District of Maine

PORTLAND, Maine: A Boothbay man pleaded guilty today in federal court to distributing child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court records, on October 8, 2019, Joseph Pinkham, 35, sent several text messages to an individual in Texas containing images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The individual in Texas reported the conduct to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators identified the sender as Pinkham and obtained a search warrant for his residence in Boothbay. In an interview with investigators, Pinkham acknowledged sending sexually explicit images of minors to the individual in Texas.

Pinkham faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 40 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life. 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 Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the Dallas (Texas) Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.

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.

BANGOR, Maine: A former Texas man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Bangor to failing to register as a sex offender, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court records, in 2007, Antonio Cardenas aka “Tony Vosburg,” 34, was convicted in Texas of Aggravated Assault of a Child under 14 Years of Age. This felony conviction made Cardenas a lifetime sex offender registrant in Texas. In about early August 2020, he moved from Texas and began living in Mars Hill and Caribou, Maine. He did not notify the Texas Sex Offender Registry that he was moving. Further, prior to his arrest on February 10, 2021, he made no attempt to register with the Maine Sex Offender Registry.

Cardenas faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The United States Marshals Service investigated the case.

BANGOR, Maine: A Glenburn woman pleaded guilty today in federal court to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and two counts of being an unlawful user of controlled substances in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court records, between September 2019 and February 2021, Danielle McBreairty, 31, conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute the drugs. As part of the conspiracy, she obtained large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl from her source and distributed the drugs throughout Penobscot and Aroostook counties. On February 27, 2020, and again on August 15, 2020, McBreairty, who was an unlawful user of controlled substances, was found in possession of a firearm. Under federal law, unlawful users of controlled substances are prohibited from possessing firearms.

On the drug conspiracy charge, McBreairty faces a minimum of 10 years in prison and up to life, a $10 million fine, and five years of supervised release. On the firearms charges, she faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 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 court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case, with assistance by the Old Town and Bangor police departments.

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.

BANGOR, Maine—A Lubec man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Bangor to possessing child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court records, in 2018, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit received information that a Twitter user was uploading and storing images and videos of child pornography. Investigators determined that the Twitter account was associated with the address of Rubin Perry, 34, in Lubec. Investigators obtained a search warrant for the address and interviewed Perry while executing the warrant. He admitted that he had a problem with child pornography and he did not know how to stop. He also admitted to having child pornography on his cell phone. His cell phone was later found to contain multiple images of child pornography.

If Perry is found to have a qualifying prior conviction, he faces a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and not less than 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 court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

BANGOR, Maine—A Lincoln man was sentenced today in federal court for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Brandon Tolman, 32, to time served (25 months) and three years of supervised release. Tolman pleaded guilty in February 2021.

According to court records, between approximately May 2018 and July 2018, Tolman was part of a drug distribution operation based out of Florida and operating in northern Maine. A co-conspirator obtained large quantities of methamphetamine from Florida and had it transported to Maine. Tolman sold the drug in the Lincoln area while other members of the conspiracy sold it in Bangor, Howland and Houlton.

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

BANGOR, Maine: A Waterville man was sentenced today in federal court for three drug-related offenses, including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Rodney Lacroix, 32, to 15 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release. Lacroix pleaded guilty in December 2020.

According to court records, Lacroix distributed fentanyl in Kennebec County between May 2017 and October 2018. Lacroix obtained fentanyl from out-of-state sources and used a network of distributors to sell more than 400 grams of the drug.

Lacroix was subject to enhanced penalties because of his 2013 federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and cocaine.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case, with assistance provided by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Waterville Police Department and the Maine State Police. 

PORTLAND, Maine: A Durham woman pleaded guilty today in federal court to Social Security fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court records, from about July 2009 through November 2018, Carol Bourgoin, 65, a recipient of Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”), concealed the presence of her husband in her household to maintain her eligibility to receive benefit payments. SSI benefits are paid to people with limited income who are blind, disabled or elderly. Bourgoin’s husband had sufficient income to render her ineligible for the benefits she received during that period. In multiple reviews of her eligibility for benefits, Bourgoin falsely represented to the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) that she was living alone and not receiving help or money from any other person during this time. At an interview with law enforcement agents, Bourgoin admitted to concealing her living situation from SSA because she knew it would make her ineligible to receive SSI.

Bourgoin faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, 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 court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

SSA’s Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.

PORTLAND, Maine—A Naples man was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for drug trafficking and firearm offenses, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

Chief U.S. District Judge John D. Levy sentenced Sean Mulkern, 54, to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Mulkern was also ordered to forfeit over $13,000 in drug proceeds. He pleaded guilty on March 14, 2019.

According to court records, on May 25, 2017, Westbrook police officers conducted a traffic stop of Mulkern. When officers searched his vehicle, they found cocaine, cocaine base and heroin. They also found approximately $13,000 in cash, a digital scale and a loaded 9 mm pistol close to the drugs. Investigators then executed a search warrant at Mulkern’s Naples residence and found additional quantities of cocaine base, a digital scale and four more firearms.

Because the Court found that Mulkern had two prior drug trafficking convictions and one prior burglary conviction, he was subject to enhanced penalties under the Armed Career Criminal Act.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; and the Buxton and Westbrook Police Departments investigated the case.

