District of Maine

PORTLAND Maine: A Livermore Falls man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for Social Security fraud, health care fraud, and theft of public money.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Rick V. Greene, 56, to five years of probation, and he was ordered to pay $34,119 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and $37,944.34 in restitution to the Maine Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS). Greene pleaded guilty on June 20, 2023.

According to court records, from about January 2017 through December 2020, Greene concealed self-employed work activity, as well as various assets, from SSA to appear eligible to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. SSI benefits are paid to people with limited income who are blind, disabled or elderly. Greene also concealed his work activity and assets from the Maine DHHS to appear eligible to receive MaineCare and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, which are also needs-based programs.

In multiple benefit eligibility reviews, Greene falsely represented to the SSA and Maine DHHS that his only income was from SSI. He did not disclose his income and assets despite knowing that he was required to do so and that they would affect his eligibility to receive benefits.

This investigation was conducted by SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and the Maine DHHS’s Fraud Investigation & Recovery Unit.

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BANGOR, Maine: A former Fort Hood, Texas soldier was found guilty today of one count of enticement of a child, two counts of travelling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and two counts of transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. The verdict came after a two-day jury trial in the U.S. District Court in Bangor with Judge Lance E. Walker presiding.

According to evidence presented during the trial, between February and December 2021, Christopher Meza, 22, interacted with a 13-year-old from Maine on a popular online gaming platform. The conversations included descriptions of sex as well as Meza’s acknowledgement of the victim’s age. Meza twice traveled from Texas to Maine to meet with the then 14-year-old victim, and on both occasions was successful in leaving the state with the victim.

Of the five counts for which Meza was found guilty, three counts carry a minimum of ten years and a maximum of life in prison while the remaining two counts have maximum penalties of 30 years. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was the lead law enforcement agency. Additional investigative resources were provided by U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division and multiple police departments in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Texas.

Reports of child sexual exploitation are increasing: In 2022, The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline received 32 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation. That included more than 80,000 reports of online enticement of children for sexual acts, an increase of 82% from 2021 to 2022, and more than 31 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Brockton, Massachusetts man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for conspiring to violate federal firearms laws.

U.S District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Antoine Montrond, 23, to a year plus one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Montrond pleaded guilty on April 26, 2023.

According to court records, in January 2020, Montrond and a co-conspirator used a straw purchaser to buy two firearms from a store in Kittery. The purchaser falsely indicated they were the true purchaser of the firearms when in fact they were buying them for Montrond and his co-conspirator. In May 2020, police recovered one of the firearms, a Glock Model 23 .40 caliber pistol, from Montrond during a traffic stop.  In total, Montrond’s co-conspirators succeeded in illegally straw purchasing seven firearms; they were previously sentenced by Judge Torresen for their respective roles in the scheme.   

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives 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.

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. To learn more information about Project Safe Neighborhood, visit www.justice.gov/psn.

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The horrific violence perpetrated on our friends and neighbors in the Lewiston community last evening has been shocking and frightening for us all. The devastating impact on the families of the victims weighs heavily on everyone today.

We know the events of the past day have created an atmosphere of fear and anxiety. Please know that the top priority of the entire Maine law enforcement community is to address any immediate danger. Everything possible is being done to locate the suspect and bring this situation to a safe end. The investigation is ongoing, and our local and state law enforcement partners are confidently leading the way, using every tool at their disposal. Maine enjoys uniquely strong partnerships among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies within and beyond its borders. I assure you that hundreds of dedicated law enforcement professionals at all levels from across the Northeast have responded to Lewiston, and will continue to respond, as needed, to assist and support the officers, detectives, deputies, troopers, and wardens who are conducting the manhunt and processing these tragic events, and to offer critical victim support and resources.

These experienced professionals will continue to work together around the clock to bring this incident to a close. They, too, are deeply affected by the senseless attack of this scale on the Lewiston community. Please show patience, have faith in them, and keep them in your thoughts as we witness their bravery and dedicated service.

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BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute.

U.S District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Chad Savage, 34, to ten years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Savage pleaded guilty on June 13, 2023.

According to court records, in June 2022, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) investigators, after receiving information that Savage had purchased large quantities of drugs in Massachusetts to sell in the Bangor area, executed a search warrant on a vehicle Savage was operating. Savage directed investigators to the glovebox of the vehicle where 50 pressed “sticks” of suspected fentanyl were recovered. A lab later confirmed the drugs seized were 588.7 grams of fentanyl. Less than two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance and past usage. In an interview with authorities, Savage stated that he had traveled to Massachusetts to obtain the drugs, that the drugs were “fronted” to him, and that he estimated that he had been provided with 1000 grams.

MDEA, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

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BANGOR, Maine: An Albion man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today for knowingly making false statements to a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) while purchasing firearms. 

