District of Maine

Portland, Maine: Two Brooklyn, New York men were convicted of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and heroin following a jury trial, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

A federal jury returned a guilty verdict against Melquan Jordan, (a/k/a “Squirrel”), 30, and Edward Canty III (a/k/a “Demo”), 31, on October 23, 2019, but today U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy denied the defendants’ motions for judgment of acquittal.

According to evidence presented at trial, Jordan and Canty conspired to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and heroin transported from outside Maine for distribution in Portland and Lewiston. Jordan’s distribution involved more than 100 grams of heroin. The other conspirators named in the indictment, Lamale Lawson (a/k/a “Bishop” and “King Bishop”), 28, of Brooklyn; Akeem Cruz (a/k/a “Vibe” and “Mello”), 29, of Brooklyn; and Christopher Rickett (a/k/a “Chris”), 32, of Portland, pleaded guilty in August 2019 to participating in the conspiracy. Sierrha Frisbie (a/k/a “Cici”), 27, of Portland, pleaded guilty in December 2018.

Jordan faces between 10 and 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine and between four years and life on supervised release. Canty faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and between three years and life on supervised release. All six defendants will be sentenced following preparation of presentence reports by the U.S. Probation Office.

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

Bangor, Maine: A Mapleton man was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Daniel Easler, 44, to 100 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Easler pleaded guilty on August 27, 2019.

According to court records, on the evening of December 4, 2018, the Caribou Police Department received a call from a citizen stating that there was a vehicle off the road in a snow bank. Law enforcement responded to the scene. There was no one in the vehicle but there were footprints in the snow leading away from the vehicle. Officers followed the footprints and found Easler, a convicted felon, lying in the snow. A search of Easler revealed multiple firearms and ammunition. One of the firearms had previously been reported as stolen.

The Caribou Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Maine State Police investigated the case.

Bangor, Maine: A Hudson man was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Charles Werenko, 52, to time served (2 ½ months) and two years of supervised release. Judge Walker found Werenko guilty following a one-day bench trial on October 3, 2019.

The evidence at trial revealed that in 2015, Werenko was convicted of domestic violence assault in the Penobscot County Superior Court. Following his conviction, he knowingly possessed a .357 Magnum revolver from an unknown date until January 31, 2019.

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

Portland, Maine: A Lewiston woman was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for conspiring to commit health care fraud, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Nancy Ludwig, 64, to 42 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Ludwig also was ordered to pay $660,902 in restitution to MaineCare. A jury had found Ludwig guilty of nine counts of health care fraud on June 14, 2019, after a five-day trial.   

According to testimony at trial, Ludwig was the owner of Facing Change, a mental health and substance abuse counseling agency in Lewiston. Abdirashid Ahmed was a Somali interpreter. From about November 2015 until May 2018, Ludwig conspired with Ahmed and others to commit health care fraud. The evidence showed that beginning in February 2015, Ludwig agreed to pay Ahmed a kickback in return for Ahmed bringing MaineCare beneficiaries to Facing Change. Ludwig, Ahmed and other employees at Facing Change then submitted false claims to MaineCare for counseling and interpreter services. In 2016, in response to a MaineCare regulatory change, Ludwig and Ahmed conspired to change the diagnosis of many of those clients to schizophrenia so they could remain eligible to receive MaineCare reimbursement for services at Facing Change. In the fall of 2016, auditors with the MaineCare Program Integrity Unit audited Facing Change. Ludwig and many of her employees conspired to manufacture false records in an attempt to deceive the auditor. The fraud continued until May 1, 2018, when federal and state agents executed search warrants at Facing Change and Ahmed’s business.

The prosecution was the result of a three-year collaborative investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the FBI; and the Maine State Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The investigation started because of the auditing work done by the MaineCare Program Integrity Unit.

Bangor, Maine:  A Bronx, New York man was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for distributing cocaine base (a/k/a crack cocaine) and heroin, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Leanza Boney, a/k/a “G,” 22, to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Boney pleaded guilty on October 3, 2019.

According to court records, on March 22, 2019, Boney distributed crack and heroin to an undercover agent. At the time of the offense, Boney was on state probation following his conviction for a 2018 drug trafficking offense.

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.

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.  

In his speech today regarding so-called sanctuary jurisdictions, Attorney General Barr highlighted the dangers that sanctuary policies pose to public safety. Jurisdictions with these policies prevent or limit their law enforcement officials from working with their federal law enforcement partners. One way they do so is to refuse to honor detainers—formal requests to maintain custody of an alien for a limited period—issued by federal immigration officials for a removable alien in state or local custody following a criminal arrest. Another way is to prohibit state or local agencies from sharing information or otherwise cooperating with immigration officials.

Illegal aliens who commit crimes in this country and end up in state or local custody should not be able to avoid removal or other immigration consequences. Releasing criminal aliens in the face of immigration detainers imperils the public. Illegal alien criminals who have been released after law enforcement agencies have failed to honor detainers have gone on to commit additional crimes, including violent felonies. When state and local jurisdictions release criminal illegal aliens, immigration officials must locate and arrest them in the community rather than in the secure and controlled environment of a jail or prison.

Sanctuary policies prevent the collaboration and information-sharing among state, local, tribal and federal law enforcement officials that is critical to maintaining public safety. These misguided policies undermine the rule of law and endanger everyone.

