District of Maine

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Sean Anderson, 39, of Peabody, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to court records, on May 7, 2019, a Maine State Police trooper stopped the defendant for speeding northbound on I-95 in York. The trooper recovered a package containing about 9 grams of fentanyl from the ground just outside the defendant’s car, where the defendant had thrown it after pulling over. While the defendant was being booked into the York County Jail, jail personnel found two additional packages containing about 52 grams of fentanyl in the defendant’s underwear.

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

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Maine State Police; and the York County Sheriff’s Department and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge, a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Jason Mannix, a/k/a “Boston,” 40, of Passadumkeag, Maine, was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge John A Woodcock, Jr. to three years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” He pled guilty on March 25, 2019.  

According to court records, between January 2016 and February 2017, Mannix conspired with others to acquire heroin, fentanyl and crack in Waterbury, Connecticut and to distribute it in the greater Bangor area.  Mannix facilitated the drug dealing activities of other conspirators. 

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Quinton Spinks, a/k/a “Q,” a/k/a “Travis,” 35, of Rochester, New York, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”

According to court records, between November 2016 and September 2017, Spinks conspired with others from Rochester and Central Maine to acquire heroin and crack in Rochester and to distribute the drugs in Augusta and surrounding communities. 

The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, between three years and life on supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S Probation Office.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, with significant assistance provided by the Maine State Police. The case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Eric Mercado, 32, of Lowell, Massachusetts, was arrested in Georgia, and Steven Hardy, 42, of Maynard, Massachusetts, was arrested in Maynard, and both were charged today by criminal complaint unsealed in U.S. District Court in Maine with conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery. 

According to the complaint, on May 10, 2019, Mercado, Hardy and others drove from outside of Maine to a residence in York, Maine in order to commit an armed home invasion robbery to steal marijuana and marijuana sales proceeds.  Both men, wearing face masks, entered the residence armed with firearms which they discharged during the attempted robbery.  After discharging the firearms, they fled.

If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Mercado’s initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Savannah, Georgia and Hardy’s initial appearance in Worcester, Massachusetts, have not yet been scheduled.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI, in conjunction with the York Police Department.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Jerson Otoniel Osorio-Lopes, 32, of Guatemala, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Lance E. Walker to time served (70 days) for being found in the United States after previously being removed.

According to court records, on May 14, 2019, federal authorities were notified that the defendant had been arrested by the Fairfield, Maine police department.  The defendant’s immigration records revealed that on June 8, 2009, he was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in the United States.  The defendant admitted being a citizen of Guatemala, was ordered removed by an Immigration Judge on June 30, 2009, and was removed to Guatemala on July 16, 2009.  On October 7, 2009, the defendant was arrested again by U.S. Border Patrol agents in the United States.  He was issued a Reinstated Removal Order from June 30, 2009 and removed to Guatemala on October 21, 2009.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Heather Downs, 33, of Gardiner, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 38 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”  She pled guilty on October 1, 2018. 

According to court records, between June 2015 and March 2017, Downs conspired with others to acquire heroin and crack in Rochester, New York and transport it to Central Maine for distribution. The defendant assisted Rochester dealers in distributing the narcotics. She provided transportation, facilitated drug deals, introduced Rochester conspirators to area distributors, and assisted other conspirators in finding residences from which to sell drugs. She also dropped off drugs and picked up proceeds from drug sales. 

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance provided by the Augusta Police Department and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Demetrius Davenport, 31, of Auburn, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to 2½ years in prison and three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm after having been convicted of felony offenses.  Davenport pled guilty to the charge on March 11, 2019.

According to court records, on June 24, 2018, Davenport travelled to Gray, Maine, where he rented a firearm, purchased ammunition, and fired the weapon at a shooting range.  Investigators identified Davenport and the shooting range from a video that was uploaded to YouTube.  Davenport was prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of his two prior felony convictions for illegal possession of firearms and unauthorized taking or transfer. 

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Yarlin Garcia, 26, of Lowell, Massachusetts, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 87 months in prison and four years of supervised release for possession with the intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine.  Garcia pleaded guilty on October 25, 2018.

According to court records, on June 20, 2018, Garcia was arrested outside of a residence in Sanford, Maine and found to be in possession of about 650 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture and 560 grams of cocaine that he brought to Maine.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the Sagadahoc, York, and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Offices; and the Biddeford Police Department and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Myron Crosby, Jr., a/k/a “Templer,” 56, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 14 years in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possessing with the intent to distribute a kilogram or more of heroin.  Crosby was convicted on August 2, 2018, following a four-day jury trial.