According to court records, between June and August 2022, Jason Palmer, 42, obtained five pistols in five separate transactions with an FFL located in Fairfield. In each of those transactions, Palmer completed the required Form 4473 and misrepresented that he was the actual buyer of the firearm when he was in fact purchasing it for another individual. He also falsely indicated on the form that he was not an unlawful user of any controlled substances. In an interview with law enforcement, Palmer admitted that he had been offered heroin/fentanyl in exchange for purchasing the firearms.

Palmer faces up to five years in prison, a fine up to $250,000, and 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 and the Waterville Police Department 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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PORTLAND, Maine: A Norway man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to filing fraudulent applications for loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

According to court records, between May 2020 and January 2021, Merton Weed Jr., 51, filed eight fraudulent PPP loan applications with different lenders and received over $240,000 in PPP funds. The applications listed false average monthly payrolls and numbers of employees and were supported by false payroll records and bank records.

Weed faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. 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 FBI 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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BANGOR, Maine: A Missouri man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to failing to present at a border crossing point.

According to court records, in April 2023, Clayton Dehaven, 39, was observed walking with a flashlight down a road on the Canadian side of the border in the Union Corners area of Hodgdon. A minivan was observed parked on the U.S. side of the border. A person, later identified as Dehaven’s wife, was observed crouching in the bushes and then running across the border to the van. Dehaven was then also seen running across the border and entering the driver’s side of the van. After being apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol, Dehaven admitted that he had illegally crossed from Canada into the U.S. without going through a designated border crossing point.

Dehaven faces up to one year in prison and up to a $100,000 fine followed by up to one year 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 U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.

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BANGOR, Maine: A Mexican national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for entering the United States after a prior removal.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Eduardo Ruiz Rojas, 36, to time served, and he will be turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal to Mexico. Ruiz Rojas had been incarcerated since he was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents on April 21 after he and others were discovered in Aroostook County, a short distance from the international boundary.

Immigration records showed that Ruiz Rojas had been previously removed from the U.S. in September 2019 and had not obtained the express consent of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission.

The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.

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A Lewiston man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of ammunition.

U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Shaiquan Moran-Stenson, 27, to 77 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, to be served consecutively with an 18-month sentence for revocation of a term of supervised release on a previous felon-in-possession conviction in the Western District of New York. Moran-Stenson pleaded guilty on May 16, 2023.

According to court records, in December 2021, Moran-Stenson fired multiple shots near Bartlett Street in Lewiston. Video cameras at two residences recorded him firing shots across the street before he ran to a parked car and fired additional shots as the vehicle drove away. Investigators recovered .40 caliber shell casings from the area. At the time of the shooting, Moran-Stenson was on supervised release for a prior conviction and was prohibited from possessing ammunition.

The Lewiston Police Department, Portland Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.

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. To learn more information about Project Safe Neighborhood, visit www.justice.gov/psn.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Hebron man was found guilty today of being a felon in possession of firearms following a two-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Portland.

According to evidence presented during the trial, in January 2022, Maine State Troopers executed search warrants at the home of Dario Giambro, 75. Investigators located hundreds of firearms, including shotguns, rifles, pistols, and revolvers, and a large amount of ammunition inside Giambro’s residence. Giambro is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior federal conviction in the District of Maine for possessing an unregistered firearm, a felony offense.

Giambro faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and 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 and the Maine State Police investigated this case, with assistance from the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office and Norway Police Department. 

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BANGOR, Maine: A Penobscot man was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Bangor for conspiring to distribute fentanyl.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Christopher Beaucage, 38, to 180 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release.

According to court records, in October 2021, Beaucage and a coconspirator were stopped by an officer from the Bucksport Police Department. After a search of the vehicle revealed approximately 60 grams of fentanyl, Beaucage admitted the fentanyl belonged to him, and he was arrested on outstanding warrants. While he was incarcerated, monitored and recorded phone calls revealed that Beaucage and others continued to engage in drug trafficking activities. Details discussed included traveling out of state to meet with a source, the prices of the narcotics and distributing fentanyl to customers in Maine.

The FBI and Bucksport Police Department investigated the case.

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BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor, Maine, man was sentenced on Friday, October 6 in U.S. District Court in Bangor for bank robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Donald Turner, 52, to 210 months in prison and a consecutive 24-month sentence for violating his supervised release in a separate docket. Following incarceration, Turner will be on supervised release for five years.

According to court records, Turner entered Bangor Savings Bank in Bangor on September 10, 2020 and handed a bank teller a note indicating his intent to rob the bank, that he had a firearm, and ordering the teller not to speak to anyone. After the bank teller gave Turner money, he walked out of the bank. Law enforcement responded to the bank and obtained surveillance videos. Several surveillance images were sent to local media, leading to multiple citizens to contact law enforcement and identify Turner as the robber. Law enforcement located Turner at an apartment in Bangor, and at the time of his arrest, Turner had a firearm in the front waistband of his pants. Turner admitted he had robbed the bank but denied having the gun with him during the robbery.