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Bangor, Maine: A Waterville man was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for possessing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced William Stewart, 64, to 80 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release. Stewart was also ordered to pay $63,000 in restitution. He pleaded guilty on April 19, 2019.

According to court records, in May and June 2018, Stewart possessed thousands of images and hundreds of videos of child pornography that he had received over the internet. Many of the images and videos depicted prepubescent children under 12 years old. Law enforcement officers discovered the child pornography when they executed a search warrant at Stewart’s home on June 28, 2018.

In imposing sentence, Judge Woodcock described the statements made by the victims of Stewart’s offense as “heartbreaking,” and told Stewart that what he had done was “just abhorrent.”

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and the Waterville Police Department investigated the case. The prosecution was 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 former Portland resident was convicted yesterday of accessing with intent to view child pornography following a three-day jury trial, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to evidence presented at trial, in July 2015, agents with U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at the Portland home of George Royle V, 45. Agents seized a laptop computer under the warrant. A forensic analysis of the laptop showed that Royle had been accessing internet websites containing child pornography images with the intent to view them. He also had been using peer-to-peer file-sharing software to seek out child pornography.

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

HSI and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigated the case.

Bangor, Maine:  Houlton man was sentenced today in Bangor for possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Court Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Larry O’Neal, 46, to 51 months in prison followed by seven years of supervised release.  O’Neal was found guilty on April 26, 2019 following a four-day jury trial.

Court records and trial evidence revealed that O’Neal was found with images of child pornography on his computer in January 2018, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at his home.  Agents began investigating O’Neal after his computer was observed on a peer-to-peer file sharing network as having files associated with child pornography. 

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Office of Professional Responsibility, the Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility, and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit. 

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

Bangor, Maine:  A Princeton man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Bangor to distributing cocaine base (crack), United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, on April 25, 2019, Robert McKenna, 48, sold crack to an undercover agent from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency at a residence in Indian Township, Maine. 

McKenna faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.  He also faces between three years and a lifetime of supervised release. 

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the FBI investigated the case.

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. 

Bangor, Maine:  A Nepalese man currently residing in California was sentenced today in Bangor for marriage fraud and conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Court Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Eilove Shrestha, 28, to one month in prison followed by two years of supervised release.  Shrestha pleaded guilty on July 8, 2019.

According to court records, on June 20, 2018, Shrestha, a Nepalese citizen then lawfully in the United States in a temporary status, agreed to pay a United States citizen $13,000 to marry him so he could obtain permanent resident status, also known as, a “green card.”  Four days later, Shrestha flew to Maine and the two were married the next day.  Before and after the wedding, Shrestha paid the United States citizen hundreds of dollars via wire transfers, while he continued to live and work in another state. 

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the Brewer Police Department.  

Bangor, Maine:  A Hancock man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Bangor to possessing with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a substance containing fentanyl, United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, on February 13, 2019, law enforcement officers encountered William Smeal, 33, in Ellsworth, Maine.  A bag containing over 100 grams of a substance containing fentanyl was seized from his car.  Smeal admitted to purchasing drugs in Massachusetts that day.  A search of Smeal’s home and an additional search of his car resulted in the seizure of more than another 100 grams of a substance containing of fentanyl. 

Smeal faces between five years and 40 years in prison and up to a $5,000,000 fine.  He also faces between four years and a lifetime of supervised release. 

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the FBI investigated the case. 

The prosecution is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (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. 

Bangor, Maine:  A New York City man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Bangor to conspiring and attempting to interfere with commerce by robbery, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, in July 2016, Hector Munoz, 52, and others developed a plan to commit a robbery in Rangeley and steal controlled substances from a residence in the town. On July 28, 2016, Munoz and an unnamed conspirator entered the residence intending to take the controlled substances by using actual and threatened force, violence and fear of injury. Munoz and his conspirator were armed with knives and a baseball bat at the time of the attempted robbery.

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

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Maine State Police; and the Rangeley Police Department investigated the case, with assistance provided by the Maine Office of the Attorney General.

Portland, Maine:  A Lawrence, Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Portland to conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, between September 2017 and January 2018, Pedro Perez, 29, supplied another conspirator with multi-ounce quantities of cocaine for further distribution in the Portland area. On January 19, 2018, Perez supplied approximately 280 grams of cocaine to a member of the conspiracy. Law enforcement officers seized the cocaine in Scarborough during a traffic stop.

Perez faces between five and 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine and between four years and life on supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The FBI, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Portland Police Department investigated the case.

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.  

Bangor, Maine:  An Ellsworth man was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for robbing two banks, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Court Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Timothy T. Myers, 28, to 85 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Myers pleaded guilty on June 12, 2019.

According to court records, Myers entered a TD Bank branch in Bangor on December 21, 2018, and handed a teller a note that read, “Give me the money or I shoot, no dye, $1,000.” The teller gave Myers cash from the drawer and he absconded with it.  Five days later, he robbed a KeyBank branch in Bangor. He entered the bank, walked to the table near the entrance and picked up a withdrawal slip on which he wrote, “Money now or I shoot, no dye.” He handed the note to a teller, took the money and fled the bank.

The Bangor and Ellsworth Police Departments, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, the Maine State Police Crime Laboratory and the FBI investigated the case.

Portland, Maine:  A South Portland man was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Portland for Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

Chief Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Patrick Clark, 53, to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. Clark pleaded guilty on July 16, 2019.

