachusetts and Maine, including a 2013 conviction for possessing a Class A drug with intent to distribute, a 2016 conviction for possessing a firearm without a permit, and a 2019 conviction for unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs.
DEA investigated the case with the assistance of the Biddeford Police Department.
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Saint Vincents Catholic Medical Centers of New York Agrees to Pay $29M to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
SVCMC Inc., formerly known as Saint Vincents Catholic Medical Centers of New York (Saint Vincent), has agreed to pay $29 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly retaining erroneously inflated payments received from the Department of Defense for healthcare services provided to retired military members and their families.
Saint Vincent is one of six health plans participating in the Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP) program, which is a federal health insurance program funded by the Defense Health Agency (DHA), a component of the Department of Defense. Under the USFHP program, DHA pays Saint Vincent capitated rates to provide healthcare services to military personnel, retirees, and their families. The complaint alleged that, in 2012, Saint Vincent learned that errors had been made in the calculation of the capitated rates resulting in substantial overpayments to Saint Vincent and the other five USFHP plans over the preceding four years. According to the government’s complaint, instead of notifying the government of the overpayments or repaying the funds, Saint Vincent, along with the other five USFHP plans, took steps to conceal the existence of the overpayments from DHA, continued to submit invoices at the inflated payment rates, and conspired to avoid paying the money back. Today’s settlement resolves the government’s claims against Saint Vincent.
“Those who receive public funds, including participants in government health care programs, must return funds to which they are not entitled,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Together with our partners across the federal government, we will hold accountable those who knowingly violate this obligation to the American taxpayers.”
“I want to thank the Justice Department for resolving this case on behalf of TRICARE and the Defense Health Agency,” said Dr. David C. Krulak, Director, TRICARE Health Plan, DHA. “Providing excellent health care to our 9.5 million beneficiaries worldwide is essential to maintaining force readiness and keeping our promise to our family members and retirees, while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars at the same time.”
The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Jane Rollinson and Daniel Gregorie in the District of Maine. From 2007 to 2015, Ms. Rollinson worked at Martin’s Point Health Care, one of the health plans participating in the USFHP program, including as its Interim Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Gregorie was a consultant to the CEO and Board of Martin’s Point Health Care and later served on its Board of Trustees. Under the False Claims Act’s qui tam provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The United States may intervene and proceed with the case, as it did here. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Rollinson v. Martin’s Point Health Care, Inc., No. 2:16-cv-00447-NT (D. Me.). As part of today’s settlement, Ms. Rollinson and Mr. Gregorie will receive $5.655 million. The United States is continuing to pursue the remaining claims in this case.
The resolution of this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, with assistance from the DHA.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Diana Cieslak and Evan Ballan and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Lizotte and Sheila Sawyer for the District of Maine.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
New Hampshire Registered Sex Offender Sentenced for Attempting to Purchase a Gun in MaineRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A New Hampshire man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for making false statements to acquire a firearm.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Brandon Pinard, 33, to time served, approximately 9 months, followed by three years of supervised release. Pinard pleaded guilty on November 19, 2024.
According to court records, in May 2024, the Seabrook (N.H.) Police Department received a firearms denial notice showing that Pinard was denied a purchase of a long gun in Bath, Maine. When attempting to purchase the Daniel Defense DDM4 assault rifle, Pinard listed a Dover, N.H. address and checked “No” next to the question on the ATF Form 4473 that read, “Have you ever been convicted in any court, including a military court, of a felony, or any other crime for which the judge could imprison you for more than one year, or are you a current member of the military who has been charged with violations(s) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice and whose charge(s) have been referred to a general court-martial?” At the time of the attempted purchase, Pinard was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2013 conviction in Massachusetts for a felony sex offense. He had been a registered sex offender in Seabrook since relocating from Dover in November 2022.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Seabrook (N.H.) Police Department.