This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders, and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. PSN is coordinated by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the 94 federal judicial districts throughout the 50 states and U.S. territories.

PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for conspiring to manufacture 100 or more marijuana plants and to distribute 100 or more kilograms of marijuana, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Richard Daniels, aka “Stich,” 56, to six years in prison and five years of supervised release. Daniels was also fined $2,500. He pleaded guilty on November 21, 2019.

According to court records, between 2015 and February 27, 2018, Daniels was a member of an organization that cultivated marijuana at numerous locations in Androscoggin County and distributed bulk marijuana to people who were not participants in Maine’s Medical Marijuana program, including out-of-state customers. Daniels was an active participant in the conspiracy’s daily operations and personally supplied bulk quantities of marijuana to the conspiracy’s customers, including those from outside of Maine. In addition, Daniels processed marijuana into marijuana concentrate (“dabs”) which was also distributed illegally.          

On February 27, 2018, law enforcement officers searched Daniels’ residence and an adjacent garage. During the search, agents seized approximately 119 kilograms of marijuana, 27 sheets of marijuana concentrate, and equipment used to manufacture marijuana concentrate.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case.

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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

PORTLAND, Maine:  Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark today joined the entire Department of Justice in observing the 16th Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The Justice Department echoes voices around the world condemning elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.

“As some of the most vulnerable among us, senior citizens are unfortunately a prime target for criminals,” Clark said. “Annually, at least 10 percent of older Americans are victims of some form of elder abuse, including abuse and neglect, marketing scams, investment rip-offs and imposter schemes. My office and the Department of Justice are committed to stopping those who prey on this vulnerable community.”

As the world takes this day to remember the elderly during these uncertain times, the Department of Justice remains committed, through its department-wide Elder Justice Initiative, to prevent and prosecute fraud on America’s seniors. Last year, the Department declared “Prevention and Disruption of Transnational Elder Fraud” to be an Agency Priority Goal, making it one of the Department’s four top priorities.

Major strides have already been made to that end:

• National Elder Fraud Hotline: In 2020, the Department launched a National Elder Fraud Hotline, 833-FRAUD-11. Staffed by experienced case managers who provide personalized support to callers, the hotline serves to assist elders and caretakers who believe they have been a victim of fraud by reporting and providing appropriate services.
• Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force: Established in June 2019 to combat foreign elder fraud schemes, the Strike Force is composed of the Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and six U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with FBI special agents, Postal Inspectors, and numerous other law enforcement personnel.
• Annual Elder Justice Sweep: In March 2020, the Attorney General announced the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in the Department’s history. The Department, together with every U.S. Attorney’s office, charged more than 400 defendants, causing over $1 billion in loss through fraud schemes that largely affected seniors.
• Holding foreign-based perpetrators accountable: Transnational criminal organizations are targeting our elder population in schemes including mass mailing fraud, grandparent scams, romance scams, lottery and sweepstakes scams, IRS and Social Security Administration imposter scams, and technical-support scams.
• Money Mule Initiative: Since October 2018, the Department and its law enforcement partners began a concentrated effort across the country and around the world to disrupt, investigate, and prosecute money mule activity used to facilitate fraud schemes, especially those victimizing senior citizens.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of elder fraud, please report it to the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11. Reporting can help authorities try to stop those who commit fraud and also help prevent others from becoming victims.

BANGOR, Maine: A Sidney man pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to making false statements with respect to work on a federally approved highway project, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court records, in June 2019, Jim Wentworth, 51, was working as the project manager for a general contractor on a bridge contract in Gardiner. As part of a contract modification, Wentworth submitted documents falsely inflating the costs paid to a subcontractor.  Based on these false submissions, the Maine Department of Transportation overpaid the general contract by over $91,000. The project was funded in part with federal highway funds approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation. 

Wentworth faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General.

PORTLAND, Maine:  A federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging a Warren, Michigan man with sexual abuse of a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to the indictment, in August 2009, while at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Matthew Boyd, 32, engaged in two separate sexual acts with a minor who was older than 12, but not yet 16 years old.

Boyd was arrested in Michigan and is expected to have his initial court appearance later today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. If convicted, Boyd faces up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigated the case.

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

BANGOR, Maine:  A Bangor man was sentenced today in federal court for robbing a credit union, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Earl R. Torrence, 44, to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Torrence was also ordered to pay $1,950 in restitution. He pleaded guilty in February 2021. 

According to court records, on June 30, 2020, Torrence entered the Acadia Federal Credit Union in Bangor wearing a surgical mask. He approached a teller, told the teller he had a gun and demanded money. He obtained the money and absconded. Investigators were able to identify Torrence by reviewing security footage taken outside the credit union just prior to the robbery. A short while later, investigators apprehended him in his home with money from the credit union.

The FBI and the Bangor Police Department investigated the case.

BANGOR, Maine— A Machiasport man was sentenced in federal court on Tuesday for possession of a firearm by a felon, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Timothy D. Davis, 64, to 37 months in prison, to run consecutive to a 2-year sentence for violating the terms of his federal probation in another case.  Davis was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. Davis pleaded guilty in October 2019.

