District of Maine

BANGOR, Maine: A Hampden man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possessing child sexual abuse materials.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Kevin MacVicar, 31, to 84 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $29,000 in restitution. MacVicar pleaded guilty on August 12, 2022.

According to court records, between about February 2015 and February 2021, MacVicar possessed child pornography on his cell phone and electronic storage devices. He had obtained the images and videos from the internet, including by participating in online forums dedicated to child sexual abuse material. Some of the images depicted children under 12.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) 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 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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PORTLAND, Maine: A Canton man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor.

According to court records, in September 2019, Dale Carr, 51, began chatting online with an undercover FBI agent posing as a 13-year-old girl. 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 videos and expressed an interest in having sex with them. In October 2019, he sent the agent a close-up photograph of his penis.

Carr faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine 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 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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PORTLAND, Maine: Multiple federal and state agencies are collaborating to host a Protecting Houses of Worship event series aimed at helping Maine’s faith-based organizations identify vulnerabilities and strengthen security. The next event will be held on Thursday, January 26, 2023, at the University of Maine at Augusta.

The Protecting Houses of Worship event is open to all Maine faith-based organizations. Local law enforcement and community leaders are also welcome to attend. Registration is required, and a registration form can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/PHOW. There is no cost to attend.

“Everyone should feel safe when they gather to express their faith or serve their community,” said Dr. T.J. Swenson Jr., DHS-CISA’s Protective Security Advisor (PSA) to the State of Maine. “However, in a complex and dynamic threat environment, no single entity has the full picture of the threat, so it is imperative that we work together across the community to protect against the physical and cyber threats facing our communities and houses of worship.”

The Protecting Houses of Worship event is a collaboration of the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA); Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (DHS-CISA); Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Boston Field Office, Portland Resident Agency; U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Community Relations Service (CRS); and U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maine, along with the participation of local law enforcement and faith-based partners.

“Faith-based events and houses of worship – churches, synagogues, mosques – are inherently welcoming, with open access and publicly-available services. As we have seen around the country, this welcoming environment can leave them vulnerable,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee. “There are steps that can be taken to reduce risks, and we’re thrilled to collaborate with MEMA, the FBI, DHS-CISA, CRS and local law enforcement to bring this information and resources to Maine’s faith-based community.”

The goal of the event series is to provide practical information, tools and resources (including information on available federal grants) to help bolster emergency preparedness efforts and foster best practices to keep Maine’s faith-based events and houses of worship safe. Topics discussed during the event will include:

• Security, Risk and Vulnerability Assessments
• Active Shooter Preparedness, Response & Resources
• Building Your Own Emergency Operations Plan
• Faith-Based Experiences with Public Safety Issues

 

“No one should feel unsafe in their place of worship or fear becoming a victim of violence because of their religion. In today’s dynamic threat environment, now more than ever, all of us need to work together to safeguard our houses of worship and public spaces where Mainers gather every day,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “This event will bring us together to facilitate this very important conversation and allow us to share information and resources in real time.”

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PORTLAND, Maine:   A Westbrook man was convicted today of two counts of sexually exploiting a child after a two-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Portland.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in August 2019, Rayevon Deschambault, 27, used a 14-year-old minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct. The sexually explicit videos that Deschambault had produced were found on his cell phone after investigators seized the phone in August 2019.

Deschambault faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison on each of the two counts. 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 and the Portland Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.

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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Updated 01/23/23 with reporting information

BANGOR, Maine: A former Bangor resident pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Shelby Loring, 27, along with others, trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties. 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.

Loring faces up to 20 years imprisonment. 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, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle, and Houlton police departments. U.S. Attorney Darcie N. 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 Biddeford man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing child sexual abuse materials.

Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Jesse Kiesel, 49, to 44 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $7,500 in monetary assessments applicable to defendants in child sexual exploitation cases and $4,000 in restitution. He pleaded guilty on July 21, 2022.

According to court documents, in April 2021, Kiesel engaged in an internet chat with an undercover member of law enforcement posing as a 13-year-old girl. During the chat, Kiesel steered the conversation towards the topics of sex and sexual contact and ultimately transmitted images of his erect penis to the undercover officer. Following the execution of a search warrant at his residence, numerous sexually explicit images of minors were recovered from his computer. According to court documents, at the time of his arrest, Kiesel was employed as an Ed Tech II at Biddeford Middle School.

Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from the Biddeford Police Department, the Newbury (MA) Police Department and the United States Marshals Service.

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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Updated 01/23/23: reporting information added

PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston 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 Devon Duncan (aka “TY”), 36, to 42 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Duncan pleaded guilty on August 16, 2022.

According to court records, on April 28, 2022, an unknown assailant shot through the door of Duncan’s residence in Lewiston, striking his wife multiple times. During the investigation into the shooting, which is ongoing, officers assigned to the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit discovered a Glock 19X 9mm handgun in Duncan’s apartment, as well as a 17-round magazine, 26 grams of cocaine base, and paraphernalia associated with drug trafficking. Photographs recovered from the victim’s phone showed Duncan holding the firearm and pointing it at the camera. Duncan has previous convictions which preclude him from possessing a firearm, including a 2019 conviction in Kennebec County for fentanyl and cocaine trafficking.

U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee commended the members of the Lewiston/Auburn Violence Reduction Initiative, led by the FBI, for their work on the investigation.

“The recovery of the firearm and the resulting prosecution of Devon Duncan stopped any attempt at retaliation,” McElwee said. “The defendant has an extensive history of drug trafficking, threats, and violence dating back more than a decade. Through a timely arrest and federal prosecution, the task force was able to interrupt the cycle of violence.”