According to court records, on January 4, 2019, pursuant to a search warrant, U.S. Postal Inspectors seized a package that had been addressed to the defendant at his apartment, and found approximately 111 grams of methamphetamine inside.  Law enforcement officers then executed a second search warrant at the defendant’s apartment.  In the bedroom where Clark was present, they found 11 grams of methamphetamine, more than $800 cash and a digital scale.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.

Bangor Maine: A Clinton woman pleaded guilty on Friday in federal court in Bangor to Social Security fraud and making false statements, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, from about August 2006 through March 2019, Katherine Prosper, 61, a recipient of Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”), concealed the presence of her husband in her household in order to maintain her eligibility to receive benefit payments. SSI benefits are paid to people with limited income who are blind, disabled, or elderly. Prosper’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, Prosper 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, Prosper admitted to concealing her living situation from SSA because she knew it would make her ineligible to receive SSI.

Prosper faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on both charges, 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.

The investigation was conducted by SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Portland, Maine:  A Litchfield woman was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for committing wire fraud affecting a financial institution, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Court Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Jessica Childs, 39, to 13 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Childs pleaded guilty on April 23, 2019.

According to court records, Childs was the Finance Director of Women Unlimited (WU), a non-profit organization located in Augusta. As the Finance Director, Childs had access to the company’s bank accounts, credit cards and accounting system. Beginning in about February 2010, and continuing until September 2015, Childs used WU’s credit card to make personal purchases, frequently over the internet. She also obtained cash advances with the card and used the cash for personal purchases. She then used WU funds to pay the charges she had fraudulently incurred on the company card without WU’s knowledge or authorization.

In imposing sentence, Judge Hornby described Childs’s conduct as inexcusable, flagrant and prolonged. He also noted that her crime had an enormous impact, both directly on WU and its employees and indirectly on the individuals WU had served.

The U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.

Bangor, Maine:  A Whitefield man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Bangor to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, on April 22, 2019, a Winthrop Police Department detective saw an individual, later identified as Samuel Caison, 36, carrying what appeared to be a firearm wrapped up in material in Augusta. The individual placed the firearm in the trunk of a car. Officers with the Augusta Police Department later located Caison driving the car and pulled him over. Officers found a .22 caliber rifle in the trunk. Caison was prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for Robbery in 2005, Aggravated Assault and Illegal Possession of a Firearm in 2010 and Terrorizing in 2013. 

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

The Augusta Police Department, the Winthrop Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about PSN, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psn.

Bangor, Maine:  A Bangor-area man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Bangor to possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, on December 14, 2018, Bangor police officers responded to a local homeless shelter to investigate a report that staff members had discovered a firearm in a resident’s belongings. The resident, Tykell Jones, 20, admitted to possessing the firearm, a Taurus 9 mm pistol, and acknowledged that the serial number had been obliterated at the time he purchased the pistol in a private sale.

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

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

Portland, Maine:  A Lewiston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Portland for distributing cocaine base, commonly known as “crack,” U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Everton Jones, 23, to 16 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Jones pleaded guilty on August 22, 2019.

According to court records, on June 1, 2018, Jones sold approximately one-half ounce of crack to another individual at a residence in Lewiston.

The FBI’s Southern Maine Gang Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Maine State Police; and the Lewiston Police Department investigated the case.

Bangor, Maine:  A Waterbury, Connecticut man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Bangor for conspiring to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine base (crack), U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Luis “Flacco” Hernandez, 38, to 45 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Hernandez pleaded guilty on May 20, 2019.

According to court records, between January 2016 and July 2017, Hernandez conspired with others to distribute heroin, fentanyl and crack transported to Penobscot County from Waterbury, Connecticut. Hernandez sold the drugs and supervised other dealers, as well as “runners” who delivered drugs to others in Penobscot County. 

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.

Bangor, Maine:  A Waterbury, Connecticut man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Bangor to possessing heroin with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, on March 26, 2018, officers with the Indian Township Police Department conducting a child welfare check at a residence in Indian Township discovered Carlos Pemberton, 42, in a bedroom. Pemberton was in possession of a backpack and duffle bag that contained, among other items, heroin and drug paraphernalia. He was also in possession of $7,266.00 in cash.

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

The Indian Township Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.

Bangor, Maine:  A Bangor woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Bangor for conspiring to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine base (crack), U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Sammantha Johnson, 30, to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Johnson pleaded guilty on February 26, 2019.

According to court records, between January 2016 and February 2017, Johnson conspired with others to distribute heroin, fentanyl and crack transported to Penobscot County from Waterbury, Connecticut. Johnson distributed the drugs in the Bangor area and facilitated the drug-dealing activities of other members of the conspiracy. 

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.

PORTLAND, Maine: A Turner woman was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for embezzling from an employee benefit plan, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Melissa Greenlaw, a/k/a Melissa Moore, 46, to 12 months and one day in prison and three years of supervised release. The court also ordered Greenlaw to pay $137,262.16 in restitution to the victims of the offense. Greenlaw pleaded guilty on June 4, 2019.