According to court records, Davis possessed a shotgun on July 9, 2019. He had previously been convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon in 2019 and armed assault with intent to murder in 2010. Davis was prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law because both crimes were punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.

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

This case was 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

PORTLAND, Maine: A Topsham man was sentenced today in federal court for being a felon in possession of firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Manesseh Massaline, 51, to 51 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Massaline pleaded guilty on January 5, 2021.

According to court records, Massaline possessed a Glock 9 mm handgun and a KelTec 12-gauge shotgun on January 17, 2019. He was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law because he had previously been convicted in Maine state court of Assault, Aggravated Assault and Aggravated Criminal Trespass, crimes that were punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency’s Mid-Coast Drug Task Force investigated the case.

This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders, and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. PSN is coordinated by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the 94 federal judicial districts throughout the 50 states and U.S. territories.

PORTLAND, Maine—A Sanford man pleaded guilty today in federal court to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl with death and serious bodily injury resulting, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court records, between August 2017 and April 2018, Scott Adams, 45, and other conspirators acquired fentanyl in Massachusetts for distribution in York County, Maine.  Two people who obtained fentanyl distributed by members of the conspiracy died and another person suffered serious bodily injury. 

On April 11, 2018, law enforcement officers seized about 150 grams of fentanyl from members of the conspiracy.  An ensuing search of the defendant’s residence resulted in the seizure of fentanyl, a digital scale, approximately $2,500 in U.S. currency, and a “finger press” designed to compress fentanyl for further distribution.

As a result of the deaths and serious bodily injury, the defendant faces at least 20 years and up to life in prison and a fine of up to $5,000,000.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case was investigated by the U.S Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, with assistance from the Biddeford and Sanford Police Departments.

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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

BANGOR, Maine: An Aroostook County man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge Lane E. Walker sentenced Kyle Sirois, 29, recently of Fort Fairfield, to 40 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Sirois was also ordered to pay $24,000 in restitution. He pleaded guilty on October 3, 2019.

According to court records, at an unknown time between March 2015 and October 2017, Sirois produced video files depicting child pornography.  In addition, Sirois possessed other images and videos of different children engaging in sexual behavior, which he had purposefully sought out and received through the internet.  These images and videos depicted the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children under the age of 12.

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit, the Fort Fairfield Police Department, and the Madawaska Police Department.

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

PORTLAND, Maine: A Kittery man was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for transporting images of child exploitation, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

Chief U.S. District Judge John D. Levy sentenced Thomas Stewart, 32, to five years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Stewart was also ordered to pay a total of $30,500 in restitution to 11 victims whose images he possessed. He pleaded guilty on October 30, 2019.

According to court records, in September 2018, Stewart uploaded numerous images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct to a Dropbox cloud storage account he controlled. After Dropbox reported the uploading of child exploitation images using its service, investigators determined that the IP address used to log into the Dropbox account was assigned to Stewart’s residence in Kittery.

In December 2018, investigators executed a search warrant at Stewart’s residence and seized several electronic devices, including a Samsung tablet. In an interview with investigators, Stewart admitted using the tablet to access child pornography. He also admitted storing hundreds of child pornography files in his Dropbox account.

The Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit, the U.S. Secret Service and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigated this case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

BANGOR, Maine: A former Augusta resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possessing child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Michael C. O’Brien, 40, now of New Lenox, Illinois, to 87 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. O’Brien was also ordered to pay $19,000 in restitution. He pleaded guilty on November 18, 2019.

According to court records, O’Brien possessed thousands of images and hundreds of videos of child pornography that he had received over the internet. Many of these images and videos depicted prepubescent girls under 12 years old. Law enforcement officers discovered the child pornography when they executed a search warrant at O’Brien’s home on September 26, 2018.

Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigated the case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

PORTLAND, Maine: A Rockland man pleaded guilty today in federal court to making a hoax distress call, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court documents, on December 3, 2020, while at the Spruce Head Fisherman’s Co-op, Nathan Libby, 31, communicated a false distress call for a vessel and crew reportedly taking on water in the vicinity of Spruce Head. In response, the U.S. Coast Guard initiated a search lasting more than five hours, which included the use of a local Coast Guard vessel, a Maine Marine Patrol vessel, and a helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod. Further investigation identified Libby as the caller and the search was suspended as a hoax call.

The Coast Guard pursues all distress calls, and when dealing with hoax cases, crews will search until the nature and legitimacy of the calls are resolved.

“I applaud the collaborative efforts of the Department of Justice, Maine Marine Patrol, Rockland Police Department, and the United States Coast Guard in bringing this case to a close and ensuring accountability for Mr. Libby’s actions,” said Capt. Brian LeFebvre, Sector Commander of Coast Guard Sector Northern New England. “Hoax calls like the call Mr. Libby placed unnecessarily put our rescue crews at risk, waste resources, and may limit our ability to respond to actual emergencies.”

Libby faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, a $10,000 civil penalty and reimbursement for all costs incurred in responding to the false distress message. 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 U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Maine Marine Patrol and Coast Guard Sector Northern New England investigated the case.

BANGOR, Maine:  A Presque Isle man was sentenced in federal court today for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Kaleb Dahlgren, 32, to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release. Dahlgren pleaded guilty in January 2021.