The Lewiston/Auburn Violence Reduction Initiative is comprised of members of the Southern Maine Gang Task Force, the Lewiston Police Department, the Auburn Police Department, the Maine State Police, and their law enforcement partners.

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 Hooksett, New Hampshire man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to conspiracy and robbery charges stemming from a violent home invasion in York.

According to court records, in August 2019, Derek Daprato, 34, and three other co-conspirators met in Hooksett, New Hampshire 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 home, accompanied by two others, a violent physical altercation ensued. During the fight, a firearm was discharged, and the 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.

Daprato faces a period of imprisonment of up to 20 years on the conspiracy charge and up to 20 years on the robbery charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation 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, in conjunction with the York Police Department and the York County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the case.

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PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced today that the District of Maine collected $8,292,916.71 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2022. Of this amount, $2,387,668.51 was collected in criminal actions and $5,905,248.20 was collected in civil actions. 

Additionally, the District of Maine worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $1,372.96 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. The amount was collected in criminal actions.          

“Recovering funds on behalf of taxpayers is a priority for our office,” said U.S. Attorney McElwee. “We will continue to work to ensure that crime victims and the taxpayers of the United States receive the money that is due to them.”

Of the civil collections achieved by the District of Maine, $5,306,125 resulted from an August out‑of-court compromise of civil penalties assessed by the International Trade Commission against DBN Holding, Inc. and BDN LLC, formerly known as DeLorme Publishing Company, Inc. and DeLorme InReach LLC. As part of the settlement, DBN and BDN agreed to pay the $5,306,125 settlement amount in consideration for a release of the United States’ claims. DBN and BDN made no admissions of liability and cooperated throughout the Government’s collection case.

The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Maine, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $717,559 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2021. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

For more information about the Crime Victims Fund, please visit https://ovc.ojp.gov/about/crime-victims-fund.

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BANGOR, Maine:  A Machias man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor today for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Eric Legare, 37, to two years in prison and two years of supervised release. Legare pleaded guilty on July 21, 2022.

According to court records, Legare was a passenger in a vehicle stopped in East Machias by Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies when a firearm was found inside the vehicle. Legare admitted that he had handled the firearm and that his DNA would likely be on it. Legare is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2017 conviction for manslaughter.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. The Washington County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with 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. To learn more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/psn.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Connecticut man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland today for possessing a stolen firearm.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Henry Brackett, 60, to 92 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty on March 30, 2022.

According to court records, in January 2020, Brackett was pulled over while driving on I-95 southbound in York. During the traffic stop, he was arrested for an outstanding fugitive-from-justice warrant after absconding from parole in Connecticut. A loaded 9mm pistol was recovered from the vehicle’s center console, and an additional 43 rounds of boxed ammunition were recovered from the back seat. It was later determined that Brackett had stolen the handgun and ammunition from a Maine resident.

In sentencing Brackett, Judge Woodcock noted his “chilling” and “disturbing” criminal history, which included five prior sexual assault convictions and a prior kidnapping conviction for which Brackett received a 25-year prison sentence.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Maine State Police and U.S. Marshals Service 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. To learn more information about Project Safe Neighborhood, visit www.justice.gov/psn.

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

According to court records, in October 2021, Jeremy C. Lyons, 29, 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.

Lyons faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He also faces 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 Washington County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

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BANGOR, Maine: A former Bangor resident pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Wayne Smith, 31, along with others, trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot County and Aroostook County. 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.

Smith faces up to 20 years imprisonment and 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle, and Houlton police departments. U.S. Attorney Darcie N. 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 Illinois man formerly stationed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland today for possessing child sexual abuse materials.

Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Zakary Williams, 25, to 70 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In addition, Judge Levy ordered Williams to pay $47,000 in restitution to the victims depicted in some of the images and videos he possessed. Williams pleaded guilty on May 18, 2022.

According to court records, in May 2019, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) regarding Kik Messenger users believed to be in the U.S. who were uploading child pornography. HSI agents traced one of the uploaded images back to an IP address associated with military housing on the New London Naval Submarine Base in Groton, Connecticut. HSI determined that Williams was the source of that image. In December 2020, agents interviewed Williams at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery where he was then stationed. Williams admitting sharing and viewing child pornography and consented to a search of his cell phone. The investigation revealed that Williams was storing hundreds of images and videos in a cloud-based storage account that depicted the sexual abuse of children. Many of the victims depicted were under the age of 12, and some were infants or toddlers.

HSI investigated the case with the assistance of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: "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 www.cybertipline.com 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, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

 

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PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee joined Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey today to affirm their commitment to ensuring safe, unfettered access to reproductive health care services in Maine for all who seek it.

McElwee and Frey have committed to open lines of communications and, when appropriate, to share intelligence and information in order to facilitate efficient decision-making in protecting reproductive rights. They also committed resources of their respective offices to work together to conduct a series of outreach sessions with stakeholders, such as reproductive service providers and advocates, to send a clear message that law enforcement at all levels will protect reproductive rights in Maine.

“In Maine, there is a legal right to choose whether to have an abortion, and we are committed to ensuring that anyone who seeks reproductive care in Maine has unobstructed access to consultation with the medical providers and health services they choose,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee.

“We want it known that our offices will not allow any interference in the rights of citizens to access abortion services in Maine,” said Attorney General Aaron Frey. “Our offices will not hesitate to take every legal action to ensure the free access to reproductive health care and legal abortion services.” 

U.S. Attorney McElwee emphasized that the right to safe reproductive health services in Maine extends to those who travel from states where abortion access is limited or nonexistent.