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Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Firearms TheftRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A West Springfield, Mass. man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for conspiring to steal firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer and for stealing those firearms.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Ryan Ansart, 22, to three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $17,253.37 in restitution. Ansart pleaded guilty on August 22, 2024.
According to court records, in April 2022, Ansart and coconspirator Damiean Marcial-Alexander broke into a Waterville firearms dealer and stole multiple firearms, including a Glock, Model 17 Gen5 9mm pistol and a Smith & Wesson .38 special revolver. According to an ATF Theft/Loss Report submitted by the store owner, 15 firearms in all were reported stolen, six revolvers and nine semi-automatic pistols. Evidence collected included Instagram and text messages planning the theft, including a map to the location from Marcial-Alexander’s apartment, as well as photos of the two men holding some of the stolen firearms.
On February 4, Damiean Marcial-Alexander, (22, Waterville) was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay $17,253.37 in restitution for his role in the conspiracy and theft.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Waterville Police Department.
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Bangor, Orrington Men Sentenced for Roles in Penobscot and Aroostook County Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: Two Maine men were sentenced today in separate hearings at the U.S. District Court in Bangor for their roles in a northern Maine drug trafficking ring.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Joshua Jerrell, 30, to time served, approximately 36 months, followed by three years of supervised release. On February 9, 2023, Jerrell pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and conspiring to make false statements to a federal firearms licensee.
Judge Neumann sentenced Aaron Rodgers, 43, to time served, approximately 33 months, followed by three years of supervised release. On April 9, 2024, Rodgers pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Jerrell, Rodgers and others trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and elsewhere. Both men regularly arranged to obtain quantities from a source through phone calls, texts and social media using coded language and then distribute these drugs to customers in Penobscot County. In June 2021, Jerrell made false statements to a federal firearms licensee in Holden in an attempt to obtain firearms for his drug supplier.
Twenty-one defendants have been charged in this and related cases for their part in a widespread northern Maine drug trafficking conspiracy. To date, 13 of the defendants have been sentenced while 8 await sentencing:
Sentenced:
- Andrew Adams (32, Aroostook County) – 10 years
- Matthew Catalano (38, Penobscot County) – 165 months
- Christopher Coty (44, Bangor) – 4 years
- Blaine Footman (38, Bangor) – 5 years
- Nicole Footman (41, Holden) – 3 years
- Dwight Gary, Jr. (54, Medway) – Time served
- Thomas Hammond (26, Charleston) – 84 months
- Joshua Jerrell (30, Orrington) – Time served (approx. 36 months)
- James King (55, Caribou) – 165 months
- Shelby Loring (29, Bangor) – Time served (approx. 32 months)
- Danielle McBreairty (34, Glenburn) – 20 years
- Aaron Rodgers (43, Bangor) – Time served (approx. 33 months)
- Wayne Smith (33, Bangor) – 85 months
Awaiting sentencing:
- Daquan Corbett (30, Brockton, Mass.)
- Jason Cunrod (42, Caribou) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
- Carol Gordon (53, Bangor) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
- Daviston Jackson (28, Boston, Mass.)
- Sarah McBreairty (36, Dixmont) – sentencing scheduled 05/05/25
- John Miller (24, Caribou) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
- James Valiante, 42 (Linneus) – sentencing scheduled 05/05/25
- Joshua Young (48, Presque Isle) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the police departments in Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton. U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Maine State Attorney General’s Office and the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Connecticut Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Connecticut man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to being a felon in possession of ammunition.
According to court records, in December 2021, a Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office deputy on routine patrol in Greenbush noted that the license plates on a car pulled over on the side of the road did not match the vehicle. The deputy pulled the vehicle over as it started to move. The vehicle’s operator, who was arrested for operating after license suspension, stated that a passenger they identified as Yardley Davis, 39, had fled when the vehicle was pulled over. The driver further stated that Davis had two guns in his possession and before fleeing had said if he was caught with them he would go to jail.