At the time he committed this bank robbery, Turner was on supervised release for a 2011 conviction for bank robbery. Turner has two previous convictions for bank robberies he committed in 2006.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Bangor Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. 

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BANGOR, Maine: A Florida man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor today for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

U.S. District Court Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Rogelio Rios, 34, to 60 months followed by four years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution. Rios pleaded guilty on April 27, 2023.

According to court records, between May 2018 and July 2018, Rios obtained methamphetamine from Florida and distributed it in locations around Bangor and Houlton through a group of co-conspirators. On July 12, 2018, a truck driven by Rios and in which a co-conspirator was a passenger was stopped by law enforcement in Lincoln. A search of the vehicle revealed multiple grams of methamphetamine and nearly $20,000 in cash in the co-conspirator’s bag.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated this case.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A South Thomaston man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for a bank fraud scheme in which he filed fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications and received over $1 million in fraud proceeds.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Mark X. Haley II, 43, to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $1,010,581 in restitution. Haley pleaded guilty on February 8, 2023.

According to court records, Haley filed fraudulent PPP loan applications in an attempt to obtain PPP loans. He listed false employee and payroll information on each application and submitted fraudulent documents to support the false information to the banks. These documents included false federal employment tax returns, fake timesheets and falsified bank records. Haley used some of the funds he obtained to make a down payment on a sailboat, which he then claimed was itself a functioning business with multiple employees in an attempt to steal additional PPP funds. Over an 11-month span, Haley submitted 12 fraudulent applications to three lenders, each with phony supporting documentation. In total, he attempted to steal nearly $1.5 million and succeeded in obtaining $1,010,581.

The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

“Mark Haley exploited a worldwide epidemic to enrich himself through fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee. “This was a prolonged and opportunistic scheme motivated by sheer greed that only ended when the program meant to help businesses survive the pandemic itself ended. The Department of Justice and my office will continue to pursue those, like Mr. Haley, who attempted to capitalize on an unprecedented crisis.”

Paycheck Protection Plan (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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BANGOR, Maine:  A Mexican national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to entering the United States after a prior removal.

According to court records, in April 2023, Alberto Beltran-Martinez, 44, and six others were pulled over in a van with six others in Hamlin near the international boundary by a U.S. Border Patrol Agent from the Van Buren Border Patrol Station. Immigration records showed that Beltran-Martinez had twice been previously removed from the U.S., in September 2006 at Laredo, Texas and in April 2021 at Del Rio, Texas. Beltran-Martinez had not obtained the express consent of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. 

Beltran-Martinez faces up to 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine followed by five 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.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case.

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BANGOR, Maine: A Caribou man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, James King, 54, along with others, trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and elsewhere. King knowingly and intentionally joined and participated in the conspiracy.

To date, eight of the 21 defendants in this and related cases have been sentenced and nine of the remaining 13 defendants have pleaded guilty.

King faces 10 years to life in prison and a fine up to $10 million followed by five years to life 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 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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BANGOR, Maine:  A Madison man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to wire fraud and attempted wire fraud.

According to court records, from June 2021 to April 2023, Aaron Hoster, 51, removed UPC labels from low-cost items and applied them to higher-priced items which he then purchased. Hoster defrauded multiple Home Depot and Lowe’s Home Improvement stores in Maine, cheating the retailers out of more than $51,000. In one instance, Hoster purchased a $439 cordless finish nailer kit, paying just $19.98 by scanning a price code for trimmer line. In another example, he scanned a code for an $11.36 chrome-plated plastic tailpiece despite purchasing a powered drain cleaner valued at $429.

Hoster faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated these cases.

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BANGOR, Maine: A North Anson man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute.

According to court records, in January 2023, Cody Mosher, 29, led law enforcement on a high-speed chase through Norridgewock and Madison. When Mosher was apprehended, officers located approximately 758.91 grams of fentanyl, 21 grams of cocaine, a substantial amount of cash, and more than 300 pills in the vehicle. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Just 2 mg of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose; the amount seized represented more than 379,000 lethal doses.

Mosher faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison and a fine up to $5 million, followed by a minimum of four years and up to a lifetime 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 U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

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BANGOR, Maine: A Waterville man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Patrick Hanson, 32, to 110 months in prison followed by six years of supervised release. Hanson pleaded guilty on November 3, 2022.

According to court records, in October 2021, officers with the Waterville Police Department arrested Hanson after receiving information that he had threatened another individual. After his arrest, Hanson was found to have a total of seven packages of suspected narcotics on his person or in his immediate possession, including one package that he had kicked under a door while at the police station. In total, police seized approximately 43 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl. Just 2 mg of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose. Hanson was convicted in 2013 for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone and 500 grams or more of cocaine. Judge Woodcock found him to be a career offender under the federal sentencing guidelines, which subjected him to a higher advisory guideline sentence.