“Restricting access to safe abortions provided by caring and qualified health care providers has the greatest impact on people of color and those with limited financial resources,” McElwee said. “Millions of Americans are being deprived of the right to make personal choices that are available here in Maine. If they chose to come to Maine, we will do everything within the law to ensure they have safe access to the health care services that brought them here.”

The federal government may bring criminal charges under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (“FACE”) Act, which prohibits obstructing access to reproductive health services through violence, threats of violence, or property damage. The statute protects all patients, providers, and facilities that provide reproductive health services, including pro-life pregnancy counseling services and any other pregnancy support facility providing reproductive health care. Both the federal government and state attorneys general may file civil actions for FACE Act violations to obtain remedies not available through a criminal prosecution.

The State also has authority under the Maine Civil Rights Act to bring a civil or criminal enforcement action against individuals who intentionally interfere with a patient’s access to reproductive healthcare by obstructing access to the clinic or knowingly entering the medical safety zone around the entrance to the clinic.

Anyone with knowledge of FACE Act violations in Maine can contact the local office of the FBI at 207-541-0700.

“In collaboration with the Maine Attorney General’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine will continue to do everything within our legal authority to protect reproductive freedom,” McElwee said. “And we will use every tool available to keep Maine patients and health care providers safe.”

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Hollis man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland today for being a felon in possession of ammunition as well as for violating conditions of supervised release previously imposed by a federal court in New Hampshire.

Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Julion Parker, 30, to a total of 82 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Parker received a sentence of 70 months for the felon-in-possession violation and 12 months for violating the conditions of his supervised release, to be served consecutively. Parker waived indictment and pleaded guilty on September 5, 2022. 

According to court records, Parker was convicted in the District of New Hampshire in 2019 for being a felon in possession of firearms. After his supervision was transferred to the District of Maine in early 2022, Parker’s supervising probation officer learned that he was in possession of numerous firearms. In April 2022, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) executed a search warrant at Parker’s residence in Hollis and recovered several rounds of ammunition. He is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to prior felony convictions.

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. To learn more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/psn.

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BANGOR, Maine: A former Portland man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charges stemmed from an August 2021 standoff with the Brewer Police Department.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Patrick Mullen, 52, to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Mullen pleaded guilty on February 10, 2022.

According to court records, on August 28, 2021, the Brewer Police Department was called to the Brewer Walmart parking lot due to a reported disturbance. Mullen was located in the lot in his truck, and a check of his information showed that he had three outstanding warrants. In addition, he was observed in his truck holding a firearm. After an hours-long standoff, he was arrested. He is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2017 conviction in the Washington County Unified Court for domestic violence criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon.

The Brewer, Holden and Bangor police departments; Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office; Maine State Police; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case. The Penobscot County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with 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. To learn more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/psn.

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

According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Matthew Catalano, 33, along with others, trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot County, Aroostook County 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 faces a minimum of ten years imprisonment and up to life imprisonment on the two drug charges and up to ten years imprisonment on the firearm charge. 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, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle, and Houlton police departments. U.S. Attorney Darcie N. 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 Fort Lauderdale, Florida man pleaded guilty in federal court today to committing bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court records, in November 2020, Leonardo Cameron, 27, 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 a female coconspirator impersonated the identity theft victims to cash the stolen checks. In July 2020, Cameron engaged in similar conduct in Oregon with different coconspirators. When he was arrested in Florida months later on Oregon federal bank fraud and identity theft charges, he possessed a firearm and ammunition. He has a prior felony conviction that precludes him 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.

Cameron faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine followed by up to 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.

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 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida investigated these cases.

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This week, the Human Rights Campaign announced in its annual report that at least 32 transgender and gender-nonconforming people have been killed in the United States in 2022 – “at least” because transgender victims may be misgendered in news or police reports, and deaths of transgender people often go unreported. The report described the victims as “overwhelmingly Black, under 35 and killed with a firearm” with trans women disproportionately at risk.

Transgender rights are human rights, and no one should ever be a target of a crime or harassment because of who they are. This week marks Transgender Awareness Week, and this Sunday is Transgender Day of Remembrance, a worldwide observance to remember and honor transgender victims of violence. It is an opportunity to bring attention to the threats and harassment transgender people face – including here in Maine – and to acknowledge those who have been victimized simply for being who they are.

I am aware that there is a feeling of mistrust among transgender Mainers towards law enforcement, and I understand and acknowledge the root causes of that wariness. I want all Mainers to feel seen, heard and respected in their interactions with law enforcement and to feel safe to report when they are the victim of crime. I am committed to doing what I can in my role as U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine, and I welcome the opportunity to work with LGBTQ+ leaders in Maine to build that trust.

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BANGOR, Maine: An Old Town man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced William Abney, 57, to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Abney pleaded guilty on April 28, 2022.

According to court records, in October 2021, a concerned citizen saw Abney in possession of an AK-47 style rifle in the living room of his Old Town residence and notified the police. Based on this and other information, investigators obtained a search warrant for the residence. During the warrant’s execution, Abney admitted that he possessed an AK‑47 and law enforcement located the weapon and a magazine full of ammunition. Abney has previous convictions which preclude him from possessing a firearm, including a 1999 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Old Town Police Department, and the Brewer Police Department investigated the case. The Penobscot County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with 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. To learn more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit www.justice.gov/psn.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Fort Lauderdale, Florida man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to committing bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

According to court records, in November 2020, Travis McNair, 26, and coconspirators broke into unattended vehicles 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. In the scheme, checks from one theft victim’s account were made payable to another identity theft victim, and one of McNair’s coconspirators impersonated the identity theft victim to cash the stolen check.