The following morning, law enforcement received a report from a nearby homeowner that they had found gloves, a black ski mask and a rope next to a barbed wire fence on their property. Davis was found in the woods following a search and flown to the hospital for treatment for hypothermia. A further search of the woods by a K9 unit led to the recovery of two 9mm handguns and 45 rounds of ammunition. A forensic analysis of the firearms by the Maine State Police Crime Laboratory revealed the presence of Davis’s DNA on both firearms. Davis is precluded from possessing firearms or ammunition due to a 2005 conviction in Connecticut Superior Court for robbery in the first degree.
Davis faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 to be followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office and the Maine State Police.
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Rumford Man Sentenced for Evading Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Rumford man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for willfully evading the payment of employment taxes.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Jeffrey Richard, 50, to 12 months and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $910,980.37 in restitution to the IRS. Richard pleaded guilty on July 17, 2023.
According to court records, between 2013 and 2017, Richard willfully attempted to evade payment of employment withholding taxes owed by his company, Black Bear Industrial, Inc. Despite being aware of the company’s unpaid employment tax liability, Richard took a variety of steps to evade payment. He regularly used funds from Black Bear’s business bank account to make business and personal purchases, all while making no payments toward Black Bear’s tax liability. He also created two nominee companies and took steps to disguise his ownership of the companies. He falsely represented to an IRS revenue officer that he had anything to do with one of the companies. The other company did business and had over $174,000 of business income in 2017, but none of the money was used to pay the IRS. Richard never informed the IRS about the company, and the company never filed any corporate or employment tax returns.
“Today’s sentencing of Jeffrey Richard sends a strong message to all individuals and businesses that think they are above the law and can evade their obligation to pay their fair share of taxes,” said Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Richard knowingly chose to steal and cheat from every America taxpayer when he selfishly chose to use business funds for personal purchases and took other steps to evade paying his tax liability. Tax evasion is not a victimless crime, it impacts every American by stealing resources vital to fund schools, maintain public infrastructure and enhance social welfare.”
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
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New York Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud, False Use of Passport, and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A New York woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to bank fraud, false use of a passport, and aggravated identity theft.
According to court records, in February 2024, Theresa Hartung, 62, entered a credit union in Gray and attempted to use a falsified passport card to withdraw money from an account. The falsified passport card presented by Hartung bore her picture with the personal information of an account holder. She also presented the victim’s Social Security number.
Hartung faces up to 30 years in federal prison, a maximum fine of $1 million, and up to five years of supervised release on the bank fraud charge. She faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years supervised release on the false use of a passport charge. On the aggravated identity theft charge, she faces a mandatory prison term of two years, consecutive to any other sentence imposed; a $250,000 fine; and up to one year of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
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Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Entering the US After a Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to entering the United States after a prior removal.
According to court records, in November 2024, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent conducted a records check on Jorge Martinez-Urizar, 50. The check showed that he had been removed from the country on three prior occasions, most recently in July 2005, and that he had not filed any applications or petitions granting him permission to reenter or remain in the United States lawfully. Martinez was removed in 2005 after serving a 70-month sentence in Oregon for a 1999 conviction for assault in the second degree and unlawful use of a weapon.
Martinez-Urizar faces a maximum prison term of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.
ICE investigated the case.
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Waterville Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Firearms TheftRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Waterville man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for conspiring to steal firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer and for stealing those firearms.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Damiean Marcial-Alexander, 22, to three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $17,253.37 in restitution. Marcial-Alexander pleaded guilty on May 30, 2024.
According to court records, in April 2022, Marcial-Alexander and Ryan Ansart broke into a Waterville firearms dealer and stole multiple firearms, including a Glock, Model 17 Gen5 9mm pistol and a Smith & Wesson .38 special revolver. According to an ATF Theft/Loss Report submitted by the store owner, 15 firearms in all were reported stolen, six revolvers and nine semi-automatic pistols. Evidence collected included Instagram and text messages planning the theft, including a map to the location from Marcial-Alexander’s apartment, as well as photos of the two men holding some of the stolen firearms.
