District of Maine

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Nicholas T. Richard, 39, of Lewiston, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to receiving child pornography.

According to court records, in February of this year, Richard used the internet and peer-to-peer file-sharing software to download child pornography images. Richard was at the Auburn Public Library when he downloaded the images using the library’s wireless internet connection. Investigators seized Richard’s laptop computer and other electronic devices from him at the library and obtained a search warrant for them. The laptop contained thousands of images and videos depicting child pornography and child erotica.

Richard faces an enhanced sentence of between 15 and 40 years in prison based on a prior federal child pornography conviction. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and supervised release of between five years and life. He 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, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and the Auburn Police Department.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that $500,000 in grant funding through the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP) was made to the Somerset County Sheriff’s Department ($250,000 for two officers), the Madawaska Police Department ($125,000 for one officer) and the Jay Police Department ($125,000 for one officer).  These grants were part of $98,495,397 in grants announced today by Attorney General Jeff Sessions that were awarded to 179 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 802 additional full-time law enforcement officers.

“Cities and states that cooperate with federal law enforcement make all of us safer by helping remove dangerous criminals from our communities,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “Today, the Justice Department announced that 80 percent of this year’s COPS Hiring Program grantees have agreed to cooperate with federal immigration authorities in their detention facilities. I applaud their commitment to the rule of law and to ending violent crime, including violent crime stemming from illegal immigration. I continue to encourage every jurisdiction in America to collaborate with federal law enforcement and help us make this country safer.”

CHP provides grant funding directly to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to support hiring additional law enforcement officers for three years to address specific crime problems through community policing strategies.

In September, the Justice Department announced additional priority consideration criteria for FY2017 COPS Office grants. Applicants were notified that their application would receive additional points in the application scoring process by certifying their willingness to cooperate with federal immigration authorities within their detention facilities. Cooperation may include providing access to detention facilities for an interview of aliens in the jurisdiction’s custody and providing advance notice of an alien’s release from custody upon request. 143 of the 179 (80%) awarded agencies received additional points based on their certifications of willingness to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

The COPS Office awards grants to hire community policing officers, develop and test innovative policing strategies, and provide training and technical assistance to community members, local government leaders, and all levels of law enforcement. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to help advance community policing.

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that William Gaudet, 51, formerly of Wells, Maine, was convicted today following a four-day jury trial in U.S. District Court of transporting a minor interstate intending to engage in criminal sexual activity and interstate travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

According to court records and trial evidence, on two occasions during the summer of 2010, Gaudet traveled between Maine and Pennsylvania with an eight-year-old child intending to engage in sexual activity with her. On both occasions, he sexually assaulted the child.  The investigation began in 2014 after the child reported the abuse. In 2012, Gaudet was convicted in New Hampshire Superior Court for sexually assaulting another minor in 2001 and 2005.

The defendant faces between 10 years and life in prison on the transportation charge and up to 30 years in prison on the travel charge. He also faces a $250,000 fine on each count. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. 

The investigation was conducted by the Biddeford, Gorham, Kennebunk, Wells, Wakefield (New Hampshire) and Pocono Township (Pennsylvania) Police Departments; the New Hampshire Correctional Facility; the Carroll County (New Hampshire) Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 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 via the Internet, 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 Donovan Miller, 30, formerly of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 15 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release for transporting an individual in interstate commerce with the intent that she engage in prostitution. He was also ordered to pay $500 in restitution to his victim. 

Court records reveal that on March 29, 2014, Miller, the female victim, and a third person traveled from Portland to New York City by bus.  Upon arriving in New York City shortly after midnight, Miller took the victim and the third person to a hotel, and introduced them to another woman he had known for a long time.  Advertisements for the victim’s prostitution services thereafter were posted on Backpage.com under the phone number of Miller’s long-time acquaintance.

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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Westbrook Police Department.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Yaisder Herrera Gargallo, 24, of Miami, Florida, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 40 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. He pleaded guilty on June 19, 2017.

Court records show that between about November 2015 and June 2016, the defendant and others used stolen credit and debit card numbers to purchase merchandise. In June 2016, as part of the conspiracy, the defendant and others traveled to Maine. On June 14, 2016, the defendant purchased over $400 worth of merchandise at a Portland Walgreens using a stolen card number belonging to a victim from New Gloucester, Maine. The next day, after the defendant made another fraudulent purchase using a different card number at another Portland Walgreens, store personnel notified the police and provided a license plate number.

On June 18, 2016, a Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped the vehicle in which the defendant and three other men were traveling. The stop led to their arrest and the discovery of merchandise, numerous fraudulent credit cards and a laptop computer. The laptop computer was later found to contain credit card numbers and related data, including the stolen card number the defendant had used to make the fraudulent purchase on June 14, 2016.

The defendant’s three co-defendants—Jose Castillo Febles, Juan Carlos Febles and Meylisi Rueda—have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

The case was investigated by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, the Portland Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Michael Vicente, 29, of Waterbury, Connecticut, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 100 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute oxycodone.  He pleaded guilty on June 1, 2017.

According to court records, between June 2013 and April 2015, Vicente supplied about 15,000 30 mg oxycodone tablets to conspirators who distributed them in Central Maine. Conspirators from Maine travelled to Connecticut on a weekly basis to obtain the drugs from Vicente.  On April 16, 2015, law enforcement agents and officers executed search warrants at the Central Maine residences of two co-conspirators and seized oxycodone, other controlled substances, drug paraphernalia and firearms.  Vicente was arrested after being identified as the source of the drugs.   