McNair faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine followed by up to 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.

The FBI and the Eliot Police Department investigated the case.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Saco woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to committing bankruptcy fraud, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

According to court records, in April 2020, Christina Q. Shea, 45, initiated a fraudulent bankruptcy proceeding and submitted filings to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Portland containing numerous false statements. Shea filed the fraudulent bankruptcy using the name and identifying information of another person, falsely representing as her own the other person’s name, Social Security number, employment information, and a fake email address she created. Shea also forged the other person’s name on a money order she submitted to the Bankruptcy Court and later posed as the person while taking an online credit counseling course. 

Shea faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine followed by up to three years of supervised release. She 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 FBI investigated the case.

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

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Malachi Martins, aka “Steve,” 28, to 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Martins pleaded guilty on May 26, 2022.

According to court records, from October 2019 through January 2020, Martins purchased at least seven firearms from licensed dealers in Kittery and Gray using a straw purchaser. Martins, a known drug trafficker, paid for the firearms with drug proceeds and paid the coconspirator by forgiving his drug debt. He then distributed the firearms in Massachusetts.

Straw purchasing typically involves a buyer who can lawfully purchase firearms but who then provides them to another person who is legally prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms, therefore allowing the prohibited person to illegally obtain firearms and avoid the national background check system. Martins is prohibited from possessing firearms due to two previous convictions.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives 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. To learn more information about Project Safe Neighborhood, visit www.justice.gov/psn.

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Hoax threats disrupt school, waste law enforcement resources, and put first responders in unnecessary danger while causing emotional distress to entire communities, including students, school personnel, and parents. It's also a serious federal crime. Those who post or send these threats can receive time in federal prison and could also face state or local charges.

Maine is the latest state to fall victim to a wave of “swatting” incidents, with multiple communities today feeling the fear that has been shared by so many across the country. Every report of an active shooter is taken seriously by law enforcement at all levels. Today was no different, and I commend the local, state, and federal law enforcement for their swift action and coordinated response.

We know all too well that school shootings happen. From Columbine, to Sandy Hook, to Parkland, to Uvalde, to far too many others, past tragedies are engrained in our collective memories. We know that a similar tragedy could happen anywhere – even here in Maine. An unfortunate consequence of hoaxes like today’s is that false reports can make people question the validity of future threats. It is vital that we all remain vigilant. If you see or hear something, notify authorities to give them the opportunity to investigate but avoid spreading unsubstantiated rumors which can spread misinformation and cause panic.

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BANGOR, Maine: A Waterville man was charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and possession of unregistered destructive devices, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

A federal grand jury charged Xavier Pelkey, 19, in a two-count superseding indictment returned on November 9. Pelkey was originally indicted on April 15, 2022.

According to the superseding indictment and other court records, between November 2021 and February 2022, Pelkey conspired with other individuals to conduct a violent attack on a Shia mosque in the Chicago area. The indictment also alleges that on February 11 of this year, Pelkey possessed destructive devices, specifically three homemade explosive devices that were not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

If convicted, Pelkey faces up to 15 years in prison on the material support charge and 10 years in prison on the destructive device charge.

The FBI investigated the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A federal jury convicted a New York woman today for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute following a four-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Portland. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Darcie N. McElwee

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on December 26, 2018, Jenny Santana-Vasquez, 36, was stopped by a Maine State Trooper on I-95 northbound near Biddeford for exceeding the speed limit. Santana-Vasquez’s license was suspended as was the vehicle registration. Following an alert from a drug detection dog, Santana-Vasquez admitted to the trooper that she had something hidden on her person. Further investigation revealed approximately 99 grams of fentanyl.

Santana-Vasquez faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. 

The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police, and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Maine Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory (HETL) Forensic Chemistry Section.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case as part of the Department of Justice’s Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge, a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids.

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BANGOR, Maine: A Waterville man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

According to court records, on October 15, 2021, officers with the Waterville Police Department arrested Patrick Hanson, 31, 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 at the police station. In total, police seized approximately 43 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl. Hanson was convicted in 2013 for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone and 500 grams or more of cocaine.

Hanson faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $2 million. He also faces a minimum of six years and up to life 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 Waterville Police Department, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

 

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

U.S. District Court Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Kristopher Churchill, 40, to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Churchill pleaded guilty on April 21, 2022.

According to court records, on April 5, 2021, Churchill was stopped by a Maine State Trooper for multiple traffic violations. The trooper asked for a drug detection dog to come to the stop, and the dog alerted to the presence of drugs. During a search of the vehicle, a large amount of suspected fentanyl or heroin in plastic shopping bags was discovered in the back seat floorboard area as well as in a box within arm’s reach of Churchill. Laboratory analysis confirmed the packages contained fentanyl. The quantity of fentanyl seized was consistent with distribution as opposed to a personal use quantity.

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

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BANGOR, Maine: A Presque Isle woman pleaded guilty and was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Crystal Greenlaw, 32, to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release following her guilty plea. Greenlaw had previously pleaded guilty in August 2021 to a conspiracy charge that required a mandatory minimum sentence. She pleaded guilty today to a substitute charge that did not include a mandatory minimum sentence.

According to court records, between approximately July 2018 and May 2019, members of the conspiracy obtained methamphetamine in western and southern states from sources in Mexico. Greenlaw and her co-conspirators then distributed the drugs in Aroostook County and other parts of central and northern Maine. Greenlaw made at least two trips to obtain methamphetamine and transport it back to Maine.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated this case with the assistance of multiple state and local law enforcement agencies.

Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  A Manchester, New Hampshire man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy, robbery and firearm charges stemming from a violent home invasion in York, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

According to court records, in August 2019, Jason Candelario, 33, and three other co-conspirators met in Hooksett, New Hampshire 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 Candelario and one co-conspirator, armed with handguns and wearing masks, waited in the woods for the victim to return home. When the victim arrived home, accompanied by two others, a violent physical altercation ensued. During the fight, a firearm was discharged, and the bullet struck the victim in the lower abdomen. Candelario and the co-conspirator 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.

At the time of the home invasion Candelario had four prior felony convictions and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.

Candelario faces a period of imprisonment of up to 20 years on the conspiracy charge, up to 20 years on the robbery charge and up to 10 years on the firearm charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation 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.

Co-conspirator Derek Daprato, 34, from Hookset, New Hampshire entered a plea of not guilty and is scheduled for trial in December.

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

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BANGOR, Maine:  A Skowhegan man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for a bank fraud scheme arising from his applications for Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Nathan Reardon, 44, formerly of Brewer, Maine, to 20 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Reardon pleaded guilty on July 5, 2022.

In imposing sentence, Judge Walker called Reardon’s conduct “a fundamental breach of the public trust during a time of public crisis.”

According to court records, Reardon owned and controlled Global Disruptive Technologies Inc., a Bangor-based business. In April 2020, Reardon obtained a $59,145 PPP loan for Global Disruptive Technologies Inc. using false employee wage information and false supporting payroll documentation. Reardon then improperly spent the PPP funds on items and expenses he knew were not covered by the program. After receiving the first loan, Reardon submitted additional fraudulent PPP applications to the same bank in April and May 2020. Two of the applications were for companies that had no active business operations, employees or payroll.   

The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law, enacted in March 2020, that was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who suffered economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP.

Businesses were required to use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP allowed the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spent the proceeds on these expenses within a set period and used at least a certain percentage of the funds for payroll expenses.

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the U.S. Small Business Administration investigated the case.

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A Maine doctor was arrested today in Kennebunk on criminal charges related to her alleged illegal distribution of opioids and other controlled substances.

According to court documents, Merideth C. Norris, D.O., 52, of Kennebunk, allegedly prescribed opioids, and other controlled substances, outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose. Due to her dangerous prescribing, as a condition of her release, Norris cannot prescribe any Schedule II-V controlled substances.

Norris is charged in an indictment with 10 counts of illegal distribution of opioids and other controlled substances. The defendant made her initial court appearance on Oct. 26. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the top counts. 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; Deputy Inspector General Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Administrator Anne Milgram of the DEA; and Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta of the FBI Boston Field Office made the announcement.

The HHS-OIG, DEA, and FBI are investigating the case.

Principal Assistant Deputy Chief Kilby Macfadden and Trial Attorneys Patrick Queenan and Thomas Campbell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

The New England Prescription Opioid (NEPO) Strike Force operates as a partnership between prosecutors and data analysts of the Criminal Division, prosecutors with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont, and special agents and investigators with HHS-OIG, DEA, FBI, and other federal and state law enforcement agencies, including the State Medicaid Fraud Control Units. The mission of the NEPO Strike Force is to identify and investigate health care fraud schemes in the New England region, and to effectively and efficiently prosecute individuals involved in the illegal distribution of prescription opioids and other prescribed controlled substances.

Information about available treatment programs is available as follows:

Maine: The Overdose Prevention Through Intensive Outreach Naloxone and Safety (OPTIONS) initiative is a coordinated effort of the Maine Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) and other state agencies to improve the health of Mainers using substances through harm reduction strategies, helping them on the road to recovery, and dramatically reducing the number of fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses. Go to https://knowyouroptions.me. If you or a loved one are struggling with opiate addiction, please contact 211 to receive help and find information about local treatment programs.

New Hampshire: For a referral to addiction treatment services, please call 211. If you or a loved one is in a substance use crisis, please call or text the New Hampshire Rapid Response Access Point at 1-833-710-6477. New Hampshire residents can call and speak to trained and caring clinical staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Vermont: No matter where in Vermont you are, there are resources to help. Vermont 211 (https://vermont211.org/) is available. To speak to someone about substance use resources including treatment options, call VT Helplink 802-565-LINK (toll free at 833-565-LINK) or visit online at VTHelplink.org, and Vermont Alcohol and Abuse Programs 802-651-1550. All information and referral services are free and confidential.

For individuals seeking help in other states, please call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or TTY: 1-800-487-4889. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

PORTLAND, Maine: A Michigan man was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for sexually abusing a minor, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Matthew Boyd, 33, to five years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Boyd pleaded guilty on January 25, 2022.

According to court records, in August 2009, Boyd was a 20-year-old active-duty sailor stationed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard when he began corresponding with a then 11-year-old on Myspace. When the minor was 12, she visited Boyd at the shipyard, and the two engaged in a sexual act. In October 2020, the now adult victim working with law enforcement reached out to Boyd and during the conversation, Boyd confessed.

“The passage of time will not shield sexual predators,” McElwee said. “This case is a fine example of the diligence and commitment to justice we expect to see from our law enforcement community. It is critically important that regardless of the passage of time, sexual predators, particularly those who victimize children, are held accountable for their conduct within the bounds of the law. May the courage of this survivor be an encouraging message to those who have been similarly traumatized that they can seek and achieve justice.”

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigated the case.

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PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) John Osborn will lead the efforts of her office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022 general election. AUSA Osborn has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Maine, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department headquarters in Washington.

U.S. Attorney McElwee said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).  