According to court records, Greenlaw was the Vice President of Operations for a health care company. In that capacity, she was a fiduciary for the company’s Deferred Savings and Profit Sharing Plan, a defined contribution 401(k) plan for employees to save for retirement. The plan was funded by amounts withheld from participating employees’ paychecks. From approximately July 2011 until May 2014, Greenlaw directed that funds that had been contributed by employees for deposit into the plan instead be used to pay company operating expenses, including bonuses and personal expenses for herself. Greenlaw misappropriated approximately $133,000 in employee contributions from the plan.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations; and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration investigated the case.

Portland, Maine:  U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine collected over $19.8 million in civil, criminal and asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year (FY) 2019.

Working with partner agencies and divisions, the office collected $15,248,809 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2019. 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.

Additionally, the office collected $4,410,030.33 in criminal and civil actions in FY 2019. Of this amount, $2,914,099.52 was collected in criminal actions and $1,495,930.81 was collected in civil actions. 

The office also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $200,926.17 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Collections in civil actions comprised $194,516.17 of this amount.

“I’m proud of my team’s efforts to collect funds on behalf of American taxpayers this past fiscal year,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “We will keep working tirelessly to seek justice for crime victims and ensure that those who commit crimes do not profit from their illegal actions.”

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.

Bangor, Maine:  An Iraqi national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Bangor to willfully failing to comply with the terms of release under supervision, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, Mustafa Hatem Abdulkadhim Al Shuwaili, 27, entered the U.S. in 2012. An immigration judge ordered him removed to Iraq in December 2015. In October 2018, pending his removal from the U.S., he signed an Order of Supervision with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The order prohibited him from committing any crimes while on release, among other conditions. On June 11, 2019, he was convicted in Penobscot County of felony Domestic Violence Assault, with Priors. 

Al Shuwaili faces up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated the case.

Portland, Maine:  A Peabody, Massachusetts man was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Court Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Sean Anderson, 39, to 71 months in prison and four years of supervised release.

According to court records, on May 7, 2019, a Maine State Police trooper stopped Anderson for speeding northbound on I-95 in York. The trooper recovered a package containing about nine grams of fentanyl from the ground just outside Anderson’s car, where he had thrown it after pulling over. While Anderson was being booked into the York County Jail, jail personnel found two additional packages containing about 52 grams of fentanyl in his underwear.

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

Portland, Maine:  A former Waterville resident pleaded guilty today in federal court in Portland to conspiring to make false statements to the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and to commit mail fraud, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, Frank Curtis, 41, caused the creation of false substance abuse treatment records in an effort to secure admission to the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) within the BOP. Inmates who successfully complete the RDAP can qualify for a period of early release of up to 12 months.

While detained at the BOP, Curtis sent a letter to a person in Maine with directions for the creation of false records. The other person created the records, which were subsequently transmitted to a BOP facility in South Carolina. The fraudulent records were designed to secure Curtis’s admission to the RDAP at the BOP facility in Estill, South Carolina. Law enforcement discovered the scheme prior to Curtis’s admission to the program.

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

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; and the Healthcare Crimes Unit of the Maine Attorney General’s Office investigated the case.

Portland, Maine:  A Westbrook man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Portland for committing two bank robberies, the second of which he committed while on pretrial release for the first, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Aaron West, 38, to seven years in prison and three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $16,250 in restitution to Cumberland County Federal Credit Union and $1,140 in restitution to Norway Savings Bank. West pleaded guilty to both bank robberies on June 28, 2019.

According to court records, on January 31, 2018, West entered the Cumberland County Federal Credit Union in Falmouth. Holding his right hand in his sweatshirt pocket in a manner consistent with carrying a concealed weapon, he approached a teller and told her, “this is a robbery, no dye packs.” He obtained $16,250 in the robbery. He was subsequently arrested for the robbery and a federal grand jury indicted him in November 2018. He was released pending trial. In early March 2019, he became a fugitive from justice because he violated his pretrial release conditions and a warrant issued for his arrest.

On March 18, 2019, while in fugitive status, West entered a Norway Savings Bank in Portland. He held his right hand in his sweatshirt pocket, in a manner consistent with carrying a concealed weapon. He told the teller, “give me the money,” and after first receiving a small amount of money, demanded “more” and threatened to “start shooting.” He obtained $1,400 in the robbery.

The FBI and the Falmouth, Portland and Westbrook Police Departments investigated the case.

Bangor, Maine:  A New Cumberland, Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Bangor to attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, Aaron Dyer, 34, using the multimedia messaging application Snapchat, sent images of his genitalia to the internet connected device of a 10-year-old girl living in Maine.  Dyer requested in a message accompanying the images that the girl send back nude images of herself.  The defendant admitted that he was aware that the intended recipient of his Snapchat message was 10 years old.  The images were intercepted by the girl’s mother before they were viewed by the girl. 

Dyer 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.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police investigated the case.

PORTLAND, Maine: Drug overdoses are the leading cause of injury-related deaths in the United States and every day we see the impact that prescription drug abuse has on our neighborhoods. This crisis is destroying communities throughout New England and our nation. In an effort to address this epidemic, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division (NEFD) recently conducted a two-week surge operation. During the operation, law enforcement made 645 arrests and seized 17.9 kilograms of fentanyl, 7,800 illicit fentanyl pills, 13.9 kilograms of cocaine, 3.1 kilograms of heroin, 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 38.1 kilograms of marijuana, 51 firearms and $1.2 million in cash, announced Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle.

“DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes these deadly drugs,” said SAC Boyle. “Those arrested need to be held accountable for their actions because they have chosen to distribute this poison and profit from the misery they spread.”

“Many Maine communities are battling the devastating effects of drug trafficking,” said Halsey B. Frank, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine. “Fighting this scourge is one of the top priorities of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. We applaud the results of the recent New England surge operation and will continue working with DEA and our state and local partners to investigate and prosecute those who choose to distribute drugs in our state.”

The NEFD thanked its many local, state and federal law enforcement partners for their assistance during the two-week operation, and for their strong commitment to drug law enforcement in New England.

“Illegal drug distribution ravages the very foundations of our families and communities,” said SAC Boyle. “Every time we take fentanyl off the streets we save lives. These enforcement actions demonstrate the strength of collaborative local, state and federal law enforcement efforts in New England.”

Portland, Maine:  A Portland man was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for possessing child pornography and violating his supervised release, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Joseph Holland, 33, to a total of 65 months in prison—51 months for possessing child pornography, and 14 months for violating the conditions of supervised release to which he was subject following a prior federal conviction. He pleaded guilty and admitted the supervised release violation on May 15, 2019.

According to court records, in January of this year, Holland was on supervised release after completing an 82-month sentence for drug and firearm offenses. Another individual on supervised release admitted to a U.S. Probation Officer that he had been using Holland’s cell phone, and that he had seen images of nudes that he thought could be minors on the phone. A review of Holland’s phone revealed numerous child pornography images.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case, with assistance from U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services.

Portland, Maine:  An Old Orchard Beach woman was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for Social Security fraud and theft of public money, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Kelly L. McCabe, 36, to 12 months and one day imprisonment and three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $101,400 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA). She pleaded guilty on April 25, 2019.

According to court records, McCabe applied for Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) on behalf of her two daughters, who were found eligible to receive such benefits in 2006 and 2008, respectively. SSI benefits are paid to people with limited income who are blind, disabled, or elderly. Beneficiaries who are unable to care for themselves may seek the appointment of a representative payee who is responsible for spending the beneficiary’s benefits on their day-to-day needs. McCabe was appointed representative payee for her two daughters.

In 2012, McCabe lost custody of her daughters and they were placed into the custody of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. After losing custody, McCabe continued to collect her daughters’ SSI benefits until July 2017, by concealing from the SSA her daughters’ absence from her home and her personal use of their benefits. McCabe was also a recipient of SSI benefits and her use of her daughters’ benefits reduced her eligibility to receive SSI benefits, resulting in an additional loss to the benefit program.

SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and the Fraud, Investigation and Recovery Unit of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services investigated the case.

Bangor, Maine:  A Presque Isle woman pleaded guilty today in Bangor to passing counterfeit money, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, in December of 2018, Vicky Leclerc, 28, contacted a person who was selling clothes on Facebook.  Leclerc stated that she wished to purchase the clothes for $20 and the seller agreed.  Subsequently, Leclerc met with the seller and paid for the clothes with a $50 bill.  The seller later became suspicious that the $50 bill was counterfeit because it did not feel correct.  She brought the bill to the Presque Isle Police Department who confirmed the bill was counterfeit.  At the time of the sale, Leclerc was aware that the $50 bill was counterfeit.

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

The Presque Isle Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case.

Portland, Maine:  The Department of Justice today announced that it has awarded more than $376 million in grant funding to enhance state, local and tribal law enforcement operations and reinforce public safety efforts in jurisdictions across the United States. Over $1.2 million will support public safety activities in the District of Maine. The awards were made by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP).

“Crime and violence hold families, friends and neighborhoods hostage, and they rip communities apart,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These programs help restore the health and safety of crime-ravaged communities by supporting prevention activities, aiding in the apprehension and prosecution of perpetrators, facilitating appropriate sentencing and adjudication, and providing communities and their residents the means for recovery and healing.”

The awards announced today support an array of crime-fighting initiatives, including the quarter-billion dollar Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grants Program, which funds public safety efforts in 929 state, local and tribal jurisdictions. Funding also supports sex offender registration and notification, law enforcement-based victim services, the testing of sexual assault kits, and programs designed to address youth with sexual behavioral problems. Other awards will focus on wrongful convictions, intellectual property enforcement, innovative prosecution strategies and the safety and effectiveness of corrections systems.

“I’m proud of the long-standing partnerships the Department of Justice has with state and local law enforcement agencies in Maine,” U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank said. “The grants announced today will help keep the people of Maine safe and ensure that those who commit crimes in our state are brought to justice.”

The following awards were made to jurisdictions in Maine:

Awardee                                                                    

Amount of Award

State of Maine

            $977,989

City of Portland

                        $96,898

City of Biddeford

$59,006

City of Lewiston

            $38,577

City of Augusta

$36,865

Lincoln County

$10,728

For more information about the programs and awards announced today, visit the OJP Awards Data webpage.

OJP, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.

Portland, Maine: A Beltsville, Maryland man was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for his involvement in a conspiracy to use stolen credit card numbers, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., sentenced Marcellin N’Din, 36, to concurrent sentences of 22 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release on two access-device-fraud charges. He was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. The amount of restitution he will be ordered to pay to victims will be determined at a later date. He pleaded guilty on July 10, 2019. 