Ryan Ansart (22, West Springfield, Mass.) pleaded guilty on August 22, 2024, to his role in the conspiracy and theft and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 11.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Waterville Police Department.
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Caribou Man Faces Lengthy Prison Sentence for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Caribou man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor to possession of child pornography.
According to court records, in April 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a tip from Kik, a messaging and chat app, that a user had uploaded videos containing child sexual abuse material. The videos captured the sexual abuse of victims as young as 1-3 years old. The account was later traced to Devin Madigan, 29. A forensic investigation of Madigan’s phone revealed images and videos of child sexual abuse material.
Madigan faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 to be followed by five years to life of supervised release. Madigan could also be ordered to pay restitution to the victims. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case with assistance from the Grafton County (NH) Sheriff’s Department and the Brewer Police Department.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt, or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Armed Threat of Insurance Inspector Leads to Guilty Plea by Convicted Felon for Unlawful Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Springfield man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to unlawfully possessing a firearm.
According to court records, in February 2024, a deputy from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report that a home inspector from an insurance company had been threatened with a firearm by James Elliott, 66. During a search of Elliott’s home in March 2024, deputies found six firearms, including a loaded .44 magnum lever action rifle. Elliott is precluded from possessing firearms due to two prior felony convictions in the state of Kansas.
Elliott faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 to be followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office, the Maine Warden Service, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency also assisted with the investigation.
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Bangor Woman Sentenced for Role in Penobscot and Aroostook County Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for her role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Shelby Loring, 29, to time served followed by three years of supervised release. Loring pleaded guilty on January 17, 2023, and was incarcerated for approximately 32 months.
According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Loring and others trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and elsewhere. Loring regularly obtained quantities of drugs from her source, paying for the drugs with the proceeds from the sale of prior deliveries. Loring would distribute drugs to customers in Penobscot County while keeping some for her own use. Loring’s participation in the conspiracy resulted in contacts with local law enforcement that led to the seizure of drugs, firearms, drug paraphernalia, and other items.
Twenty-one defendants have been charged in this and related cases for their part in a widespread northern Maine drug trafficking conspiracy. To date, 11 of the defendants have been sentenced while 10 await sentencing:
Sentenced:
- Andrew Adams (32, Aroostook County) – 10 years
- Matthew Catalano (38, Penobscot County) – 165 months
- Christopher Coty (44, Bangor) – 4 years
- Blaine Footman (38, Bangor) – 5 years
- Nicole Footman (41, Holden) – 3 years
- Dwight Gary, Jr. (54, Medway) – Time served
- Thomas Hammond (26, Charleston) – 84 months
- James King (55, Caribou) – 165 months
- Shelby Loring (29, Bangor) – Time served (32 months)
- Danielle McBreairty (34, Glenburn) – 20 years
- Wayne Smith (33, Bangor) – 85 months
Awaiting sentencing:
- Daquan Corbett (30, Brockton, Mass.)
- Jason Cunrod (42, Caribou) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
- Carol Gordon (53, Bangor) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
- Daviston Jackson (28, Boston, Mass.)
- Joshua Jerrell (30, Orrington) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25
- Sarah McBreairty (36, Dixmont) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25
- John Miller (24, Caribou) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
- Aaron Rodgers (43, Bangor) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25
- James Valiante, 42 (Linneus) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
- Joshua Young (48, Presque Isle) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the police departments in Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton. U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Maine State Attorney General’s Office and the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Thomaston Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing a Machinegun and Possessing Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Thomaston man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to unlawful possessing a machinegun and possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute.
According to court records, in April 2024, the Thomaston Police Department received a tip that Chandler Breen, 34, was selling drugs behind a local business. A search of Breen’s vehicle revealed a firearm modified with a machinegun conversion device, 9mm ammunition, a large amount of cash, approximately 62 grams of cocaine, approximately 5 grams of methamphetamine, and at least 6 grams of fentanyl.