The evidence at trial established that between August 2015 and January 2016, Crosby conspired to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin.  He was the Massachusetts source of 60,000 to 80,000 bags of heroin acquired in Hartford, Connecticut and Springfield, Massachusetts that were brought to Maine and distributed by co-conspirators in the Newport, Maine area.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance provided by the Maine and Massachusetts State Police and the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Ethan Rumery, 24, of Pittsfield, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to two years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to violate the federal firearms laws.  The defendant pled guilty on February 25, 2019.

According to court records, between February 2015 and September 2016, Rumery conspired with others to fraudulently obtain firearms from federally licensed dealers in Maine.  When buying the firearms, Rumery and his coconspirators falsely claimed that they were the actual purchasers of the firearms.  The firearms were, in fact, purchased for and sold to individuals residing outside of Maine.  

The case was investigated by the Massachusetts State Police; the Newport and Pittsfield (Maine) Police Departments; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted 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.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Zachary Morneault, 35, of Levant, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to 16 months in prison and three years of supervised release for making false statements to a federal firearms dealer. The defendant pled guilty on October 2, 2018.

According to court records, in late February 2018, Brewer Police Department (BPD) officers seized a .380 caliber handgun while executing a drug trafficking search warrant.  The firearm had been purchased about ten days earlier at an area firearms dealer. An investigation revealed that the defendant, and at least two others, agreed to have one conspirator falsely claim that she was the true purchaser of the firearm when the actual buyer was another conspirator who was paying her to make the purchase.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the BPD, with assistance provided by the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Carletta Willette, a/k/a “Carletta Knowlton,” a/k/a “Carly,” 36, of Hampden, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to time served (22 months) in prison and three years of supervised release for possession with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, commonly known as “crack” and heroin. Willette pled guilty on March 7, 2018.

According to court records, on September 1, 2017, Willette was arrested outside of a hotel in Brewer, Maine and found to be in possession of about 95 grams of crack and 44 grams of heroin.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Malcom Greenlaw, 48, of Bangor, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to four years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”  He pled guilty on January 10, 2019.  

According to court records, between January 2016 and February 2017, Greenlaw conspired with others to distribute heroin, fentanyl and crack in Penobscot County that was acquired in Waterbury, Connecticut. The defendant distributed drugs in the Bangor area and facilitated the drug dealing activities of others. 

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Michael Larkin, 61, of Corpus Christi, Texas and formerly of Massachusetts, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 15 months in prison and five years of supervised release for failing to update his sex offender registration in Maine and failing to register elsewhere.  He pled guilty on February 20, 2019. 

According to court records, Larkin was required to register as a sex offender in every state in which he resided as the result of a 1994 Massachusetts conviction for rape and abuse of a child under 16, assault with intent to rape a child under 16, indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.  Between 2006 and 2017, Larkin registered as a sex offender in Massachusetts.  In September, 2017, Larkin moved to Maine, but failed to register until December, 2017.  Shortly thereafter, Larkin left Maine and resided in Alabama and Texas, but failed to register in either state.  He also failed to inform the Maine Sex Offender Registry that he left Maine.  He was arrested in Texas in June, 2018.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Ariel Martinez, 32, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was sentenced today in U.S. District by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 12½ years in prison and three years of supervised release for possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.  Martinez pleaded guilty on February 19, 2019.

Court records reveal that on November 21, 2017, state law enforcement agents went to a Brunswick, Maine residence to investigate a suspected drug overdose death. The investigation revealed that the decedent obtained fentanyl from a Massachusetts dealer and how to contact that dealer.  The next day, an agent, acting in an undercover capacity, placed an order for 20 grams of fentanyl with that dealer for delivery the next day at a designated time and Brunswick location.  Agents stopped a vehicle with Massachusetts plates that arrived at the designated time and location.  The defendant was a passenger in the vehicle and admitted to having fentanyl in his shoe and pants. Agents seized about 19 grams of fentanyl from the defendant.

The investigation was conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the Brunswick, Bath and Rockland Police Departments; and the Sagadahoc and Knox County Sheriff’s Offices.  This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Christopher Kruse, 51, of Skowhegan, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Lance E. Walker to 15 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release for possessing and receiving child pornography.  He was also ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution, $10,200 in special assessments, and a $1,000 fine. 