U.S. Attorney McElwee stated, “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Osborn will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. Anyone with election day concerns can contact AUSA Osborn at 207-771-3214 or AUSA Andrew McCormack in our Bangor office at 207-262-4615.”

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI office can be reached by the public at 207-541-0700.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .

U.S. Attorney McElwee said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”

Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Rhode Island man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to cyberstalking, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

According to court records, between March 2019 and September 2019, Larry Spencer, 63, of Providence, Rhode Island and formerly of Maryland, cyberstalked his former spouse. The victim ended their brief marriage in 2016 and filed for a restraining order in Maryland. Despite the restraining order and the victim relocating, Spencer continued to harass and intimidate the victim on social media and by email. The harassment and threats continued after the victim moved to Maine in 2018 and obtained a protection from abuse order in March 2019. The protection order included explicit language that the “Defendant shall not post any direct or indirect threats about or concerning the plaintiff on social media/online.”

Spencer faces up to five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine, 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 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 Glenburn woman was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor today for conspiring to traffic methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and unlawfully possessing firearms, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Danielle McBreairty, 31, to 20 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl. McBreairty was also sentenced to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for two counts of being an unlawful user of controlled substances in possession of a firearm, with the sentences to run concurrently.

In imposing sentence, Judge Walker referred to McBreairty as a “profiteer of poison” and an “out of control missile.”

According to court records, between September 2019 and February 2021, McBreairty conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. As part of the conspiracy, she would obtain large quantities of the drugs from her source and distribute them throughout Penobscot and Aroostook counties. In February 2020 and again in August 2020, McBreairty, who was an unlawful user of controlled substances, was found in possession of a firearm. 

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. The Old Town and Bangor police departments assisted in the investigation. U.S. Attorney McElwee also thanked the Maine Attorney General’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution.

The prosecution is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.

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BANGOR, Maine: A Caswell woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to possession of more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and possession of firearms by an unlawful user of controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

According to court records, on May 5, 2022, Nicole McLaughlin, 41, was in a single-vehicle car accident in Presque Isle. Responding officers from the Presque Isle Police Department discovered methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and a handgun in her vehicle. Agents with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency responded and investigated further. A search of McLaughlin’s residence resulted in the seizure of a large safe containing approximately 92 pounds of methamphetamine, four handguns, including one with an obliterated serial number, and documents bearing her name.

McLaughlin faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life imprisonment and a $10 million fine on the drug charge, and up to 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine on the firearm charge. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation 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 Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case, with assistance from the Presque Isle Police Department and the Maine State Police. U.S. Attorney McElwee thanked the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office for the consultation and coordination it provided.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  An Auburn man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to manufacturing more than 50 marijuana plants and possessing more than 50 kilograms of marijuana with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

According to court records, on February 27, 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the Auburn residence of Brian Bilodeau, 38. During the search, agents seized about 180 pounds of marijuana, four firearms, a money-counting machine, a 2016 Lamborghini Huracan, and a 2014 Nissan GT-R. 

Agents also searched a warehouse in Auburn used to cultivate marijuana. At this location, agents seized approximately 321 marijuana plants and 181 pounds of marijuana. This marijuana was cultivated by Bilodeau and others.

In rejecting Bilodeau’s earlier argument that he was cultivating marijuana in compliance with Maine’s Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit stated that Bilodeau and others “were knowingly engaged in a large-scale … black-market marijuana operation aimed at supplying marijuana to persons known not to be qualifying patients.” Similarly, the district court noted that “[t]he drug ledgers seized from Bilodeau’s residence indicate a sales operation that extended far beyond patient supply consistent with the MMMP.”

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations investigated the case with assistance from numerous federal, state and local law enforcement partners.

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: The Justice Department announced today the results of its efforts over the past year to protect older adults from fraud and exploitation. During the past year, the Department and its law enforcement partners tackled matters that ranged from mass-marketing scams that impacted thousands of victims to bad actors scamming their neighbors. Substantial efforts were also made over the last year to return money to fraud victims.

“We are intensifying our efforts nationwide to protect older adults, including by more than tripling the number of U.S. Attorneys’ offices participating in our Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force dedicated to disrupting, dismantling and prosecuting foreign-based fraud schemes that target American seniors,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This expansion builds on the Justice Department’s existing work to hold accountable those who steal funds from older adults, including by returning those funds to the victims where possible.”

“Maine has the highest percentage of older adults in the country,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee. “Last year, 475 senior Mainers reported being the victim of fraud, with losses totally more than $2.5M. We believe that actual losses are likely to be far higher as fear and embarrassment often keep seniors from reporting that they have been victimized by these cruel scams.”

As part of the District of Maine’s elder fraud efforts, it engages in outreach to the community and industry to raise awareness about scams and exploitation and preventing victimization. In September, the U.S. Attorney’s Office distributed a 30-second PSA about spotting elder fraud scams and a 45-second PSA about “grandparent scams” to law enforcement and senior-related organizations around the state to use to educate their local communities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will also distribute information directly this winter, beginning with the People Plus Senior Health Expo in Brunswick on October 20.

“Our goal is to educate Maine seniors about current scam tactics,” McElwee said. “The perpetrators are professionals and know just how to reach and convince their victims, using everything from technology to their love for their grandchildren to bilk them out of their hard-earned savings. Knowing how to spot the red flags is key but so, too, is knowing when and how to report a scam. We know that it is difficult to admit that you were fooled, but the fraud only stops when the perpetrators are reported and caught. If you or a loved one were the victim of a senior scam, you should never hesitate to call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 and reach out to your local law enforcement to report it.”