Breen faces up to 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release on the firearms charge; and up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million and a minimum of three years of supervised release on the drug charge. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the Thomaston Police Department.
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Sanford Man Sentenced to 10 Years After Officer Sees Drugs Protruding from His Shirt PocketRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Sanford man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Nicholas Delahunt, 39, to 120 months in prison to be followed by eight years of supervised release.
According to court records, in October 2023, an officer from the Sanford Police Department noted a vehicle pulled over on the side of the road. The officer queried the vehicle and learned that the registered owner, Delahunt, had a suspended license. Police confirmed Delahunt was operating the vehicle. While speaking with him on the side of the road, the officer noted a large plastic baggie protruding from his sweatshirt front pocket that appeared to contain narcotics. Delahunt removed the bag, which was found to contain approximately 166 grams of fentanyl. A further search of Delahunt’s person revealed three additional grams of fentanyl. Just 2 grams of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose. Delahunt was previously convicted in Maine in 2021 for unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Sanford Police Department.
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Repeat Offender from South Portland Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A South Portland man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to possessing child sexual abuse material.
According to court records, in April 2023, agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a federal search warrant at the South Portland residence of Sheldon Rembert, 32, locating Rembert in the bedroom. An agent recovered a smartphone from the bedroom, and during an interview, Rembert admitted that child sexual abuse material would be found on the phone and that he had downloaded the images and videos. Forensic examination of the device found images and videos of children as young as eight years old being sexually abused. In 2020, Rembert was convicted in Cumberland County Superior Court of possessing explicit material of a minor.
Rembert faces 10-20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, followed by five years to life of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HSI investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Career Felon Caught with Fentanyl, Firearm Sentenced to 17 YearsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: An Augusta man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Ryan Partridge, 35, to 204 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release.
According to court records, in July 2023, Partridge was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by officers from the Augusta Police Department. During a search of the vehicle, investigators recovered a backpack with approximately 125 grams of fentanyl and a 9mm pistol inside, and Partridge admitted to investigators that the backpack and its contents belonged to him. At the time of the stop, Partridge, a career criminal with 12 prior convictions including two drug felonies, was on probation for a 2019 conviction for aggravated trafficking of fentanyl. He also had a pending arrest warrant for failing to report a change of address.
The FBI and U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case with assistance from the Augusta Police Department.
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Camden Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $51,000 Through PPP, EIDL Loan FraudRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Camden man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to wire fraud.
According to court records, in 2020 and 2021, Yani Stancioff, 29, exploited the COVID19 pandemic by submitting fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds. Stancioff submitted three fraudulent applications and obtained $51,666. On his EIDL application, he claimed to be the sole proprietor of a non-existent agricultural business. On his PPP applications, Stancioff falsely claimed to be the sole proprietor of a marketing business with gross income of approximately $107,000. As part of the false PPP applications, Stancioff filed falsified IRS documents.
Stancioff faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act: The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who suffered economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act made Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funding available to business owners negatively affected by the COVID19 pandemic. EIDL proceeds were funded by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and disbursed by the U.S. Treasury. EIDLs could only be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could have been paid had the COVID19 disaster not occurred.
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the SBA that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP permitted participating third-party lenders to approve and disburse SBA-backed PPP loans to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills incurred by qualifying businesses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the SBA.
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Florida Woman Sentenced for Using Kennebunk Business’s Bank Account for Personal GainRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Florida woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for committing wire fraud.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Alexis Hodges, 39, to 12 months and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay the victim $73,291.33 in restitution. Hodges pleaded guilty on June 28, 2024.
According to court records, from at least November 2019 through October 2021, Hodges fraudulently used the bank account of a Kennebunk business to pay expenses for herself, her family members, and her business. Hodges provided the bank account information to multiple vendors, causing or attempting to cause more than $90,000 to be electronically paid out of the account to pay her rent, insurance policies, and credit card bills, among others, without the victim’s consent or knowledge. In September 2021, the victim discovered that unauthorized payments were occurring and reported it to the Kennebunk Police Department, which referred the case to the U.S. Secret Service New England Cyber Fraud Task Force for investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office does not identify crime victims and is limiting identifying information, including the name and type of business, to protect the victim’s privacy.