The Waterville Police Department, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. The Kennebec County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the case.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  A former Arizona man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to six counts of wire fraud and six counts of aggravated identity theft.

According to court records, from January to November 2020, James McAuliffe, 55, filed false claims for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. McAuliffe filed fraudulent applications for UI payments with the Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Unemployment Compensation using others’ personal identifying information without their knowledge and consent. As a part of the scheme, he caused fraudulent applications for replacement drivers licenses to be filed with the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles and changed the drivers’ mailing addresses, using the falsified licenses as proof of identification in support of the fraudulent UI claims. McAuliffe had the UI benefits loaded onto debit cards and wired into an account he opened in another person’s name and withdrew the funds at ATMs in Arizona. At the time of his arrest, McAuliffe was living in Kansas.

McAuliffe faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to a $250,000, followed by up to three of supervised release on each count of wire fraud. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft counts, which must be served consecutively to the sentence imposed on the wire fraud counts. 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 U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.

“The prosecution of Mr. McAuliffe is one of numerous cases brought by the Department of Justice nationwide to bring to justice those who sought to exploit COVID-19 relief fund programs,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee. “The important work of identifying and prosecuting anyone who stole taxpayer funds set aside for pandemic aid remains a priority for my office and Maine’s federal law enforcement agencies.”

“James McAuliffe engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance funds by using the stolen identities of Maine residents and others. McAuliffe stole benefits set aside by the federal government to assist American workers struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to safeguard Department of Labor programs from those who seek to exploit them,” said Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, Northeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

Coordinated, nationwide enforcement action to combat COVID-19 fraud: On August 23, 2023 the Justice Department announced the results of a coordinated, nationwide enforcement action to combat COVID-19 fraud, which included 718 enforcement actions – including federal criminal charges against 371 defendants – for offenses related to over $836 million in alleged COVID-19 fraud. The Justice Department has now seized over $1.4 billion in COVID-19 relief funds that criminals had stolen and charged over 3,000 defendants with crimes in federal districts across the country. Many of the cases in the enforcement action involve charges related to pandemic unemployment insurance benefit fraud and fraud against the two largest pandemic Small Business Administration programs: the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans. Additional matters involved pandemic healthcare billing fraud, fraud against the Emergency Rental Assistance program, and fraud committed against the IRS Employee Retention Credit program (ERC), a refundable tax credit for businesses and tax-exempt organizations that had employees and were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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BANGOR, Maine: A Caribou man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Jason Cunrod, 41, along with others, trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and elsewhere. Cunrod knowingly and intentionally joined and participated in the conspiracy.

To date, seven of the 21 defendants in this and related cases have been sentenced and nine of the remaining 14 defendants have pleaded guilty.

Cunrod faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $1 million followed by three years to life 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 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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PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to possessing child sexual abuse material.

According to court records, in April 2023, a Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit learned that a computer at an IP address belonging to Mark A. Burns, 60, had shared a sexually explicit image of a child under the age of 6. Homeland Security Investigations agents executed a search warrant at Burns’ residence where Burns admitted that he had downloaded child sexual abuse material. A preliminary search of his tablet revealed that it contained hundreds of videos and images of children with ages ranging from infants to young teens engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Burns was convicted in 2016 in a court of the State of Maine for possessing sexually explicit material involving a child under the age of 12. As a result of that prior conviction, Burns now faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to a lifetime 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.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigated the case.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer re-victimization every time the images are 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Portland man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing child sexual abuse material.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Richard T. Rich Jr., 55, to 54 months in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Rich pleaded guilty on October 24, 2022.

According to court records, in May 2022, the Maine State Police (MSP) Computer Crimes Unit relayed to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) that it was investigating Richard T. Rich Jr. for using the website Quora to solicit child sexual abuse material. After learning that Rich was a registered sex offender with prior convictions in New Jersey for aggravated sexual assault, possessing/viewing sexually explicit material and other offenses, an MSP detective and Rich’s Maine State Probation Officer visited the defendant’s Portland home and recovered numerous electronic devices that Rich was not authorized to possess. A subsequent analysis of those devices by HSI revealed child sexual abuse material.

During sentencing, Judge Torresen noted that while the defendant himself had not sexually abused the children depicted in the images, the continuing sexual abuse of the children “is fueled by your desire to see these images.”

The Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer re-victimization every time the images are 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Canton man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Dale Carr, 52, to 21 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Carr pleaded guilty on January 24, 2023.

According to court records, in September 2019, Carr began chatting with an undercover FBI agent posing as a 13-year-old girl in an online chatroom designed for children aged 16 and under. Over the course of the next several weeks, Carr repeatedly asked the agent, who he believed was an underage girl, for sexually explicit photos and expressed an interest in having sex with her. In October 2019, he sent the undercover agent a close-up photograph of his penis.

The FBI investigated the case.