The Department of Justice announced that as part of its continuing efforts to protect older adults and bring perpetrators of fraud schemes to justice, it is expanding the Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force by adding 14 new U.S. Attorney’s Offices. Expansion of the Strike Force will help to coordinate the Department’s ongoing efforts to combat largest and most harmful fraud schemes that target or disproportionately impact older adults.

In the past year, the Department has notified over 550,000 people that they may be eligible for remission payments. Notifications were made to consumers whose information was sold by one of three data companies prosecuted by the Department and were later victims of “sweepstakes” or “astrology” solicitations that falsely promised prizes or individualized services in return for a fee. More than 150,000 of those victims cashed checks totaling $52 million, and thousands more are eligible to receive checks. Also notified were consumers who paid fraudsters perpetrating person-in-need scams and job scams via Western Union. In the past year, the Department has identified and contacted over 300,000 consumers who may be eligible for remission. Since March of 2020 more than 148,000 victims have received more than $366 million as a result of a 2017 criminal resolution with Western Union for the company’s willful failure to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program and its aiding and abetting of wire fraud.

Over the past year, the Department pursued cases against the perpetrators of “grandparent scams,” otherwise known as “person-in-need scams.” These scams typically begin when a fraudster, often based overseas, contacts an older adult and poses as either a grandchild, other family member or someone calling on behalf of a family member. Call recipients are told that their family member is in jeopardy and is urgently in need of money.

Reporting Senior Fraud: Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcements efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting or connect them with agencies, and provide resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. [ET]. English, Spanish and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov.

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BANGOR, Maine: A Corinth man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Francis Cahill, aka Bruce Cossett, 73, to six years in prison and three years of supervised release. Cahill pleaded guilty on March 31, 2022.

According to court records, the FBI and Denton (Texas) Police Department were tasked with finding Cahill and learned that he may have moved to Maine. The Maine State Police were asked to assist, and he was subsequently located and arrested at his residence in Corinth. During an interview with law enforcement, Cahill admitted that there were two firearms in his residence, and a search uncovered a .22 caliber rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun. He is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 1978 murder conviction in Texas.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Maine State Police and Denton Police Department investigated the case. The U.S. Attorney also extends a special thanks to the Penobscot County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance on 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. To learn more information about Project Safe Neighborhood, visit www.justice.gov/psn.

 

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BANGOR, Maine: A Calais man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to importing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

According to court records, Victor Sousa, 23, crossed from the U.S. into Canada via the Madawaska Port of Entry on July 2, 2019. When he re-entered the country a few hours later, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 93 pills hidden in his underwear. The pills had the word “ICE” imprinted on them and later tested positive for methamphetamine. Sousa agreed to be interviewed by law enforcement and admitted that he had gone to Canada to purchase the pills.

Sousa faces up to 20 years in prison and 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.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Portland man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for drug trafficking and firearm offenses, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Hunter York, 23, to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. York was also ordered to forfeit four firearms and more than $15,000 in drug proceeds. He pleaded guilty on March 3, 2022.

According to court records, on January 31, 2020, York distributed cocaine and fentanyl to a Saco resident who fatally overdosed. Five days later, the Portland Police Department conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by York and discovered MDMA, fentanyl and two firearms during a search of the vehicle. Two additional firearms and more than 800 grams of fentanyl were recovered during a search of York’s residence.  

This was a joint investigation involving the Portland, Biddeford, and Saco police departments as well as the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Sanford man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to arson, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

According to court records, on May 5, 2021, the Sanford Fire Department responded to a fire at a multi-unit rental property located at 38 Spruce Street. Despite extensive damage, firefighters were successful in saving the structure from collapse, and the most significant damage occurred to an apartment occupied at that time by Thomas McGinn, 49. When interviewed by investigators, McGinn confessed to intentionally starting the fire using gasoline and lighter fluid as accelerants. He explained that it was his intention to “burn the building down.”

McGinn faces a period of imprisonment of not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years and a fine up to a $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation 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, in conjunction with the Sanford Police Department and the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office, investigated the case.

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BANGOR, Maine: An Augusta man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to assaulting a federal officer, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced. The charge stems from an April incident at the Edmund S. Muskie Federal Building in Augusta.

According to court records, on April 20, 2022, Derik Broox Wight, 41, entered the Muskie Federal Building and approached the security screening station, which was staffed by personnel contracted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service. Wight pressed a security officer against a wall and put a knife to the area of his throat. A second security officer drew his service weapon and ordered Wight to drop the knife. When Wight refused to comply, the officer fired a single shot, striking him. Wight was transported to an area hospital where he was subsequently charged.

Wight faces up to 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. 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 Muskie Building houses multiple federal agencies, and the actions of these two security officers protected the lives of the many federal employees who work there,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee. “They should be commended for their brave actions which ensured that Mr. Wight was stopped at the security screening station, and no one else could be harmed.”

“Anyone who assaults a law enforcement officer is dangerous and an extreme threat to public safety. Derik Wight is no exception, having admitted to pinning a protective security officer up against the wall with a knife at his throat, prompting another officer to take immediate action to prevent his colleague and innocent bystanders from being seriously hurt or killed,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “We are incredibly thankful for that officer’s bravery, service, and dedication. Assaults on law enforcement officers undermine the rule of law, and those behind them will face significant consequences.”

The FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service investigated the case, with assistance provided by the Augusta Police Department.

 

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PORTLAND, Maine: The U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement agreement with the Town of Limerick to resolve allegations that the town excluded a resident with a disability from voting, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

The settlement agreement resolves an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) complaint filed by a voter with a mobility impairment who alleged that he was unable to vote at Limerick’s annual town meeting. The voter alleged that he was told that the first floor of Limerick Town Hall was full, and he would need to vote on the second floor which he was unable to access.