According to court records, in November 2017, Kruse used the internet to receive several videos depicting child pornography, with many of the images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children by adult men.  He added these videos to a collection of child pornography he had kept on his personal computer since 2015.  The collection was discovered on November 28, 2017 when law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Kruse’s home.  

In imposing the sentence, Judge Walker noted that this case reflected “a grave concern to public safety that is greater than in the average case of possession of child pornography,” and that Kruse had “sought out and collected some of the most vile and disturbing images.”

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office and the Bangor and Skowhegan Police Departments.  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.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Joshua Kaufman, 33, of Biddeford, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to eight years in prison and five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  He pleaded guilty on January 23, 2019.

Court records reveal that on February 21, 2018, law enforcement seized approximately 170 grams of methamphetamine and 56 grams of cocaine from a package shipped from Texas to the defendant.  Later that same day, law enforcement agents searched a vehicle under the control of the defendant and seized more methamphetamine.  The seized drugs were intended for distribution in Southern Maine.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Southern Maine Gang Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the FBI; the Portland, South Portland and Lewiston Police Departments; the York County Sheriff’s Office; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. 

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Andre Muller, 48; Robert Holland, 39; and Hector Munoz, 57, all of New York, New York, were arrested in New York this week and charged by indictment in Maine with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery.  Munoz was also charged with attempted Hobbs Act robbery. 

The indictment alleges that in July 2016, the defendants and others conspired to steal controlled substances from a residence in Rangeley, Maine.  Munoz and an unnamed conspirator entered the residence armed with knives and a baseball bat.

If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  

An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed to be innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt

The case was investigated by 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, with assistance provided by the Maine Office of the Attorney General.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Colin Harle, 23, of Portland, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to holding for sale counterfeit drugs and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

According to court records, on August 27, 2018, law enforcement officers arrested Harle in South Portland following his attempted sale of counterfeit alprazolam (commonly sold under the brand name “Xanax”) pills.  After Harle’s arrest, officers learned that Harle had a safe in a wooded area in Westbrook, Maine. Officers located the safe and found about 20,000 counterfeit pills marked “Xanax 2,” $5,480 in United States currency, and a 9mm pistol with two fully-loaded magazines.

The Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) Forensic Chemistry Center confirmed the presence of alprazolam in the pills and that the pills were counterfeit. 

“American consumers rely on FDA oversight to ensure the safety, efficacy, and authenticity of their prescription medications.  Illegally dispensing counterfeit prescription drugs places consumers’ health at risk,” said Jeffrey Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ New York Field Office. “We are committed to pursuing and bringing to justice those who jeopardize the public health by distributing these potentially dangerous products.”

“Traffickers who keep loaded guns with their illegal drugs should expect to be caught and prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. 

The defendant faces up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the counterfeit drug charge and between five years and life in prison and a $250,000 fine on the firearm charge.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case was investigated by FDA Office of Criminal Investigations; the Westbrook Police Department; and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency. 

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Deondray Warren, a/k/a “Main,” a/k/a “Maine,” 33, of Rochester, New York, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack,” distributing heroin and crack, and conspiring to violate federal firearms laws.

According to court records, between November 2016 and September 2017, Warren conspired with others from Rochester and Central Maine to distribute heroin and crack.  The drugs were acquired in Rochester and Warren and others distributed the drugs in Central Maine.  On May 1, 2017, Warren sold crack and heroin to an individual working with law enforcement.  In addition, between February and May, 2017, the defendant conspired with co-defendant Rashaad McKinney and others to conduct straw purchases of 12 firearms from two Central Maine firearms dealers.

The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, between three years and life on supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine on the two drug charges and up to five years imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine on the firearms charge. 

On February 26, 2109, McKinney pled guilty to the two conspiracy charges and awaits sentencing.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s program to combat the opioid epidemic.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Eilove Shrestha, 28, recently of Cupertino, California, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to marriage fraud and to conspiracy to commit marriage fraud.

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. 

Shrestha faces up to five 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.

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.  

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Aaron West, 38, of Westbrook, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to two counts of bank robbery.  The charges arose from robberies in January 2018 and March 2019 of a credit union in Falmouth and a bank in Portland, respectively.

According to court records, on January 31, 2018, the defendant entered the Cumberland County Federal Credit Union in Falmouth, Maine.  Holding his right hand in his sweatshirt pocket in a manner consistent with carrying a concealed weapon, the defendant approached a teller and told her, “this is a robbery, no dye packs.”  The defendant obtained $16,250.00 in the robbery.  The defendant was subsequently arrested for that robbery and a federal grand jury indicted him in November, 2018.  West was released on bail. On March 14, 2019, the defendant became a fugitive from justice because he violated the conditions of his bail and a warrant issued for his arrest.   