According to court records, N’Din conspired with others to use counterfeit credit cards at Maine stores. N’Din himself used counterfeit cards to make purchases at several Maine stores in August 2018. A search of a hotel room used by a co-defendant, Bryan Boley, in January of this year led to the seizure of several dozen plastic cards, 47 of which had been fraudulently re-encoded; about 25 receipts showing purchases of gift cards and other items; and a credit card reader/writer.

Last week, Boley was sentenced to 22 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $1000 fine.

The U.S. Secret Service; the Maine State Police; and the Auburn, Brunswick, Cape Elizabeth and Yarmouth police departments investigated the case.

Portland, Maine:  A Sanford man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Portland to transferring obscene material to a minor, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, in October 2018, Dylan Neill, 38, used a social media application to send a series of videos and images to a minor under 16 years old. Several of the videos depicted Neill repeatedly penetrating the anus of an adult female with his fingers.

Neill faces up to 10 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.

The Sanford Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.

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

Portland, Maine: A Pawtucket, Rhode Island man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Portland to providing false information in connection with the acquisition of firearms from a licensed dealer, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, on five separate occasions between April 2018 and August 2018, Salvador Rodrigues, 22, purchased firearms from Kittery Trading Post. During each of the five purchases, Rodrigues presented an invalid Maine driver’s license and/or falsely claimed in writing that he had not been convicted of a felony offense. In fact, he had been convicted in Rhode Island of felony possession of a pistol without a license and a felony drug offense in May 2018.

Rodrigues faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the five counts to which he pleaded guilty. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The Pawtucket Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about PSN please visit www.justice.gov/psn.

Portland, Maine:  A Lewiston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Portland to conspiring to manufacture 100 or more marijuana plants and to distribute 100 or more kilograms of marijuana, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, Richard Daniels, 54, actively participated in a drug trafficking organization that operated in Androscoggin County and elsewhere between 2015 and February 2018. Members of the conspiracy cultivated and distributed large quantities of marijuana in violation of federal law, and under the cover of—but in violation of—Maine’s Medical Use of Marijuana program. The organization cultivated marijuana at numerous locations in Androscoggin County and distributed marijuana to people who were not participants in the medical marijuana program, including out-of-state customers. Daniels was involved with the distribution of bulk quantities of marijuana to the conspiracy’s customers, including those from outside of Maine. 

On February 27, 2018, law enforcement officers searched Daniels’ residence and an adjacent garage. During the search, agents seized distributable quantities of marijuana, hash oil, approximately 41 sheets of butane hash oil, a money counter and other indicia of drug trafficking.

Daniels faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years 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.

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

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.  

Bangor, Maine: A Takoma Park, Maryland man was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for his involvement in a conspiracy to use stolen credit card numbers, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., sentenced Bryan Boley, 33, to concurrent sentences of 22 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release on six access-device-fraud charges. He was also ordered to pay a $1000 fine. The amount of restitution he will be ordered to pay to victims will be determined at a later date. He pleaded guilty on May 16, 2019. 

According to court records, Boley conspired with others to use counterfeit credit cards at Maine stores. He bought the credit card numbers online. A search of his hotel room in January of this year led to the seizure of several dozen plastic cards, 47 of which had been fraudulently re-encoded; about 25 receipts showing purchases of gift cards and other items; and a credit card reader/writer. At the time of his arrest, Boley had an additional 19 cards on his person, 17 of which had been re-encoded with credit card numbers that did not belong to him.

In pronouncing sentence, Judge Woodcock remarked on Boley’s “wasted potential,” noting that he was gifted with natural intelligence and had educated parents, but had used his talents for criminality.

A co-defendant, Marcellin N’Din, pleaded guilty on July 10, 2019, to two access-device-fraud offenses. His sentencing is scheduled for November 22, 2019.

The United States Secret Service; the Maine State Police; and the Auburn, Brunswick, Cape Elizabeth and Yarmouth police departments investigated the case.

The TRUST Program event scheduled for November 18, 2019, at Gray-New Gloucester High School has been postponed. The event will be rescheduled, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will issue a press release with details regarding the new date.

Bangor, Maine:  A Frankfort, Maine man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Bangor to attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to court records, in April 2019, Nicholas Norwood, 33, used a mobile messaging service to send an image of his genitalia to an undercover federal agent posing as a 13-year-old girl.  

Norwood faces up to 10 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.

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 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.justice.gov/psc.

Portland, Maine:  U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced today that on November 18, 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, the Lewiston Police Department and the Portland Police Department will present the TRUST (Teach mutual Respect and Understanding through SimulaTion) Program to about 50 students at Gray-New Gloucester High School, located at 10 Libby Hill Road in Gray.

The TRUST Program offers students an opportunity to meet with representatives of the criminal justice community and ask them questions, share their perceptions of law enforcement and interact with law enforcement officers in a familiar setting. Law enforcement officers also provide students with their perspective on responding to dangerous or uncertain circumstances and the importance of remaining calm and following the officers’ directions in these situations.

The half-day program will start at 9:00 a.m. and conclude at about 1:00 p.m. It will include: (1) presentations about investigating, prosecuting and sentencing in criminal cases; (2) student role-playing exercises involving a call for service for a domestic disturbance complaint and a traffic stop; and (3) use of force simulations.

OPEN PRESS (except for the use of force simulations; simulator equipment will be made available to the press at the conclusion of the simulations). Students with media permissions will be identified.