Online enticement is increasing: The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) reported an alarming 97.5% increase in online enticement reports between 2019 and 2020. “Online enticement” involves an individual communicating with someone believed to be a child via the internet with the intent to commit a sexual offense or abduction. This type of victimization takes place across every platform, including social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, etc. Learn more about online enticement, including red flags and risk factors, at www.missingkids.org/theissues/onlineenticement.

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 www.justice.gov/psc.

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BANGOR Maine: An Etna man was found guilty on Friday, August 18 of one count of identity theft, two counts of passport fraud, two counts of Social Security fraud and one count of mail fraud following a two-day trial before Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. in U.S. District Court in Bangor.

According to court records, beginning in the mid-1960s, Napoleon Gonzalez, 86, took on the identity of his brother, Guillermo Gonzalez, who had died as an infant in 1939. Over the years, Gonzalez obtained multiple passports bearing his brother’s name, most recently in October 2017, a passport he used to travel to Canada in July 2018. In 1981, Gonzalez applied for a Social Security number in his deceased brother’s name and filed applications for Social Security retirement benefits in his own name in 1999 and in his brother’s name in 2001.

Gonzalez collected retirement benefits under both identities until March 2020, when investigators requested the suspension of benefits being paid to Guillermo Gonzalez pending investigation. Gonzalez mailed a letter to the Social Security Administration, signing the name Guillermo Gonzalez and the Social Security number assigned to that identity, asking for an explanation for the suspension. In the letter, he requested a prompt reply, claiming that due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, he was locked in his apartment, unable to drive and dependent on neighbors to obtain food and other items. Gonzalez also obtained Maine state identification cards under both his own identity and his brother’s. In recorded statements, Gonzalez claimed that he took on his deceased brother’s identity at the direction of the Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations and that he was legally allowed to use both identities.

Gonzalez faces up to five years in prison on the Social Security fraud charges, up to 10 years on the passport fraud charges, up to 15 years on the identity theft charge, and up to 20 years on the mail fraud charge. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release on all charges. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles Division of Enforcement, Anti-Theft and Regulations investigated this case.

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BANGOR, Maine: A Corinna woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to false statements involving a health care benefit program. 

According to court records, between April and December 2020, April McKinney, known professionally as April Taylor, 46, falsified appointment details and session notes in therapy service records. McKinney used the falsified records to bill and receive funds from MaineCare. MaineCare is funded primarily by the federal government which pays approximately two-thirds of all reimbursed claims. The deceitful act of submitting falsified information led to the misuse of taxpayer dollars through reimbursements higher than warranted by any actual patient care given.

 McKinney faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The FBI investigated the case.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Lowell, Maine man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland for cyberstalking.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Jonathan Trayes, 34, to 36 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Trayes pleaded guilty on September 26, 2022.

According to court records, Trayes was involved in a brief relationship with the victim which ended when Trayes was arrested for violating conditions of release after the victim accused him of physical assault. Trayes eventually pleaded guilty in state court to domestic assault with priors, violating conditions of release and aggravated assault and was sentenced to five years of incarceration with all but two years suspended followed by four years of probation.

Beginning shortly after his release, Trayes began posting embarrassing, sexually graphic images and videos of the victim online, including identifying information including the victim’s name and what he believed was the victim’s address. The harassment continued for more than a year, leading the victim to reach out to the FBI.

The FBI conducted the investigation.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  An Auburn man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland today for trafficking both fentanyl and cocaine base in and around Androscoggin County.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Zachery Paradis (aka “Pee Wee”), 41, to 51 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Paradis pleaded guilty on December 1, 2022.

According to court records, in March 2022, the FBI conducted a controlled buy of narcotics from Paradis, purchasing 10 grams of fentanyl. During the exchange, which was captured on video and audio recording, Paradis bragged of multiple other crimes including being involved in a 2021 shooting in Lewiston. In April 2022, a second controlled buy of approximately 12.8 grams of cocaine base took place. A career criminal, Paradis has at least ten convictions as an adult, including two past federal convictions for firearms offenses.

The FBI’s Southern Maine Gang Task Force, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Lewiston Police Department and Auburn Police Department investigated the case.

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BANGOR, Maine:  A Franklin County woman pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to using and maintaining a drug premises, possessing fentanyl and cocaine base with intent to distribute, and aiding and abetting.

According to court records, between March 2020 and July 2020, Brandice Dotolo, 40, allowed her Avon residence to be used for the use and distribution of heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack,” in exchange for drugs. Law enforcement seized approximately 85 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl and 40 grams of crack during the execution of a search warrant at the residence.

Dotolo faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine not to exceed $500,000, and supervised release for at least three years and up to life. She 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 U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  An Atlanta, Georgia man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland today for conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Mantavious Jones, 35, to 16 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Jones pleaded guilty on March 23, 2023.