On March 18, 2019, while in fugitive status, the defendant entered a Norway Savings Bank in Portland, Maine.  The defendant held his right hand in his sweatshirt pocket, in a manner consistent with carrying a concealed weapon.  The defendant told the teller, “give me the money,” and after first receiving a small amount of money, demanded “more” and threatened to “start shooting.”  The defendant obtained $1,400.00 in the robbery.

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

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Falmouth, Portland and Westbrook Police Departments.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Isaac Suero, 23, of Biddeford, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to nine years in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor.  Suero also was ordered to pay $750 in restitution to the victim of the offense.  Suero pleaded guilty on January 16, 2019.

Court records reveal that on April 19, 2017, Suero and the victim, who was 15 years old at the time, connected online.  Thereafter, Suero and three others picked the victim up at a Hannaford store and drove her to a private residence in the Bangor area.  While there, there was a discussion about prostitution, and it was suggested that the victim, who had no money, would engage in prostitution with Suero’s assistance and give him a portion of the money.  Suero paid for a hotel room in Bangor for the victim and another adult female, and between April 20 and 22, the 15-year-old victim engaged in multiple commercial sex acts, giving a portion of the proceeds to Suero.  On April 22, Suero paid an associate to drive him and the victim from Bangor to a motel in Scarborough, Maine, where Suero introduced the victim to his mother, Lourdes Suero.  Isaac Suero left the victim at the motel with his mother, and the victim continued to engage in commercial sex acts in the Scarborough area.  Lourdes Suero pleaded guilty in March to using a facility of interstate commerce with the intent to promote prostitution and is scheduled to be sentenced in August.

The District of Maine is one of six districts designated through a competitive, nationwide selection process as a Phase II Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team (ACTeam), through the interagency ACTeam Initiative of the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Labor. ACTeams focus on developing high-impact human trafficking investigations and prosecutions involving forced labor, international sex trafficking and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion through interagency collaboration among federal prosecutors and federal investigative agencies.

This case was investigated by the Southern Maine Gang Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the FBI; the Portland, South Portland and Lewiston Police Departments; the York County Sheriff’s Office; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.   The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office also provided assistance.  

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Michael Rickett, 23, of Saco, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release for selling an unregistered destructive device. Rickett pled guilty to the charge on February 21, 2019.

According to the government’s evidence, on July 10, 2017, concerned citizens reported to the Saco Police Department that Rickett asked them to purchase an explosive device.  The next day, a federal agent, acting in an undercover capacity, called Rickett.  Rickett offered to sell a “military grade IED” to the agent for $350.  Two days later, the agent purchased a homemade explosive device from Rickett.  A forensic laboratory examination confirmed that the device was an explosive bomb.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; and the Portland and Saco Police Departments. 

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Ronald Tilley, 59, of Hampden, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to robbing a credit union.

According to court records, on March 27, 2019, the defendant entered the back door of the Down East Credit Union in Bangor, Maine. He was wearing a dark mask covering his mouth, a hooded sweatshirt, sunglasses, and dark gloves.  The defendant demanded money from the tellers, and stated that he had a gun and would shoot if they did not comply.  The defendant obtained more than $8,700.  A search warrant executed at the defendant’s residence in Hampden, Maine revealed cash stolen from the credit union.  The defendant was subsequently apprehended by law enforcement in Connecticut and confessed to the robbery. 

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

The case was investigated by the Bangor Police Department, the Hampden Police Department and the FBI.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Floyd Chase, 49, of Brewer, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to three years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to make false statements to a federal firearms licensee.   He pled guilty on November 26, 2018.

According to court records, in late February 2018, Brewer police seized a .380 caliber handgun, crack and heroin while executing a narcotics trafficking search warrant at his residence.  A trace of the firearm revealed that it had been purchased about ten days earlier at an area firearms dealer. The ensuing investigation revealed that the defendant and at least two others agreed to lie to the dealer about who was the actual purchaser of the firearm, when, in fact, it was the defendant.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Brewer Police Department, with assistance provided by the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office.

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Scott Estes, 38, of Sabattus, Maine pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to possessing a stolen firearm and possessing a firearm after having been convicted of felony offenses.