NOTE: All media must RSVP to craig.wolff@usdoj.gov, arrive by 8:45 a.m. and possess a government-issued photo I.D. (such as a driver’s license) as well as valid media credentials.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me.

PORTLAND, Maine:  Today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Project Guardian, a new initiative designed to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws across the country. Specifically, Project Guardian focuses on investigating, prosecuting and preventing gun crimes.

Reducing gun violence and enforcing federal firearms laws have always been among the Department’s highest priorities. In order to develop a new and robust effort to promote and ensure public safety, the Department reviewed and adapted some of the successes of past strategies to curb gun violence. Project Guardian draws on the Department’s earlier achievements, such as the “Triggerlock” program, and it serves as a complement to the success of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In addition, the initiative emphasizes the importance of using all technologies available to law enforcement to promote gun crime intelligence.

“Gun crime remains a pervasive problem in too many communities across America. Today, the Department of Justice is redoubling its commitment to tackling this issue through the launch of Project Guardian,” said Attorney General Barr. “Building on the success of past programs like Triggerlock, Project Guardian will strengthen our efforts to reduce gun violence by allowing the federal government and our state and local partners to better target offenders who use guns in crimes and those who try to buy guns illegally.”

Maine U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank said:

 “Since 2001, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine has led the PSN Maine initiative by promoting an aggressive enforcement strategy, particularly in the areas of domestic violence and mental health, with an extensive community outreach campaign aimed at educating Maine citizens about federal gun laws. The strength of PSN Maine continues to be the involvement of dedicated and informed stakeholders who serve on a Task Force with representatives from throughout the State. I know my office looks forward to incorporating the good work of Project Guardian in seeking ways to reduce illegal gun possession and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.”

 “ATF has a long history of strong partnerships in the law enforcement community,” said Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Make no mistake, the women and men of ATF remain steadfast to our core mission of getting crime guns off of our streets. ATF and U.S. Attorneys nationwide will leverage these partnerships even further through enhanced community outreach initiatives and coordination with local, state, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to cut the pipeline of crime guns from those violent individuals who seek to terrorize our communities. Project Guardian will enhance ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence, to include identifying, investigating and prosecuting those involved in the straw purchases of firearms, lying on federal firearms transaction forms, and those subject to the mental health prohibition of possessing firearms.” 

Project Guardian’s implementation is based on five principles:

1)   Coordinated Prosecution. Federal prosecutors and law enforcement will coordinate with state, local and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to consider potential federal prosecution for new cases involving a defendant who: a) was arrested in possession of a firearm; b) is believed to have used a firearm in committing a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime prosecutable in federal court; or c) is suspected of committing violent crime(s) in the community on behalf of a criminal organization.

2)   Enforcing the Background Check System. U.S. Attorneys, in consultation with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in their district, will create new, or review existing, guidelines for intake and prosecution of federal cases involving false statements (including lie-and-try, lie-and-buy, and straw purchasers) made during the acquisition or attempted acquisition of firearms from Federal Firearms Licensees. The guidelines will prioritize individuals convicted of violent felonies or misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence, individuals subject to protective orders, and individuals who are fugitives where the underlying offense is a felony or misdemeanor crime of domestic violence; individuals suspected of involvement in criminal organizations or of providing firearms to criminal organizations; and individuals involved in repeat denials.

3)   Improved Information Sharing. On a regular basis, and as often as practicable given current technical limitations, ATF will provide to state law enforcement fusion centers a report listing individuals for whom the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) has issued denials, including the basis for the denial, so that state and local law enforcement can take appropriate steps under their laws.

4)   Coordinated Response to Mental Health Denials. Each U.S. Attorney will ensure that whenever there is federal case information regarding individuals who are prohibited from possessing a firearm under the mental health prohibition, such information continues to be entered timely and accurately into the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices’ case-management system for prompt submission to NICS. ATF should engage in additional outreach to state and local law enforcement on how to use this denial information to better assure public safety. Additionally, U.S. Attorneys will consult with relevant district stakeholders to assess feasibility of adopting disruption of early engagement programs to address mental-health-prohibited individuals who attempt to acquire a firearm. U.S. Attorneys should consider, when appropriate, recommending court-ordered mental health treatment for any sentences issued to individuals prohibited based on mental health.

5)   Crime Gun Intelligence Coordination. Federal, state, local, and tribal prosecutors and law enforcement will work together to ensure effective use of the ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Centers, and all related resources, to maximize the use of modern intelligence tools and technology. These tools can greatly enhance the speed and effectiveness in identifying trigger-pullers and finding their guns, but the success depends in large part on state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners sharing ballistic evidence and firearm recovery data with the ATF.

Federal law enforcement represents only about 15% of all law enforcement resources nationwide. Therefore, partnerships with state, local and tribal law enforcement and the communities they serve are critical to addressing gun crime. The Department recognizes that sharing information with our state, local and tribal law enforcement partners at every level will enhance public safety, and provide a greater depth of resources available to address gun crime on a national level.

For more information on Project Guardian, see the Attorney General’s memorandum at: https://www.justice.gov/ag/project-guardian-memo-2019/download.