According to court records, in March 2022, Jones and coconspirators stole checks out of the mailboxes of local businesses then used the stolen checks to create counterfeit checks. The counterfeit checks were made payable to unhoused individuals Jones and others recruited to cash them. Jones and his coconspirators netted just under $70,000 from the cashed counterfeit checks.

The New England Cyber Fraud Task Force and Kennebunk Police Department investigated the case with valuable assistance from the Saco and Scarborough police departments.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  A Portland man employed by the U.S. Postal Service pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to theft of mail by an officer or employee.

According to court records, from February 2022 through May 2022, Andrew Fossett, 45, stole and destroyed mail to steal gift cards, scratch tickets and money. Video surveillance showed Fossett opening 128 envelopes, removing the contents from 12 envelopes and tearing up and throwing envelopes out of the postal vehicle 27 times. He also opened two parcels. Fossett admitted to the conduct during an interview and a search of his backpack and personal vehicle revealed two stolen gift cards and one stolen $5 scratch ticket.

Fossett faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, as well as 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 U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated this case.

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BANGOR, Maine:  A Bangor woman pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to stealing from her employer, a tribal organization.

According to court records, between June 2017 and April 2021, Angelia Holt, 54, stole more than $28,000 from her employer by using a credit card issued to another employee for unauthorized personal expenses and then altering the invoices to conceal the theft. Holt was employed as an accounting clerk for the organization. 

Holt faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. She 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 FBI investigated the case.

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BANGOR, Maine:  A Penobscot County man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and for being an unlawful user of controlled substances in possession of a firearm.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Matthew Catalano (aka “Tampa”), 33, to 165 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty on November 19, 2022.

According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Catalano, along with others, trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and elsewhere. On February 17, 2021, Catalano was arrested by the Orono Police Department following a traffic stop during which he was found in possession of large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl, a loaded 9mm handgun and drug paraphernalia.

Catalano is the seventh participant involved in the northern Maine conspiracy to be sentenced. To date, eight of the remaining 14 defendants related to the case have pleaded guilty.

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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BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor man was sentenced in federal court today for theft of a firearm from a licensed firearms dealer.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Jonathan Birtz, 40, to 27 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

According to court records, in July 2021, Birtz stole a .380 caliber pistol from Main Street Pawn in Lincoln. Security footage showed Birtz reaching over the counter to take the pistol and then concealing it in a folded blanket he was carrying.

The Lincoln Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  A Rumford man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to willfully evading the payment of employment taxes.

According to court records, between 2013 and 2017, Jeffrey Richard, 48, 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.

Richard faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. 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.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

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BANGOR, Maine:  A man formerly from Aroostook County was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Andrew Adams, 31, to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.

According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Adams, along with others, trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties. His participation in the conspiracy resulted in contacts with local law enforcement that led to the seizure of drugs, firearms, drug paraphernalia and other items.

Adams is the sixth participant involved in the northern Maine conspiracy to be sentenced. To date, nine of the remaining 15 defendants related to the case have pleaded guilty.

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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PORTLAND, Maine:  An Oxford man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland today for sexually exploiting two young children.

Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Travis Kimball, 22, to 25 years in prison followed by 25 years of supervised release. Kimball pleaded guilty on January 17, 2023.

According to court records, in April 2022, Kimball sexually abused a young child, filming the abuse to create child sexual abuse material. In June 2022, Kimball sexually abused a toddler, again using his iPhone to capture and produce a video of the abuse.

“First, Travis Kimball committed the devastating act of sexually abusing trusting, young children, then went further to memorialize that abuse on video and attempt to capitalize on it by sharing the child sexual abuse material he produced with others,” U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee said. “Mr. Kimball is a 22-year-old who will be a middle-aged man by the time he gets out of prison, but his traumatized young victims and their families will be dealing with the scars from his unconscionable acts far longer. My office will continue to use every tool at our disposal to bring to justice predators like Mr. Kimball who prey on Maine’s most vulnerable victims.”

The FBI investigated the case. U.S. Attorney McElwee praised the FBI for their quick action which resulted in limiting the distribution of the child sexual assault material and prevented additional victimizations.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer re-victimization every time the images are 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  A Hooksett, New Hampshire man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland today for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and interference with commerce by violence. The charges stemmed from a violent home invasion in York, Maine.

Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Derek DaPrato, 35, to 144 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. DaPrato pleaded guilty on December 28, 2022.

According to court records, in August 2019, DaPrato and three other co-conspirators met in Hooksett and planned a home invasion of a York residence to rob marijuana and marijuana sale proceeds from the home’s resident. The group traveled to the York residence where two co-conspirators, armed with handguns and wearing masks, waited in the woods for the victim to return home. When the victim arrived, accompanied by two others, a violent physical altercation ensued. During the fight, a firearm was discharged, and a bullet struck the victim in the lower abdomen. The two co-conspirators fled. Police arrived approximately 15 minutes later, and the victim was rushed to the hospital where he underwent surgery to remove a .45 caliber bullet from his lower abdomen.