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.  Dahlgren and his co-conspirators distributed the drugs in Aroostook County and other parts of central and northern Maine. Dahlgren traveled with co-conspirators on at least one such trip to Mexico and Arizona 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. 

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.

PORTLAND, Maine:  An Old Orchard Beach man pleaded guilty in federal court today to theft of government property, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court records, from about April 2014 to June 2016, Michael Gamash, 64, took scrap metal belonging to the U.S. Navy from dumpsters located on the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) and sold the metal to two area metal dealers. Gamash was an employee of PNSY at the time. When investigators from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) interviewed him, he admitted routinely taking scrap metal items from several dumpsters at PNSY and selling the metal. He acknowledged that he knew it was illegal to take the metal and sell it for his personal profit. In total, he received approximately $60,000 for the metal he took from PNSY. 

Gamash faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

NCIS investigated the case.

PORTLAND, Maine:  North South Polar, Inc., located in Renton, Washington; and Luciano A. Sapienza, of Rockland, Maine; have agreed to pay $40,585 as a result of their violations of the False Claims Act, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

As alleged in a civil complaint filed on March 11, 2021, North South Polar (NSP) and Sapienza, NSP’s president and CEO, violated the False Claims Act by converting equipment to which the federal Government held title. Specifically, in 2013, NSP and Sapienza entered into a contract with the U.S. Coast Guard to provide support services for the recovery of a World War II aircraft from a suspected crash site in Greenland. Under that contract, if the defendants purchased equipment for the mission and obtained reimbursement for that equipment from the Coast Guard, then title to that equipment would be held by the Coast Guard, and the defendants would be obligated to return that equipment upon completion of the project.

The defendants purchased and obtained reimbursement for four items of durable equipment, but upon completion of the contract, rather than return them in good working order to the Coast Guard, they instead sold the items on eBay. Their actions violated the False Claims Act, which prohibits a party from having control of Government property and knowingly returning less than all that property to the Government. Upon filing of the complaint, the parties stipulated to judgment in the amount of $40,585, representing double damages and one statutory penalty under the False Claims Act. The defendants cooperated in the Government’s investigation. The case is docketed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine as United States v. Sapienza, et al., 21-cv-00073-NT. 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine investigated the case.

BANGOR, Maine: A Newport woman was sentenced today in federal court for wire fraud and federal government program theft, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Sheri G. Walsh, 56, to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Walsh also was ordered to pay approximately $325,000 in restitution. She pleaded guilty in December 2020.

According to court records, from June 2015 through April 2019, Walsh embezzled more than $325,000 from two not-for-profit organizations where she had previously been employed. Walsh carried out the scheme by fraudulently transferring funds from one organization to another, then converting the funds to her own use. During the relevant period, one of the not-for-profits received federal grant monies from both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In imposing sentence, Judge Woodcock observed that Walsh had “violated not only her basic duty of loyalty” to the not-for-profit organizational victims, “but also her duty of loyalty to the missions of the two organizations.” He condemned Walsh’s offense conduct as “deplorable and inexcusable.”  

“The EPA awards grants in the public trust to protect the environmental health and safety of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Earle. “This case demonstrates that a grant custodian who violates the integrity of the Agency’s taxpayer-funded programs will be held accountable by the Office of Inspector General.”

The Ellsworth Police Department, the FBI, the EPA Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

PORTLAND, Maine: Today the Justice Department announced a settlement agreement with the Lewiston Public Schools to end the district’s systemic and discriminatory practice of excluding students from full-day school because of behavior related to their disabilities. The settlement also will require the district to provide equal educational opportunities to its English learner students. The department conducted its investigation under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 (EEOA) after receiving a complaint from Disability Rights Maine.

The department’s investigation found that the district routinely shortened the school day for students with disabilities without considering their individual needs or exploring supports to keep them in school for the full day. The district’s lack of training for staff on how to properly respond to students’ disability-related behavior contributed to the over-reliance on “abbreviated” school days. The district compounded the harm to students by often failing to provide them with instruction or behavior support during the time that they were out of school. The department’s investigation also revealed that the district failed to provide appropriate services to its English learner students, many of whom remained in the district’s English learner program for years without ever becoming fluent in English. As a result, many English learners, including immigrants and refugees from Somalia, Angola and other African countries, faced significant academic setbacks that can have lasting consequences.

“Students with disabilities and students who are learning English need additional support and services in school – not additional barriers to learning,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Giving students with disabilities half the education they are entitled to is unacceptable. Failing to properly serve children who are learning English limits their opportunities for success in their current school and beyond. The department is committed to enforcing the law to make sure schools meet the needs and respect the rights of all their students.”

“We are encouraged that the Lewiston Public Schools cooperated with our investigation, recognized the opportunity to improve, and are committed to the successful implementation of our agreement,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark for the District of Maine. “We look forward to working with the district to improve educational opportunities for all students.”

Attorneys from the Civil Rights Division conducted the investigation in coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine.

The enforcement of Title II of the ADA in schools and the EEOA are top priorities of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the work of the Educational Opportunities Section is available at https://www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.