Event will take place on Wednesday, November 6, 2019, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Augusta Civic Center – North Wing, 76 Community Drive, Augusta, Maine 04330  

U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank to deliver opening remarks

Portland, Maine: Drug overdoses are the leading cause of injury-related deaths in the United States and every day we see the impact that prescription drug abuse has on our neighborhoods. This crisis is destroying communities throughout our nation. In an effort to address this epidemic, Drug Enforcement Administration New England Division Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle and co-sponsor, the Federation of State Medical Boards, present the Maine Practitioner Diversion Awareness Training.

This invitation-only training is for DEA-registered doctors, dentists, veterinarians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. The objective is to provide information and tools to address prescription drug abuse and addiction. The training will include topics such as the role of DEA’s Diversion Control Division, Maine initiatives regarding the prescribing of opioids, identifying methods of diversion and red flags, the DEA license registration process, health care fraud and diversion, physician case study, the Maine Prescription Monitoring Program and effective medication assisted treatment.

The Maine Practitioner Diversion Awareness Training will be held Wednesday, November 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Augusta Civic Center – North Wing, 76 Community Drive, Augusta, Maine 04330. Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. and a livestream of this event is available to DEA-registered practitioners.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine Halsey B. Frank and DEA New England Division Associate Special Agent in Charge Jon DeLena will be in attendance and available for comments to the media after opening remarks at 9:00 a.m. Gordon Smith, Maine Director of Opioid Response, will be available to the media after his presentation at 10:30 a.m.

BANGOR, Maine:  A Burlington, Maine woman was convicted today of mailing a threatening communication to Sen. Susan Collins following a one-day jury trial, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

According to evidence presented at trial, Suzanne Muscara, 37, mailed a letter containing a white powder to Collins’ Bangor address in October 2018. The letter also contained a handwritten note indicating that the powder was anthrax. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted the letter at a mail sorting facility in Hampden, Maine. The FBI tested the white powder and found that it did not contain toxic substances. The FBI also matched a fingerprint found on the envelope with one of Muscara’s prints.

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

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Maine Office of State Fire Marshal and the Maine State Police.

Portland, Maine: U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank joined the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in announcing that DEA New England and its partners collected 92,875 pounds of prescription drugs, electronic vaping devices and cartridges during the 18th National Drug Take Back Day on October 26, 2019. The following is a breakdown of collected weights for the six New England states:

Maine – 31,180 lbs.

Massachusetts – 30,959 lbs.

New Hampshire – 12,266 lbs.

Connecticut – 6,958 lbs.

Vermont – 6,734 lbs.

Rhode Island – 4,778 lbs.

“Thanks to the public 46 tons of unwanted, expired, unused, unwanted prescription drugs, electronic vaping devices and cartridges have now been taken out of harm’s way across New England,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “These events are only made possible through the hard work of our law enforcement, coalitions and community partners and DEA thanks each and every one of them for their efforts.”

The 92,875 pounds of drugs and vaping materials collected last month is almost four times the 25,810 pounds of unwanted drugs that DEA New England and its partners collected during the first National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in September 2010.

Portland, Maine: U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank joined the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in alerting the public to dangerous counterfeit pills killing Americans. Mexican drug cartels are manufacturing mass quantities of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl, a dangerous synthetic opioid that is lethal in minute doses, for distribution throughout North America.

Based on a sampling of tablets seized nationwide between January and March 2019, DEA found that 27 percent contained potentially lethal doses of fentanyl.

“Capitalizing on the opioid epidemic and prescription drug abuse in the United States, drug trafficking organizations are now sending counterfeit pills made with fentanyl in bulk to the United States for distribution,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “Counterfeit pills that contain fentanyl and fentanyl-laced heroin are responsible for thousands of opioid-related deaths in the United States each year.”

Fentanyl and other highly potent synthetic opioids remain the primary driver behind the ongoing opioid crisis, with fentanyl involved in more deaths than any other illicit drug. 

“Buying drugs from street dealers is deadly especially when fentanyl is disguised as a real pharmaceutical,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “The DEA and our local, state and federal law enforcement partners stand committed to taking deadly fentanyl off the streets of New England and ensuring those who manufacture and traffic these lethal pills are held accountable to the communities and families they damage with this poison.”

A lethal dose of fentanyl is estimated to be about two milligrams, but can vary based on an individual’s body size, tolerance, amount of previous usage and other factors. The full Fentanyl Signature Profiling Program Report on the recent drug sampling and testing is available here: https://go.usa.gov/xp2dJ.

Portland, Maine: A Sabattus man was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for possessing a stolen firearm and possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Scott Estes, 39, to three years in prison and three years of supervised release. Estes pleaded guilty on June 17, 2019.

According to court records, on November 13, 2017, Lewiston dispatchers received a 911 call from Estes’ then-girlfriend, who was in a truck in which he had been a passenger. He was not in the truck at the time of the call. His girlfriend reported that he had a firearm and that he had pointed it at her. When he returned to the truck, his girlfriend remained on the call, pretending to be speaking to a credit card company. She conveyed their location and where they were going.

When the police arrived, Estes fled into a nearby apartment and a seven-hour standoff ensued. The Maine State Police Tactical Team negotiated a peaceful end to the standoff. Investigators recovered the firearm, a Smith & Wesson .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol, from the apartment into which he had fled. Further investigation revealed that it was stolen.

Estes was also prohibited from possessing the firearm because of multiple prior felony convictions, including ones for trafficking in prison contraband, robbery and aggravated operating after revocation.

The Maine State Police; the Lewiston Police Department; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.