FOUR CONSPIRATORS SENTENCED TO A TOTAL OF 44+ YEARS: On March 27, 2023, Jason Candelario, 34, was sentenced to 175 months in prison and Luis Carpio, 33, was sentenced to 120 months for their roles in the home invasion. On March 17, 2023, the fourth co-conspirator, Andrew Soboleski, 30, was sentenced to 96 months for his role in the crime. All four men resided in New Hampshire.

The FBI, in conjunction with the York Police Department and the York County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the case.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  A Fort Lauderdale, Florida man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland yesterday for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft and unlawful possession of a firearm.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Leonardo Cameron, 28, to 61 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Cameron pleaded guilty on November 28, 2022.

According to court records, in November 2020, Cameron and coconspirators broke into unattended vehicles in southern Maine and New Hampshire and stole personal identifying information, such as driver’s licenses and checkbooks. They then used the identifications to cash stolen checks using multiple bank drive-through lanes in southern Maine. As part of the scheme, checks from one theft victim’s account were made payable to another identity theft victim, and another coconspirator impersonated the identity theft victims to cash the stolen checks.

In July 2020, Cameron engaged in similar conduct in Oregon with different coconspirators. In April 2021, when he was arrested in Florida for the Oregon federal bank fraud and identity theft charges, he was found in possession of a firearm and ammunition. A prior felony conviction precluded Cameron from possessing firearms or ammunition. Cameron agreed to transfer jurisdiction over the Florida and Oregon charges to the District of Maine for the purpose of entering guilty pleas to all pending federal charges.

COCONSPIRATOR IN MAINE CASE SENTENCED TO 3 YEARS: On May 3, Travis Paige (aka “Travis McNair” or “Sway”), 26, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was sentenced to three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft for his part in the scheme.

The Eliot, Maine Police Department; the FBI in Portland, Maine; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Portland, Oregon; and HSI in Fort Lauderdale, Florida investigated these cases.

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A Maine man pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of children and distribution of a video depicting the sexual abuse of children.

According to court documents, Joseph Zoll, 63, of Sanford, used an online chat and webcam application from his home in Maine to direct an individual in the Philippines to live-stream a video of herself sexually abusing a prepubescent child. Zoll instructed this individual to, among other things, expose the child’s genitals to the camera for him to see and discussed with her his desire to sexually abuse the child. In another instance, Zoll sent this same individual a video depicting an adult woman sexually abusing a child who appeared to be approximately six to eight years old. Zoll communicated with this woman for over two years, during which time he repeatedly instructed her to live-stream video depictions of child sexual abuse. Video files found on electronic devices in Zoll’s home confirm that he had similar online relationships with multiple other individuals who, at Zoll’s direction would live-stream video depictions of themselves sexually abusing children for Zoll.

Zoll pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distribution of child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee for the District of Maine, and Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England made the announcement.

HSI New England is investigating the case.

Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig M. Wolff for the District of Maine are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

BANGOR, Maine:  A former Bangor resident was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Wayne Smith, 32, to 85 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Smith conspired with others to traffic methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties. Miller knowingly and intentionally joined and participated in the conspiracy. His participation resulted in contacts with local law enforcement that resulted in the seizure of drugs, firearms, drug paraphernalia, and other items.

There are 21 defendants in this and related cases. Ten other defendants have pleaded guilty in this case, and four other participants in the conspiracy were sentenced in prior related cases. Six additional defendants have been charged; a charge in a criminal complaint or an indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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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PORTLAND, Maine:  A Livermore Falls man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to Social Security fraud, health care fraud and theft of public money.

According to court records, from January 2017 through December 2020, Rick V. Greene, 56, concealed self-employed work and assets from the Social Security Administration (SSA) to maintain his eligibility to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. SSI benefits are paid to people with limited income who are blind, disabled or elderly. Greene also concealed his work activity and assets from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (ME/DHHS) to maintain his eligibility to receive MaineCare and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, also needs-based programs.

In multiple benefit eligibility reviews, Greene falsely represented to SSA and ME/DHHS that his only income was from SSI, and he failed to report assets in the form of real property and vehicles. He did so knowing he was required to disclose the information and that it would affect his eligibility to receive benefits.

Greene faces up to five years in prison on the Social Security fraud and health care fraud charges and up to ten years on the theft of public money charge. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release on all charges. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and ME/DHHS’s Fraud Investigation & Recovery Unit investigated this case.

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PORTLAND, Maine: United States Attorney Darcie N. McElwee today announced that Nathaniel Curtisbrown, 28, of South Portland was charged by criminal complaint with intimidating or retaliating against a federal official by threat.

According to the criminal complaint, earlier this month, Curtisbrown sent multiple threatening emails to an FBI agent with the intent to retaliate against the agent for the performance of his official duties.

A charge in a criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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BANGOR, Maine:  In separate hearings, two Mexican nationals pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to entering the United States after a prior removal.