In 2011, Hodges was convicted of identity theft, defrauding a financial institution, and scheming to defraud for unlawfully accessing the customer accounts of her then-employer.
The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case with assistance from the Kennebunk Police Department.
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Dark Web Moderator Advertising Child Sexual Abuse Material Sentenced to 15 YearsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Kent, Washington man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for advertising child pornography.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Michael Posey, 50, to 180 months to be followed by seven years of supervised release. Posey pleaded guilty on August 29, 2024.
In sentencing Posey, the judge noted that communities such as the one in which Posey participated “create a supply chain to satisfy the demand for this poison” and inflict “generational emotional destruction on vulnerable members of our communities” with untold lasting impact on the young victims.
According to court records, in early 2024, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Portland, Maine were investigating a site on the dark web dedicated to the sexual abuse of children. During the investigation, HSI agents observed a profile, later identified as belonging to Michael Posey, 49, that held a moderator position and was responsible for approving posts submitted by others. The profile included a password that individuals could use for any files/links provided by the user. A review of the profile’s history revealed a history of postings that dated back to December 2021. Agents logged into the site, reviewed a post made by Posey regarding a collection of 70 videos of child sexual abuse, and accessed a zipped file containing numerous videos including young children. In April 2024, HSI agents executed a search warrant at Posey’s residence in Kent, Washington. During the interview, Posey confirmed he used the profile on the dark web site and provided agents with his login information.
HSI investigated the case.
“Mr. Posey helped to create and benefited from a marketplace predicated on vulnerable victims being abused,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee. “Peddling child pornography is not a victimless crime – child sexual abuse material captures the very real, traumatizing, and abhorrent sexual abuse of children, and those children are revictimized every single time that material is shared, by every single person who views it.”
“Posey used the dark web to advertise abhorrent images capturing the sexual abuse of children who were irreparably harmed in the productions. Now he will remain in prison for a considerable period of time where he cannot be a threat to the public,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “Today's sentence shows the gravity of Posey’s crime and HSI’s commitment to seeking justice for children traumatized by online child sexual exploitation.”
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – in legal terms, "child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are shared or viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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New Brunswick Man Pleads Guilty to Crossing into U.S. Unlawfully Carrying Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Canadian national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to unlawfully entering into the United States from Canada and importing a controlled substance.
According to court records, in September 2024, U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Van Buren station stopped Nathan Paul Curran-McQuade, 31, in Caswell for illegally entering the United States from Canada. Agents encountered Curran-McQuade while he was operating an ATV on a trail bordering Canada that was marked with international boundary signs. When stopped by the agents, Curran-McQuade had approximately 14 grams of methamphetamine on his person as well as marijuana in a mason jar in his backpack. He claimed to be traveling to a store in Caswell to get gas and that the drugs were for personal use.
Curran-McQuade faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million for the controlled substance charge and up to 180 days in jail and up to a $5,000 fine for crossing the border illegally. Any sentence would be followed up three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
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Massachusetts Men Face 10+ Years Following Guilty Verdict in Northern Maine Drug Trafficking Conspiracy TrialRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: Two Massachusetts men were found guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for their role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl following a 10-day bench trial last month before U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann.
According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Daquan Corbett, 30, Daviston Jackson, 28, and others trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and elsewhere.