According to court records, on November 13, 2017, Lewiston dispatchers received a 911 call from Estes’ then-girlfriend who was then located in a truck in which Estes has been a passenger.  Estes was not in the truck at the time of the call. Estes’ girlfriend reported that Estes had a firearm and that he had pointed it at her.  When Estes returned to the truck, his girlfriend remained on the call pretended to be speaking to a credit card company. She conveyed where they were and where they were going.  When the police arrived, Estes fled into a nearby apartment and a seven hour stand-off ensued.  The Maine State Police tactical team negotiated a peaceful end to the standoff.  The firearm, a Smith & Wesson .380 semi-automatic pistol, was recovered from the apartment into which Estes had fled.  Further investigation revealed that it was stolen.

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

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

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

Portland, Maine.  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced Nancy Ludwig, 65, of Lewiston, Maine, was convicted in U.S. District Court following a 5-day jury trial of health care fraud conspiracy, paying kickbacks, using fraudulent medical documents, and obstructing an audit.

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.  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 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.

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

On May 24, 2019, Ahmed pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud.  In addition to Ahmed and Ludwig’s convictions, five other individuals have been convicted of federal health care crime felonies for their involvement in this case and two other individuals have agreed to civil settlements.

These convictions and civil settlements are 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.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Cameron Soto, 26, of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to distribution of fentanyl.

According to court records, on March 14, 2017, the defendant distributed fentanyl to a resident of St. George, Maine who died as a result.  The following day, the defendant distributed fentanyl to a person working with law enforcement.

As a result of the plea, the defendant faces between 16 and 24 years in prison, a $2,000,000 fine and six years to life on supervised release.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and Rockland Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Timothy T. Myers, 27, of Ellsworth, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to bank robbery.  The charges arose from the robbery in December 2018 of a two Bangor banks.

Court records reveal that on December 21, 2018, the defendant entered a TD Bank branch and handed a teller a note that read: “Give me the money or I shoot, no dye, $1,000.”  The teller gave the defendant cash from the drawer and he absconded with it.

Five days later, the defendant robbed a KeyBank branch.  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,” and handed it to a teller.  The defendant took money from the teller and fled.

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

The investigation was conducted by the Bangor and Ellsworth Police Departments, the Maine State Police Crime Laboratory, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Brandon Hosford, 21, of Easton, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Lance E. Walker to 10 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release for possessing, transporting, and receiving child pornography.  He was also ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution.  Hosford pleaded guilty on October 2, 2018.

According to court records, Hosford sent images of child pornography over the internet on two occasions in October 2017, and received child pornography over the internet in November 2017.  He also was found in possession of child pornography in April 2017 and in January 2018.  Some of the images Hosford possessed and transmitted depicted children under the age of 12.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit, and the Presque Isle and Fort Kent Police Departments.

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. 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced Jason Morgan, 24, of Augusta, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Lance E. Walker to 1½ years in prison and three years of supervised release for making a false statement to a federal firearms licensee.  Morgan pleaded guilty on January 17, 2019.

Court records reveal that on May 26, 2017, Morgan purchased a Smith & Wesson .380 semi-automatic pistol from a federal firearms licensee in Augusta.  In connection with the purchase, Morgan completed a Firearms Transaction Record stating that he was the actual buyer.  In fact, he purchased the firearm for another person from whom he had previously bought illegal drugs and who gave him the money for the purchase. 

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maine State Police, with assistance provided by the U.S. Border Patrol.  This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together federal and state levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Justice Department 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:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Ahmed Mohamed, 24, of Lewiston, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”   He was also sentenced to a consecutive two-year term of imprisonment for violating the terms of supervised release imposed on him in 2016 following a separate federal conviction for crack trafficking.  He pleaded guilty to crack trafficking and violating the terms of his supervised release on January 24, 2019.

Court records reveal that on August 15, 2018, law enforcement officers arrested Mohamed near a drug treatment facility in Lewiston and seized fifty baggies of crack. 

The investigation was conducted by the Lewiston Police Department and the Southern Maine Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers from the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Portland, South Portland, and Lewiston Police Departments; and the York County Sheriff’s Office.

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Robert Gay, 35, of Gardiner, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 2½ years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court records, on June 2, 2018, the defendant was hired to perform plumbing work at a residence in Scarborough, Maine.  While working in the basement, the defendant came across and later stole a rifle that belonged to the homeowner.  A search of the defendant’s cell phone revealed text conversations reflecting that the defendant stole the rifle and sold it to another individual.  The purchaser was identified and the rifle was recovered and returned to the homeowner.  The defendant was prohibited from possessing the rifle because he had two 2018 felony theft convictions.