PORTLAND, Maine:  A Texas man pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring to commit wire fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court records, in 2017 and 2018, Russell Hearld, 45, of Katy, Texas, participated in a scheme to defraud involving investments in Standby Letters of Credit (SBLCs). Investors were promised that they could receive a portion of the value of an SBLC, worth millions of dollars, for a much smaller initial investment. Investors were promised returns equal to many times the amounts of their initial investments in a matter of weeks. They were also promised that their money would remain in the attorney trust account of a co-conspirator—who at the time was a licensed attorney in Florida—until confirmation was received that the SBLC had been issued.

Contrary to these representations, Hearld routinely directed the co-conspirator attorney to withdraw investor funds as soon as they were deposited into the attorney’s trust account. For example, in March 2017, an investor wired $500,000 from his bank account in Maine to the attorney’s trust account in Florida. On the previous day, Hearld had sent the attorney an email, directing the attorney to disburse the investor’s funds. At Hearld’s direction, the attorney wired $200,000 to Hearld’s bank account; $150,000 to the account of the attorney’s law firm; $100,000 to the account of another co-conspirator; and $40,000 to the attorney’s personal account.

Hearld faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. 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.

The FBI investigated the case.

BANGOR, Maine:  An Oakland man pleaded guilty in federal court today to destruction of  letter boxes, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court records, in October 2018, law enforcement officers were called to the Oakland neighborhood of Jonathan Charles Michaud, 43. Investigators found that a fire had been set in the mailbox at a residence there. In addition, handwritten messages had been written on bills addressed to different residences. One of these handwritten messages contained the telephone number of Michaud’s mother, with whom Michaud resided. Investigators learned that several other mailboxes in the neighborhood had also been vandalized. In addition, a handwritten note was found in one mailbox stating, “Jonathan Charles is dead at my home, will find me dead in my room, bye mom and dad.” A state search warrant was obtained for Michaud’s residence, and investigators found evidence linking him to the vandalized mailboxes, including fingerprint and handwriting matches.    

Michaud faces up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He also faces up to a year of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Maine Office of State Fire Marshal; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.

BANGOR, Maine:  A Lincoln man was sentenced today in federal court for possessing firearms after being convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Matthew Cole, 34, to time served and three years of supervised release. Cole has been in federal custody since November 19, 2020. He pleaded guilty on April 26, 2021.

According to court records, in May 2020, law enforcement officers were called to Cole’s home after a family fight complaint. While on scene, officers learned that Cole had recently possessed two firearms—a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun and a shotgun. After obtaining a search warrant, officers found the shotgun in Cole’s bedroom. Officers found Cole about two miles away from his residence. He admitted that he had thrown a handgun while he was walking and directed troopers to the gun on the ground. During a subsequent interview, Cole admitted that he owned the handgun. He stated that he purchased the gun two or three years earlier. Cole was prohibited from possessing firearms following a 2018 conviction for Domestic Violence Assault in Penobscot County.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

BANGOR, Maine:  An Aroostook County man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in two separate cases for conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Taylor Lovely, 34, to 158 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Lovely pleaded guilty in December 2020.

According to court records, between approximately January 2017 and August 2018, a drug trafficking organization distributed large quantities of methamphetamine in northern Maine. The organization obtained the drugs from out-of-state sources in Colorado and Arizona. Lovely and his co-conspirators distributed the drugs in northern Maine.

Also according to court records, between approximately July 2018 and May 2019, members of a separate conspiracy obtained methamphetamine in western and southern states from sources in Mexico. Lovely and his co-conspirators distributed the drugs in Aroostook County and other parts of central and northern Maine.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives; and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated these cases with the assistance of multiple state and local law enforcement agencies. 

These prosecutions are 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.

PORTLAND Maine: A Waldoboro man was sentenced today in federal court for Social Security fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

Chief U.S. District Judge John D. Levy sentenced Wayne Flaherty, 53, to three years of probation, with a condition of 240 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay $141,214.00 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (“SSA”). Flaherty pleaded guilty on January 26, 2021.

According to court records, from about February 2000 through May 2018, Flaherty, a recipient of Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”), concealed his receipt of money from another individual to maintain his eligibility to receive benefit payments. SSI benefits are paid to people with limited income who are blind, disabled or elderly. Flaherty was reportedly receiving at least $1,500 per month from this individual at the time he applied for benefits, but the amounts increased over the years, with Flaherty receiving a total of at least $846,615.18 from February 2012 through July 2017. The individual also provided Flaherty with a home in February 2012.

Flaherty did not notify SSA that he was receiving these payments at any point during the time he was receiving SSI payments, despite knowing he was required to report them. At an interview with law enforcement agents, he admitted to concealing this information from SSA because he was afraid his benefits would have stopped.

SSA’s Office of the Inspector General, the Maine Department of Health & Human Services, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

PORTLAND, Maine—A Sanford woman was sentenced today in federal court for conspiring to distribute fentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Jennifer Adams, 40, to 12 years in prison and four years of supervised release. Adams pleaded guilty on December 18, 2019.

According to court records, between August 2017 and April 2018, Adams and others acquired fentanyl in Massachusetts for distribution in York County. Two people who received fentanyl from members of the conspiracy died and another person suffered serious bodily injury. 