Both Jackson and Corbett face 10 years to life in prison and up to a $10 million fine to be followed by five years to life of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Twenty-one defendants have been charged in this and related cases for their part in a widespread northern Maine drug trafficking conspiracy. To date, 10 of the defendants have been sentenced while 11 await sentencing:
Sentenced:
- Andrew Adams (32, Aroostook County) – 10 years
- Wayne Smith (33, Bangor) – 85 months
- Danielle McBreairty (34, Glenburn) – 20 years
- Blaine Footman (38, Bangor) – 5 years
- Nicole Footman (41, Holden) – 3 years
- Dwight Gary, Jr. (54, Medway) – Time served
- Matthew Catalano (38, Penobscot County) – 165 months
- Thomas Hammond (26, Charleston) – 84 months
- Christopher Coty (44, Bangor) – 4 years
- James King (55, Caribou) – 165 months
Awaiting sentencing:
- Daquan Corbett (30, Brockton, Mass.)
- Daviston Jackson (28, Boston, Mass.)
- Sarah McBreairty (36, Dixmont) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25
- John Miller (24, Caribou) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
- Shelby Loring (29, Bangor) – sentencing scheduled 02/03/25
- Joshua Young (48, Presque Isle) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
- Joshua Jerrell (30, Orrington) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25
- Carol Gordon (53, Bangor) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
- Jason Cunrod (42, Caribou) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
- Aaron Rodgers (43, Bangor) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25
- James Valiante, 42 (Linneus) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the police departments in Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton. U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Maine State Attorney General’s Office and the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Maine Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Harassing and Threatening Woman and Her Family MembersRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Maine man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for making repeated phone calls with the intent to harass and transmitting a threatening interstate communication.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Angelo Castigliola, 44, formerly of Biddeford, to 18 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. For the first year of his supervised release, he will be subject to stand-alone monitoring. He was also ordered to pay the victim restitution. Castigliola pleaded guilty on August 26, 2024.
According to court records, from mid-July to early August 2023, Castigliola repeatedly called and texted the victim, including calling 57 times and leaving nine voicemails. He also sent the victim 40 text messages on one day alone. These repeated communications were harassing in nature. In the communications, Castigliola repeatedly threatened to harm an unidentified police officer with whom he believed the victim had a relationship, and repeatedly referenced the victim’s minor child. On July 28, 2023, Castigliola also made several telephone calls to the victim’s mother, often disguising his phone number, leaving two voicemails. In one voicemail, Castigliola threatened to kill three of her family members including the victim, and to rape two minor children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is limiting identifying information to protect the victims’ privacy.
The FBI investigated the case.
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Lewiston Man Sentenced to 4+ Years for Armed Robbery of Saco Convenience StoreRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for interference with commerce by robbery.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Max Gbetibouo, 51, to 51 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. While sentencing Gbetibouo, the judge noted that as an Ivory Coast National, he would likely face deportation following incarceration. Gbetibouo was also ordered to pay restitution to the victim. He pleaded guilty on August 13, 2024.
According to court records, in September 2021, Gbetibouo entered a Saco convenience store brandishing a weapon and demanded money from the register. The store clerk complied, and Gbetibouo fled the store on foot. The robbery was captured on surveillance video.
The Saco Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Portland Police Department investigated the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods: This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn.
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Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Nearly $400,000 from Maine Couple While They Were on VacationRead the Press Release
A Texas man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to four counts of wire fraud.
According to court records, in October 2022, the FBI began an investigation after a Maine couple reported a loss of nearly $400,000 via unauthorized wire transfers and purchases from their bank account. The couple stated that after returning from a vacation, they unsuccessfully attempted to log into their bank account and called the bank to request their username and password be reset. Once able to view the account, they found multiple wire transfers on the statement.
The investigation showed that in August 2022, an unknown person called the bank pretending to be the account holder, requesting the account balance and updating the contact phone number. Shortly after, they also changed the contact email address. Over a two-week period, several transfers were made between the victims’ home equity line of credit account to their savings account. Multiple wire transfers were then made to a Texas bank account held by Kyle Lawless Pollar, 27. The four wire transfers totaled $360,880. $66,000 from one wire transfer was transferred to a jeweler also located in Texas. Pollar withdrew funds from his account in cash and cashier’s checks, and the cashier’s checks were deposited in other Texas bank accounts in his name. Security cameras captured him making deposits and withdrawing funds.