The case was investigated by the Scarborough and Gardiner Police Departments; the FBI; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Elba Cruz, 46, of Portland, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to using of a false identification document and Social Security number.

According to court records, Cruz provided a counterfeit lawful permanent resident card and Social Security card in support of an employment application to the Hilton Garden Inn, in Portland.  Investigation revealed that the Social Security number and alien registration number were not assigned to her.

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

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Erica Oliveira, 29, of Hermon, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to two years in prison and three years of supervised for conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” She pleaded guilty on October 15, 2018.   

According to court records, between January 2016 and February 2017, Oliveira conspired with others to acquire heroin, fentanyl and crack in Waterbury, Connecticut and to distribute it in Penobscot County. The defendant allowed her Hermon residence to be used to distribute heroin and facilitated the drug dealing activities of others. 

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Austin Santoro, 23, of York, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to two years in prison and three years of supervised release for transmitting a threatening interstate communication and identity theft. The defendant pleaded guilty on December 17, 2018.

According to court documents, in January of 2018, the defendant sent an email to employees of the Portsmouth, New Hampshire Police Department at their departmental email addresses threatening to sexually assault them at gunpoint. The defendant used an email “spoofing” service to make it appear that the email had been sent by the police chief.

On the same day, the defendant sent an email to employees of York County Community College at their work addresses threatening to sexually assault them at gunpoint. The defendant used the same spoofing service to make it appear that the email had been sent by a college employee.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Andre Fields a/k/a “Coop,” a/k/a “Pops,” a/k/a “Boss,” a/k/a “Unc,”, 56, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 170 months in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin and more than 280 grams of cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”  The defendant pled guilty on October 29, 2018.

According to court records, between January 2015 and December 2017, Fields conspired with others to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin and more than 280 grams of crack in Central Maine.  Fields obtained the drugs from out-of-state sources.  The defendant and others brought the drugs back to Maine where he and others, working at his direction, repackaged and distributed them from Central Maine residences and hotel rooms to area drug dealers and addicts for further distribution and use.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance provided by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office, and the Augusta and Waterville Police Departments. This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Keith Phillips, 58, of Lewiston, Maine, was sentenced in U.S. District Court on a charge of bank robbery. Senior United States District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Phillips to 70 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.  The court also ruled that Phillips will be ordered to pay restitution to the victim bank.  Phillips pleaded guilty to the charge on December 26, 2018.

According to court records, on June 6, 2018, Phillips entered Androscoggin Bank in Lewiston, approached a teller, passed a note that contained a demand for money and a threat of a gun, and absconded with $2,000.

The case was investigated by the Lewiston Police Department; the FBI; the Southern Maine Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers from the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Portland, South Portland, and Lewiston Police Departments; and the Central Maine Violent Crime Task Force. 

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Bryan Boley, 33, of Takoma Park, Maryland, pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to commit access device fraud, using or attempting to use a counterfeit access device, possession of 15 or more counterfeit or unauthorized access devices, and possession of device-making equipment.

According to court records, from at least July 31, 2018, Bryan Boley conspired with others to use counterfeit credit cards at Maine retail outlets. He bought the credit card numbers online. A search of Boley’s hotel room in January 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, as well as a credit card reader/writer, among other items. Boley was arrested after checking out of his hotel room in the early hours of January 23, 2019. He 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.

Boley faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 on the conspiracy charge, up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the counterfeit access device charges, and up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the possession of device-making equipment charge.  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 investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service, the Maine State Police and the Auburn, Brunswick, Cape Elizabeth, and Yarmouth Police Departments.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Joseph Holland, 33, of Portland, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing child pornography.

According to court records, in January of this year, Holland was on supervised release after completing his term of imprisonment for a prior federal conviction. 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.

Holland faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He also faces a term of supervised release following his release from prison of no less than 5 years and up to life. He faces a separate term of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced today that Selective Marketplace Ltd. (“Selective”), of Loughborough, England, has entered into a civil settlement agreement with the U.S. under which it will pay a total of $610,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (“FCA”). The FCA is the government’s primary civil remedy to redress false claims involving government funds.  