On April 11, 2018, law enforcement officers seized approximately 150 grams of fentanyl from members of the conspiracy. A later search of Adams’ residence resulted in the seizure of fentanyl, a digital scale, approximately $2,500 in cash and a “finger press” designed to compress fentanyl for further distribution.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case, with assistance from the Biddeford and Sanford Police Departments.

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.

PORTLAND, Maine—A Kittery man was sentenced today in federal court for two counts of traveling interstate to violate a protection order, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Nelson Dion, 54, to 31 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Dion entered a conditional plea of guilty on August 31, 2020. The plea authorizes him to appeal a legal issue to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston. Dion will remain supervised on home incarceration in the interim. 

According to court documents, in April 2016, Dion, who resided in Maine, was arrested for felony aggravated assault involving his former live-in girlfriend, who was by then living in a domestic violence shelter in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. A few days later, Dion was released on bail and was subject to a protection order that prohibited his contact with his former girlfriend.

Between April and June 2016, Dion traveled from Maine to New Hampshire, and then from New Hampshire to Maine, to have contact with the girlfriend in violation of the protection order. On June 30, 2016, the girlfriend jumped from the Piscataqua River bridge on Interstate 95 and died the next day.

The Kittery, Berwick, and Eliot, Maine Police Departments; the York County District Attorney’s Office; the Portsmouth, New Hampshire Police Department; and the FBI investigated the case. It was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

BANGOR, Maine – A federal grand jury in Bangor returned an indictment today charging a Skowhegan man with filing fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications and other offenses, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

The indictment charges Nathan Reardon, 43, with five counts of bank fraud, three counts of attempted wire fraud, two counts of making false statements to financial institutions and one count of perjury.

According to the indictment, Reardon submitted several fraudulent applications for PPP loans that were guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA). He also allegedly submitted fraudulent applications for direct loans from the SBA and provided false information in applications seeking disbursement of PPP loan funds.

The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020. It is designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding, and another $284 billion in December 2020.

The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of one percent. Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spend the proceeds on these expenses within a set period and use at least a certain percentage of the funds for payroll expenses.

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the SBA Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. Like all defendants, Reardon is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

BANGOR, Maine—An Eddington man pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing firearms after being convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court records, in April 2020, law enforcement officers were called to the home of Amilio Christopher Samaroo, 56. Samaroo and his wife had been arguing earlier in the day. When the police arrived at the house, Samaroo refused to leave and engaged in a standoff. Officers obtained a warrant for Samaroo’s arrest and a search warrant for the home. During the search, officers found multiple weapons that Samaroo had placed throughout the house, including a loaded J.C. Higgins bolt-action 20-gauge shotgun. Officers later found a handgun in the ceiling of the home and two boxes of ammunition. Samaroo was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition after a 2003 Wisconsin conviction for domestic abuse.

Samaroo faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 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 and the Maine State Police investigated the case.

PORTLAND, Maine—In honor of National Police Week, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.

“This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude.”

“The employees of the U.S. Attorney’s Office are honored to work with our federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement partners,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clark. “Especially during a global pandemic, the job of a law enforcement officer is difficult and often dangerous. National Police Week provides an opportunity for the communities served by law enforcement to express their support and thanks.”

In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.  

Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.

During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60 percent succumbed to COVID-19.

Additionally, according to statistics reported by the FBI through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website. 

The names of the 394 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 pm EDT. The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to October 13-17, 2021. An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for October 14, 2021.

Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF. The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net.  

To learn more about National Police Week in-person events scheduled for October, please visit www.policeweek.org.

BANGOR, Maine:  A Bronx, New York man was sentenced today in federal court for possessing cocaine base, aka crack cocaine, with intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Christopher Martinez, 31, to 85 months in prison and four years of supervised release. Martinez pleaded guilty on November 20, 2020.

According to court records, on May 2, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence in Cutler, Maine. During the search, law enforcement officers recovered cocaine base, heroin, a firearm and more than $4,000. Martinez and others were engaged in the distribution of controlled substances from the residence.

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the FBI, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Hancock and Washington County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Maine State Police investigated the case.

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.

BANGOR, Maine:  A Benton man was sentenced today in federal court for distribution of cocaine and marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of firearms by an unlawful user of controlled substances, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Daniel Hall, 32, to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Judge Woodcock also entered an order requiring Hall to forfeit almost $16,000 in cash, two shotguns, one handgun and ammunition. Hall pleaded guilty on January 5, 2021.

According to court records, on January 29, 2020, Hall distributed cocaine and marijuana to a confidential informant at Green Thumb Organics (GTO), Hall’s Waterville medical marijuana store. The informant did not have a medical marijuana patient card.

On February 19, 2020, investigators executed federal search warrants at GTO and Hall’s residence in Benton. At GTO, agents seized approximately three pounds of processed marijuana and “edible” marijuana items that in total weighed less than 50 kilograms. Agents also seized records, approximately $16,000 in cash proceeds, a video surveillance system and items of paraphernalia. At Hall’s residence, agents seized personal use quantities of drugs, drug paraphernalia, two shotguns, a handgun and ammunition.