Pollar faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 for each of the four counts, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release. He will also be ordered to pay restitution to the victims.
The FBI investigated the case.
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New Hampshire Man Sentenced to 3+ Years for Selling Fake Pills Laced with Fentanyl to Undercover Informant, OfficerRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Portsmouth, New Hampshire man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland today for distributing fentanyl.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Jerome Hovey Leclair, 39, to 38 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Leclair pleaded guilty on July 11, 2024.
According to court records, in April 2023, under the direction of the Berwick Police Department, a cooperating source met with Leclair at his Portsmouth residence to discuss a future purchase of counterfeit Oxycodone pills. While in the apartment, the informant noted multiple plastic bags filled with small, blue pills, and Leclair gave the informant one pill as a sample. In June 2023, Leclair agreed to sell the informant 100 pills, offering to add 25 for free so that they could make more money selling them. The phone call was recorded, and investigators established surveillance in advance of the controlled purchase at Leclair’s residence and near the agreed-upon meeting location. An undercover officer drove the informant to the buy.
In July 2023, an undercover officer contacted Leclair by text and negotiated the purchase of pills, meeting in Kittery to complete the transaction. The meeting was captured on video and audio. On July 7, 2023, the New Hampshire State Police stopped Leclair’s vehicle in Seabrook, N.H. Investigators recovered 500 blue circular pills from the vehicle along with approximately 30 grams of methamphetamine. In August 2023, the informant again contacted Leclair, negotiating and completing two more buys in New Hampshire.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Berwick Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the New Hampshire State Police.
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Kennebunk Woman Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining PPP Funds During PandemicRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Kennebunk woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to wire fraud.
According to court records, in April 2021, Meghan Martell, 33, submitted an application to a California lender for a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Martell falsely stated on the application that she was the sole proprietor of a beauty salon with gross income in 2019 of $99,870. She also submitted fraudulent documentation in support of the application, including a false tax form. The California lender transferred $20,806 in PPP funds to Martell’s bank account in Maine.
Martell faces up to 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000, followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP permitted participating third-party lenders to approve and disburse SBA-backed PPP loans to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills incurred by qualifying businesses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the SBA.
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New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to PPP, EIDL Loan Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Plymouth, New Hampshire man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to conspiring to commit wire fraud.
According to court records, in 2020 and 2021, Tyree Jones, 32, conspired with others to exploit the COVID19 pandemic by submitting fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds. Jones submitted three fraudulent applications for himself and obtained $51,666. On his applications, Jones claimed to be the sole proprietor of non-existent businesses in the agricultural and trucking industries. In addition to filing fraudulent applications for himself, Jones offered to help others obtain PPP and EIDL funds in exchange for “kickbacks” from any funds they received. Jones and coconspirators caused fraudulent applications to be filed for at least 12 other people. As part of the false applications, Jones and his coconspirators filed falsified IRS and bank documents.
Jones faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act: The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who suffered economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act made Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funding available to business owners negatively affected by the COVID19 pandemic. EIDL proceeds were funded by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and disbursed by the U.S. Treasury. EIDLs could only be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could have been paid had the COVID19 disaster not occurred.
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the SBA that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP permitted participating third-party lenders to approve and disburse SBA-backed PPP loans to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills incurred by qualifying businesses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the SBA.
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Auburn Man Sentenced to 35 Months for Cocaine Base TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: An Auburn man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland today for distributing cocaine base.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Devonne Scott, 31, to 35 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Scott pleaded guilty on September 19, 2024.
According to court records, in July 2023, a confidential informant reported to the FBI that a man they knew agreed to sell the informant crack cocaine. In August 2023, the informant conducted two controlled buys of suspected cocaine base from Scott with the exchanges monitored and videotaped by the FBI and law enforcement partners. Laboratory tests confirmed the substances purchased contained cocaine base.
The FBI investigated the case, together with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lewiston Police Department.
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