Under the ADA, state and local governmental entities may not exclude individuals with disabilities from participating in a voting program. State and local government entities must also make reasonable modifications to ensure that voters with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in voting programs unless the modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the voting program.

Under the settlement agreement, Limerick has agreed to make certain modifications to improve accessibility at its town hall for persons with mobility impairments. In addition, the town agreed to adopt a policy for program accessibility to ensure that all services, programs and activities held at the town hall are readily accessible to and usable by persons with mobility impairments.

“It’s noteworthy that this agreement comes today, on National Voter Registration Day,” McElwee said. “The freedom to participate in elections is a fundamental right, and all voters should and must have an equal opportunity to participate in the voting process. The remedial measures agreed to by Limerick will give individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in town voting, as required by the ADA. I hope that other cities and towns will proactively comply with this important civil rights law.”

The Town of Limerick cooperated with the U.S. Attorney’s Office during its investigation.

Individuals in Maine who believe their civil rights may have been violated may submit their complaints by accessing https://civilrights.justice.gov/. For more information on the ADA, or to access publications available to assist entities in complying with the ADA, visit ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 1-800-514-0301 or 1-800-514-0383 (TDD).

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PORTLAND, Maine:  A Connecticut man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland for traveling to Maine to have sex with a minor, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Devin Melycher, 30, to 135 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release. Melycher pleaded guilty on June 1, 2022.

According to court records, in August 2020, Melycher drove from his residence in Connecticut to Gorham, Maine to engage in sexual conduct with the minor victim. The trip followed weeks of contact between Melycher and the victim over Snapchat and other chat platforms during which time Melycher, who initially told the victim he was 19, pressured the victim to send sexually explicit images despite knowing the victim was only 13. 

Homeland Security Investigations and the Gorham Police Department investigated the case.

“The evidence in this case showed that Devin Melycher is a sexual predator who indiscriminately distributed pornographic images of his body across chat platforms without regard to who received them or whether or not they were of legal age in an attempt to interact with them,” McElwee said. “He preyed upon minors, groomed them, and in the case of this victim, traveled to engage in illegal sexual acts despite knowing the victim was only 13.” 

McElwee furthered warned parents of the growing role the internet and chat platforms play in exposing children to predators like Melycher.

“The internet opens up the world to our children, but it also exposes them to the world at a time when they may not be mature enough to understand or handle to consequences,” McElwee said. “Predators are increasingly using social media, apps and gaming platforms to find and access victims, and the consequences can be life-changing and tragic. Parents should remain vigilant and talk to their kids – often and repeatedly – about online safety, including why they should never engage online in any way with someone that they haven’t met in real life. It is so important that they know that images they share never really go away online and that they can and should confide in an adult they trust if anyone online ever says or does anything that makes them uncomfortable.”

If you suspect that a child is being sexually exploited online: The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline is the nation’s centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children. The public and electronic service providers can make reports of suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, child sexual molestation, child sexual abuse material, child sex tourism, child sex trafficking, unsolicited obscene materials sent to a child, misleading domain names, and misleading words or digital images on the internet. If you suspect that a child is being sexually exploited online, visit report.cybertip.org. or call 1-800-843-5678. To learn more about how to talk to your kids about online safety, visit missingkids.org/netsmartz.

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, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  A Sanford man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland today for possessing and transporting child sexual abuse materials, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Trevan Nordmann, 31, to six years in prison and five years of supervised release. Nordmann pleaded guilty on March 28, 2022.

According to court records, on September 17, 2021, an online covert employee of the FBI was monitoring a group chat on Kik and engaged with a participant using the name “Jerry G”. “Jerry G,” who was later identified as Nordmann, sent the agent three videos showing minors engaged in sexually explicit content. During a subsequent search of Nordmann’s home, electronic devices were seized, and Nordmann admitted to sending the videos on Kik and that additional child pornography videos and images would be found on his cell phone. At least one of the videos showed a child under the age of 12.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) investigated the case.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: "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 www.cybertipline.com 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, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Berwick woman pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to Social Security fraud and theft of public money, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

According to court records, from about March 2009 to February 2020, Andreanna Politano, 59, concealed the presence of her husband in her household to maintain her eligibility to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. SSI benefits are paid to people with limited income who are blind, disabled or elderly. Politano also concealed her husband’s presence from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from about January 2018 to June 2021, during which time she received housing voucher subsidy benefits. Politano’s husband had sufficient income to render her ineligible for the benefits she received.

In multiple reviews of her eligibility for benefits, Politano falsely represented to the Social Security Administration (SSA) that she and her husband had separated in October 2008 and had lived separately since that time. In an interview with law enforcement agents, she admitted concealing her living situation from SSA and HUD because she knew it would make her ineligible to receive benefits.

Politano faces up to five years in prison on the Social Security fraud charge and up to 10 years in prison on the theft of public money charge, a fine of up to $250,000 on each charge, and up to three years of supervised release. She 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 investigation was conducted by SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and HUD’s Office of the Inspector General.

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BANGOR, Maine: A Kingfield man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor today for production and possession of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Richard Hinkley, 56, of Kingfield to 20 years in prison and 5 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $16,500 in restitution. Hinkley pleaded guilty on March 11, 2022.

According to court records, between May 2009 and April 2010, Hinkley coerced a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct through online video chat communications. He recorded images of the minor during some of the sessions. The investigation revealed that Hinkley possessed a hard drive that contained images of child pornography including some he had collected using a peer-to-peer network. Some were sexually explicit images of prepubescent children under the age of 12.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: "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 www.cybertipline.com 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, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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