The settlement resolves allegations that Selective improperly avoided U.S. customs duties owed on merchandise under its two brand names, Wrap London and Poetry, shipped from the United Kingdom to U.S. customers, including those in Maine. See United States ex rel. Vale v. Selective Marketplace Ltd. et al., Civil No. 2:17-cv-380-LEW (D. Me.).  Generally, U.S. customers owed no customs duties on single shipments of merchandise into the U.S. worth less than $200. The complaint alleged that Selective improperly evaded customs duties that would have been paid by U.S. customers by breaking up single shipments worth more than those amounts into multiple shipments of lesser value in order to avoid the applicable duties. 

The FCA action was originally filed by Kristin and Stephen Vale under the FCA’s whistleblower, or qui tam, provisions that allow private individuals who have knowledge of fraud committed against the government to file lawsuits on the government’s behalf. The FCA permits the government to recover up to three times the amount of damages incurred by the U.S., in addition to civil penalties for each violation.  The government may also intervene and file its own lawsuit for damages and penalties, as it did in this case.  If the government prevails in the action, the whistleblower, also known as the relator, may receive a share of the recovery. Here, the government will pay the relators, Kristin and Stephen Vale, a share of the settlement proceeds.

The government was represented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.  Selective cooperated throughout the investigation.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank recognized the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal police officers on the occasion of National Police Week, which is being observed from Sunday, May 12 to Saturday, May 18, 2019.

In October 1962, Congress enacted a joint resolution, which the President signed, declaring May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The resolution also created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice. 

“During Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of police officers from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment in keeping our communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney Frank.  “I want to acknowledge the work performed by federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, who often face uncertain and dangerous situations without question and without expectation of thanks.  We want them to know they have our unwavering support and appreciation.”

According to statistics reported to the FBI, 106 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2018, including Somerset County Deputy Sheriff Corporal Eugene P. Cole in Maine.

Comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing the fatal attacks are included in the sections of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2018 https://ucr.fbi.gov/leoka/2018/ released this week by the FBI.

The names of all 106 fallen officers nationwide, including that of Corporal Cole, will be formally dedicated on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, during the 31st Annual Candlelight Vigil on the evening of Monday, May 13, 2019. No tickets are required and everyone is welcome. For additional information please call 202-737-3400.

The Candlelight Vigil is one of many commemorative events taking place in the nation’s capital during National Police Week 2019.

For more information about other National Police Week events, please visit www.policeweek.org.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Richard R. Hemingway, 34, of Ludlow, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Lance E. Walker to 12 months and a day in prison and two years of supervised release for providing false information during the purchase of two firearms.  Hemingway pleaded guilty on August 21, 2018.

According to court records, on October 4, 2017, Hemingway purchased a Windham Weaponry ‘WW-15’ .300BLK caliber AR-15 style rifle and a Sig Sauer ‘MCX’ .300BLK caliber AR-15 style rifle from a federally licensed firearms dealer.  In doing so, he completed a Firearms Transaction Record form in which he falsely reported that he was the actual purchaser of the firearms.  In fact, Hemingway was buying the firearms for David Allen Polchies.  On the same day the firearms were purchased, officers with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) arrested Polchies and Sharon Weeks as they attempted to smuggle the rifles, several high-capacity drum magazines, and 350 rounds of ammunition into Canada.  Polchies and Weeks were prosecuted in Canada.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the CBSA.  The case was prosecuted 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 proved 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.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced Matthew Johnson, 39, of Burnham, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Lance E. Walker to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release for being an unlawful user of heroin and bath salts in possession of a firearm. The defendant pleaded guilty on June 21, 2018.

Court records reveal on April 20, 2017, officers from the Westbrook and Scarborough Police Departments stopped the defendant’s vehicle which had reportedly fled the scene of an accident.  A search of the vehicle revealed controlled substances, drug paraphernalia and a locked safe.   Inside the locked safe, officers found a fully loaded .357 Magnum revolver, bath salts and other drugs. The defendant admitted he was an addict.  The ensuing investigation revealed that the defendant had purchase the revolver in Bangor and was an unlawful user of heroin and bath salts. 

In imposing the sentence, Judge Walker noted the “deadly and destructive” influence of the combination of illegal drug use and firearm possession within our society.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency as well as the Westbrook and Scarborough Police Departments.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank joined the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in announcing that DEA New England and its partners collected 89,366 lbs. of drugs during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 27, 2019.  The following is a breakdown of collected weights for the six New England states:

Maine – 27,680 lbs.

Massachusetts – 28,117.5 lbs.

New Hampshire – 14,180 lbs.