“This was a great collaborative effort that resulted in the successful investigation and prosecution of Daniel Hall,” said Waterville Chief of Police Joseph Massey. “This was an important case because Mr. Hall owned and operated a medical marijuana business in Waterville where he illegally sold marijuana and other illegal drugs.”

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Waterville Police Department and the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

BANGOR, Maine:  An Aroostook County man pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

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. Jeff Curtis, 40, and his co-conspirators then distributed the drugs in Aroostook County and other parts of central and northern Maine.

Curtis faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. He also faces between three years and a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

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. 

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.

PORTLAND, Maine:  A citizen of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was sentenced today in federal court for conspiring to commit mail fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Mukonkole Huge Kifwa, aka Adrien Ndowa, 36, to 40 months in prison, five years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $247,583. Kifwa pleaded guilty on November 10, 2020. 

According to court documents, from about March 2015 until November 2016, Kifwa participated in a conspiracy to obtain money through a fraudulent credit card scheme using an international mail carrier. Kifwa and his co-conspirators obtained unauthorized access to bank accounts belonging to unwitting individuals in the United Kingdom, with cash advances using fraudulent credit cards. 

The Scarborough Police Department; the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; Homeland Security Investigations; and the City of London (U.K.) Police investigated the case.

In January 2016, Kifwa, formerly of South Portland, was convicted following a jury trial of federal charges involving visa fraud, bank fraud and firearms. Kifwa was sentenced in that case to 46 months imprisonment and payment of approximately $15,000 in restitution.

PORTLAND, Maine:  A Brooklyn, New York man was sentenced today in federal court for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and heroin, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Akeem Cruz, aka “Vybe” and “Mello,” 31, to 100 months in prison and four years of supervised release. Cruz pleaded guilty on August 22, 2019.

According to court records, from about the summer of 2015 until September 2017, Cruz and others conspired to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine base and heroin transported from outside Maine for distribution in Portland and Lewiston. Cruz’s distribution involved more than 100 grams of heroin.

All of Cruz’s charged co-conspirators have been sentenced. Melquan Jordan, 31, of Brooklyn, was sentenced to 10 years in prison; Lamale Lawson, 29, of Brooklyn, was sentenced to 84 months in prison; Edward Canty III, 31, of Brooklyn, was sentenced to 66 months in prison; Christopher Rickett, 33, of Portland, was sentenced to three years of probation; and Sierrha Frisbie, 29, of Portland, also was sentenced to three years of probation.

The Portland and South Portland Police Departments; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the FBI investigated the case.

BANGOR, Maine:  A Lincoln man pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing firearms after being convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, Acting United States Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court records, in May 2020, law enforcement officers were called to the home of Matthew Cole, 34, after a family fight complaint. While on scene, officers learned that Cole had recently possessed two firearms—a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun and a shotgun. After obtaining a search warrant, officers found the shotgun in Cole’s bedroom. Officers found Cole about two miles away from his residence. He admitted that he had thrown a handgun while he was walking on the road and directed troopers to the gun on the ground. During a subsequent interview, Cole admitted that he was the handgun’s owner. He stated that he purchased the gun two or three years ago in Mattawamkeag. Cole was prohibited from possessing firearms following a 2018 conviction for Domestic Violence Assault in Penobscot County.

Cole faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. 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.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

PORTLAND, Maine:  Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark joined the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in announcing that DEA will be conducting its 20th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 24. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., the public can dispose of their expired, unused and unwanted prescription medications at 142 collection sites throughout Maine, operated by local law enforcement agencies and other community partners. The service is free of charge, no questions asked and most of these collection sites can be found in the lobby of your local police department. To find a collection site near you go to deatakeback.com.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. has seen an increase in overdose deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 83,544 Americans overdosing during the 12-month period ending July 1, 2020, the most ever recorded in a 12-month period. The increase in drug overdose deaths appeared to begin prior to the COVID-19 health emergency, but accelerated significantly during the first months of the pandemic.

The public can drop off potentially dangerous prescription medications at collection sites that will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations to maintain the safety of all participants and local law enforcement.

DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs will not be accepted. DEA will continue to accept vaping devices and cartridges at its drop off locations provided lithium batteries are removed.

“I urge all Mainers to take advantage of Drug Take Back Day,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clark. “Misuse of prescription drugs leads to addiction and overdose deaths. We can all do our part to prevent these tragic results by disposing of unwanted, unused or expired prescription medications in our homes.”

Learn more about the event at www.deatakeback.com, or by calling 800-882-9539.

BANGOR, Maine: A Penobscot County woman pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to theft and conversion of money orders, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court records, between approximately May 2016 and April 2018, Mellony Hafford, 37, stole multiple money order forms while working as an employee of the U.S. Postal Service. Hafford falsified several of the money order forms to conceal other fraudulent money orders she made out to herself, and to conceal her theft of cash that had been received in sales at the post office. 

Hafford faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. She also faces 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.

The U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) investigated this case. TIGTA’s involvement in the investigation was supervised by William Kalb, Special Agent in Charge, North East Field Division.

BANGOR, Maine:  A Presque Isle man pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

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. Reece Humphrey, 27, and his co-conspirators distributed the drugs in Aroostook County and other parts of central and northern Maine. Humphrey traveled with co-conspirators on at least one such trip to Mexico and Arizona to obtain methamphetamine and transport it back to Maine.