According to court records, in April 2023, Manuel Bonilla Davila, 38, and Eduardo Ruiz Rojas, 36, were each discovered by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Aroostook County, a short distance from the international boundary. Immigration records showed that both men had been previously removed from the U.S.—Davila in March 2011 in Texas and Rojas in September 2019 in Arizona. Neither man had obtained the express consent of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. 

Davila and Rojas each face up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. They will be sentenced after the completion of presentence investigation reports by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the cases.

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BANGOR, Maine:  A Bangor man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and aiding and abetting.

According to court records, in June 2022, based on information the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency had gathered during an investigation, a search warrant was obtained to search the vehicle of Chad Savage, 34. Agents found a large quantity of suspected heroin/fentanyl in the glove compartment. The substances were sent to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration lab and were confirmed to be more than 588 grams of fentanyl.

Savage faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison and a $10 million fine. 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 U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case.

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BANGOR, Maine: An Albion man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to providing false information to a federal firearms dealer while purchasing firearms.

According to court records, in June 2018, Charles Viles, 31, knowingly made false statements to a licensed firearms dealer in Palmyra. Viles represented in writing that he was purchasing the firearms for himself despite knowing he was buying them for, and at the direction of, someone else. That person was a convicted felon and was therefore legally prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms.

Viles faces up to five years in prison, a fine up to $250,000 and 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 and the Massachusetts State Police investigated the case. The Middlesex County (Massachusetts) District Attorney’s Office also assisted in the investigation.

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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PORTLAND, Maine:  A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for his role in a conspiracy to traffic fentanyl and cocaine from Lawrence, Mass. to the Sanford area, where it was further distributed by other members of the conspiracy. 

U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Franklin Frias, 58, to 48 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. Frias pleaded guilty on November 29, 2022.

According to court records, in November 2019, Frias was tasked by a drug dealer in Lawrence, Mass. known as “Junior,” to collect a drug debt from a local dealer in Sanford. Both Frias and “Junior” were unaware that the previous couriers had been intercepted by law enforcement, who had seized the most recent shipment to the Sanford dealer—approximately 50 grams of fentanyl and 107 grams of powder cocaine. When Frias arrived at the pre-determined location and stated that he was there to collect “Junior’s” money, he was arrested by agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

In imposing sentence, Judge Singal reflected on the gravity of the fentanyl epidemic, and how corrosive it has been to community and families in Maine.

The DEA, in partnership with the Maine State Police, investigated the case.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Hollis man who was previously convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material and perjury in 2014 was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for violating his conditions of supervised release.

U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Joel Dudley, 39, to 48 months in prison and supervised release for life after finding that Dudley had violated previously imposed conditions of release by committing new crimes.

In 2014, Dudley was sentenced to eight years in prison followed by ten years of supervised release for possessing child sexual abuse materials and testifying falsely under oath during a court hearing. According to court records, while on supervised release in the spring of 2022, Dudley showed another convicted sex offender sexually explicit photographs of a minor victim. Dudley also fondled that same child in the parking lot of the Maine Mall. Finally, according to court records, the U.S. Probation Office discovered that he had been exchanging graphic sexual messages with the child over Facebook using an alias and having unapproved contact  using electronic devices that he was prohibited from possessing. The U.S. Probation Office filed a petition to revoke Dudley’s term of supervised release in the fall of 2022.

A hearing was held over the course of three days. At the hearing’s conclusion, Judge Singal found that there was sufficient evidence to establish each of the charged violations. He also found that Dudley had perjured himself when he testified during the hearing, as well as during the sentencing phase of the hearing.

The sentence imposed by the Court was the maximum possible sentence that could be imposed for the charged violations. At sentencing, Judge Singal noted that he was imposing the maximum possible sentence because he “needed to protect the public from this defendant.”

The case was handled by U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer re-victimization each time the images are viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org/ or 1-800-843-5678. Your report will be forwarded to a law enforcement agency for investigation and action. If you have an emergency that requires an immediate law enforcement response, call 911 or contact your local police or sheriff’s department.

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 www.justice.gov/psc.

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BANGOR, Maine:  A Lubec man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee, witness tampering and retaliating against a witness.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Jeremy C. Lyons, 29, to 33 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution. Lyons pleaded guilty on December 9, 2022.

According to court records, in October 2021, Lyons broke into Pineo’s True Value in Machias and stole three Colt pistols. Maine State Police Crime Laboratory testing matched Lyons’ DNA to a Gatorade bottle he left at the scene of the crime. Lyons became aware that he was a target in a federal criminal investigation involving his theft of the pistols. In July 2022, he threatened a confidential source who had provided information to federal law enforcement with bodily harm and later challenged the source to a fight. Lyons later asked the confidential source to testify for him in his case.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maine State Police investigated the case, with invaluable assistance provided by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

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