Connecticut – 8,361.8 lbs.

Vermont – 6,562 lbs.

Rhode Island – 4,465 lbs.

Last October, during its 16th Take Back Day, the DEA New England collected 80,278 pounds, or 40 tons, of expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs at 613 collection sites throughout New England.  In Maine, last October, 27,516 pounds of drugs were collected.

Since its inception in September 2010, Maine has collected 404,698 lbs. of drugs; the most, per capita, in the United States.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Robert McKenna, 48, of Indian Township, Maine; Renita Honea, 57, of Jonesport, Maine; Chandra Hanscom, 44, of Cutler, Maine; Barry McCarthy, 43, of Columbia, Maine; Cody Look, 30, of Cutler; William Smeal, 32, of Hancock, Maine; Ralph Sawtelle, 27, of Lubec, Maine; Vestin Drisko, 40, of Beals Island, Maine; Cinque Grasette, 42, of New York, New York; Mujahedeen Hasan, 28, of Bronx, New York; Miquel Angel Franco, 22, of Bronx; Milo Danell Germany, 21, of Bronx;  Julian Lloyd, 24, of Bronx; and Jordy Collado, 18, of New York, New York were arrested yesterday and charged by criminal complaint in U.S. District Court with distribution of cocaine base, commonly known as “crack,” heroin, fentanyl or cocaine and/or maintaining a drug-involved premises.  Kevin Leroy Barner, 53, of Bronx, was also arrested yesterday, having been charged by indictment on March 28 with possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack.  Christopher Cruz, 30, of Bronx; and Christopher Martinez, 29, of Bronx, were charged today by criminal complaint in U.S. District Court with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base.  Timothy Cates, 40, of Cutler was charged today by criminal complaint in U.S. District Court with maintaining a drug-involved premises.

McKenna and Hasan were charged with distributing crack. Honea and Drisko were charged with distributing crack and heroin and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Hanscom was charged with distributing heroin. Look, Collado, Cruz, and Martinez were charged with possession with intent to distribute crack. Smeal and Lloyd were charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. McCarthy, Sawtelle, and Cates were charged with maintaining a drug-involved premises. Grasette was charged with distributing crack and heroin. Franco and Germany were charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

According to the complaints and indictment, the charges arose from an investigation into the acquisition of crack, cocaine, heroin and fentanyl in New York City and its distribution in Washington and Hancock Counties, in Maine.  The investigation resulted in the execution of seven search warrants yesterday that resulted in the seizure of several firearms, including, but not limited to, a sawed-off shotgun, and large quantities of crack and fentanyl.

If convicted, Barner faces between five and 40 years in prison and up to a $5,000,000 fine.  The other defendants charged with drug trafficking face up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Defendants charged with maintaining a drug-involved premises face up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.  The charges in the complaints and indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

The investigation is being conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, Maine State Police, FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Border Patrol; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Marshals Service; and Maine Marine Patrol.

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. 

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Danny Rydle, 29, of Biddeford, Maine pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy and theft of firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer.

According to court records, on February 20, 2018, the defendant and another individual stole firearms from a federally licensed firearm dealer in Biddeford.  The theft was discovered by the Biddeford Police Department, who responded to a burglar alarm and found a broken glass door at the building’s entrance.  The responding officers used a police K9 to locate a price tag that had been attached to one of the stolen firearms.  The price tag had Rydle’s blood on it.

Rydle faces up to five years for conspiracy and up to 10 years for theft, and a $250,000 fine.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The case was investigated by the Biddeford Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced today that on May 1, 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, the York County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, and York County District Attorney’s Office will present the TRUST (Teach mutual Respect and Understanding through SimulaTion) Program to about 50 Massabesic High School students at Massabesic High School, located at 88 West Road, in Waterboro, Maine.

“The TRUST Program arose out of the belief that young people and law enforcement officers can benefit from spending time together, discussing challenges and perspectives on law enforcement, and better understanding each other,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “It is modeled on similar programs run by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices that have been successful in Alabama (Bridging the Gap) and Florida (Building Lasting Relationships).”

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 donald.clark@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 for the District of Maine, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Kelly L. McCabe, 36, of Saco, Maine, pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to social security fraud and theft of public money.

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 Social Security Administration (“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.

McCabe faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for social security fraud and up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine for theft of public money charge.  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 investigation was conducted by SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and the Maine Department of Health & Human Services’ Fraud Investigation and Recovery Unit.