Humphrey faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. He also faces between three years and a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

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. 

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.

PORTLAND, Maine: Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark and the employees of the U.S. Attorney’s Office honored the public service career of Thomas E. Delahanty II, who served as U.S. Attorney in both the Carter and Obama administrations. Delahanty died earlier this week at the age of 75.

Delahanty had a lengthy and distinguished career in both the state and federal courts of Maine. After starting his legal career in private practice in Lewiston, he was elected District Attorney in 1974 for the newly created Prosecutorial District Three, covering the counties of Androscoggin, Oxford and Franklin. He held that position until President Carter appointed him U.S. Attorney for Maine. He was sworn into office on May 22, 1980, and served until August 1981, when he resigned following a change in the presidential administration.

Delahanty was in private practice in Lewiston until November 1983, when Governor Joseph Brennan appointed him to the Maine Superior Court. He served as a Superior Court Justice until 2010, when he again became U.S. Attorney on appointment of President Obama. He was sworn into office on July 1, 2010, and served until his resignation in March 2017, following the change in administration. He then returned to the Maine Superior Court as an active retired justice.

“Tom Delahanty was a giant in the Maine legal community,” said U.S. Attorney Clark. “His service to the people of Maine, including two appointments as U.S. Attorney, spanned over 40 years. In addition to his professional accomplishments, he was also an honorable, just man and a devoted husband, father and grandfather. We at the U.S. Attorney’s Office mourn his passing and send our condolences to his family.”

BANGOR, Maine:  A New York man was sentenced today in federal court for possessing cocaine base and fentanyl with intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Terrence Robinson, aka “Trevor Scott,” 28, to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. Robinson pleaded guilty on December 11, 2020.

According to court records, on November 15, 2019, law enforcement officers encountered Robinson in Bangor. Robinson had active warrants for his arrest. Officers searched Robinson and located packages of drugs concealed in his pants. Officers seized a package containing 61.7 grams of a mixture containing cocaine base and a package containing 68.9 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine State Police and the Bangor Police Department investigated the case. 

PORTLAND, Maine:  A Brooklyn, New York man was sentenced today in federal court for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and heroin, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Melquan Jordan, aka “Squirrel,” 31, to 10 years in prison and four years of supervised release. Following a four-day trial, a jury returned a guilty verdict against Jordan and a co-defendant, Edward Canty III, on October 24, 2019.

According to trial evidence, between September 2016 and December 2016, Jordan and others conspired to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine base and heroin transported from outside Maine for distribution in Portland. Jordan’s distribution involved more than 100 grams of heroin.

Following the jury’s guilty verdict, Canty, 31, also of Brooklyn, was sentenced to 66 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release. The other conspirators pleaded guilty, and all but one have been sentenced. Lamale Lawson, 29, of Brooklyn, was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment and four years of supervised release; Christopher Rickett, 33, of Portland, was sentenced to three years of probation; and Sierrha Frisbie, 29, of Portland, also was sentenced to three years of probation. Akeem Cruz, 31, of Brooklyn, awaits sentencing.

The Portland and South Portland Police Departments; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the FBI investigated the case.

BANGOR, Maine: A Deer Isle man pleaded guilty today in federal court to possessing child pornography, acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court records, Nicholas Pettis, 38, possessed electronic devices containing child exploitation material. Investigators seized the devices, including cell phones and a computer, from Pettis’s home on June 25, 2020. Some of the material he possessed on the devices depicted children under the age of 12.  

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

Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigated this case. The 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 Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

BANGOR, Maine:  A Searsport man was sentenced in federal court today for attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Nicholas Norwood, 35, to a year and a day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Norwood pleaded guilty on November 14, 2019. 

According to court records, in April 2019, Norwood, formerly of Frankfort, used a mobile messaging service to send an image of his genitalia to an undercover federal agent posing as a 13-year-old girl.  

The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office and the Maine State Police investigated the case.

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 Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

BANGOR, Maine: A Winslow man pleaded guilty today in federal court to Social Security fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court records, Robert Curtis, 63, was a recipient of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefit payments beginning in February 2011. SSDI benefits are paid to people who are blind or disabled. He also was a recipient of MaineCare coverage beginning in April 2010 and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit payments beginning in February 2011. These programs have reporting requirements for work activity and income, which can affect eligibility for benefits.

During the time he was receiving benefits under these programs, Curtis worked as a medication deliverer. He also served as the lead plaintiff in a civil suit for lost wages, alleging that he should have been classified as an employee instead of an independent contractor, for which he was awarded over $21,000. Curtis failed to inform the Social Security Administration (SSA) or the Maine Department of Health & Human Services (ME/DHHS) of his work activity and income, despite periodic reminders that he was required to report it. He also denied any such activity to SSA in a continuing disability review in 2013, and to ME/DHHS in annual reviews from 2011 to 2017, because he knew it could affect his eligibility for benefits. As a result, he improperly received over $92,000 in SSDI benefits, almost $12,000 in SNAP benefits, and over $13,000 in MaineCare benefits.

Curtis faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and ME/DHHS investigated the case.