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Somerset County Sheriff’s Department, with the assistance of the Waterville Police Department.  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 Vance Cayford, 46, of Norridgewock, Maine pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court to being a felon in possession of ammunition and attempted possession of a firearm. 

According to court records, on May 29, 2016, police officers went to the defendant’s Norridgewock residence to investigate a domestic disturbance.  Soon after they arrived, the defendant ran towards one of the officers and attempted unsuccessfully to take the officer’s rifle.  During a search of Cayford’s residence, officers recovered 92 rounds of .45-caliber ammunition.  The defendant was prohibited from possessing ammunition and firearms because of previous Maine felony convictions for domestic violence assault and illegal possession of a firearm.          

Cayford 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.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Mustafa Hassan, 34, of Portland was sentenced on November 1 in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to seven years in prison and four years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 28 grams or more of cocaine base, commonly known as crack.  The defendant was convicted following a jury trial on March 16, 2017. 

Court records and trial evidence revealed that between January and March 2016, Hassan, Carlos Manuel Perez-Crisostomo a/k/a “Nelson Calderon,” and others trafficked in cocaine and crack in southern Maine.  The two men were arrested on March 6, 2016, as law enforcement interrupted a pending drug transaction.  A subsequent search warrant at Perez-Crisostomo’s residence revealed about 160 grams of crack and about 460 grams of cocaine. 

On November 21, 2016, Perez-Crisostomo entered a guilty plea to the drug conspiracy charge.  On September 7, 2017, he was sentenced to 121 months in prison.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the U.S Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) in conjunction with 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 DEA; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the Portland, South Portland, and Lewiston Police Departments.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Adam Williams, a/k/a “Pacman,” 37, of Worcester, Massachusetts was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock Jr. to six years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for distributing cocaine base, commonly known as crack.  Williams pleaded guilty to the offense on April 6, 2017.  

According to court records, on April 10, 2015, in Bangor, Williams sold crack to an individual working with law enforcement.

In imposing the sentence, Judge Woodcock noted that the defendant had three prior felony convictions in Massachusetts involving the distribution of controlled substances and that his conduct pending sentencing was “reprehensible.” 

The investigation was conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.  

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Alain Lamontagne, 55, of Middletown, New York, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to introducing into interstate commerce misbranded animal drugs. 

According to court documents, Lamontagne operated a New York business that sold dietary supplements, tack supplies and intravenous drugs for horses.  The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act regulates the manufacturing and distribution of drugs intended for humans and animals.  The law prohibits the introduction into interstate commerce drugs that are adulterated or misbranded.  A misbranded drug is one that contains a label that is false or misleading. 

In March and May of 2017, Lamontagne sold two bottles of intravenous horse drugs to an undercover Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agent who was posing as a Maine horse trainer.  The drug bottles shipped to Maine by Lamontagne bore fictitious labels that listed no active ingredients and falsely represented that the drugs were manufactured by a real pharmacy in Ontario, Canada.  The drugs were tested by the FDA laboratory and found to contain stanozolol, an anabolic steroid.

“Distributing misbranded and adulterated animal drugs containing steroids to increase the performance of racehorses endangers the health and safety of those animals,” said Jeffrey J. Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge, FDA, Office of Criminal Investigations’ (OCI) New York Field Office.  “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who subvert FDA’s requirements, which are designed to ensure, among other things, that animal drugs are safe and effective for their intended uses, as well as properly labeled.”

The defendant faces up to one year in jail and $100,000 fine on each of the two counts.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case was investigated by the FDA, OCI. 

            Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Vincent Graham, a/k/a “Shawn” and “Mac,” 33, of Bronx, New York, was indicted yesterday by a grand jury and charged with sex trafficking, drug distribution and transporting individuals in interstate commerce intending that they engage in prostitution.

            Graham faces between 15 years and life in prison on the sex trafficking charges, up to 20 years on the drug charges and up to 10 years on the transportation counts.  He also faces fines of up to $250,000 on the sex trafficking and transportation counts and up to $1,000,000 on the drug counts.

            The case was investigated by the Biddeford Police Department; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation; as part of Maine’s Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team (ACTeam) Initiative, an interagency federal law enforcement initiative aimed at streamlining the investigation and prosecution of federal human trafficking offenses.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank today announced that Mercy Hospital (“Mercy”), of Portland, has entered into a civil settlement agreement with the United States and the State of Maine in which it will pay $1,514,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the federal and Maine False Claims Acts.  See United States v. Mercy Hospital, 17-cv-00429-JAW (D. Me.).

The settlement resolves allegations that Medicare and MaineCare were overbilled for urinalysis drug screening tests ordered and performed at the former Mercy Recovery Center in Westbrook, Maine, from 2011 through 2013.  In October 2013, Mercy and its affiliate, Mercy Recovery Center, were acquired by Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems (“EMHS”).   

The allegation was that Mercy falsely used a billing modifier code to receive payment for multiple same-day urinalysis drug screening tests at Mercy Recovery Center that did not arise from separate, medically necessary encounters with the same patients on the same days.  The urinalysis drug screening tests should have been bundled and billed as one claim per each single patient encounter.  Instead, Mercy separately billed for the urinalysis drug screening tests on a per-test basis.  As a result, Medicare and MaineCare overpaid Mercy on multiple claims.

Mercy cooperated with the investigation.  In addition, Mercy and EMHS implemented enhanced internal compliance measures in response to the overbilling issue.  Federal and state authorities encourage health care providers to cooperate with its investigations of the possible submission of improper claims to federal and state programs.

The case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General for the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Duval Grant, a/k/a “Val”, 25, of Bangor, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 28 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and distributing heroin, cocaine base, commonly known as crack, and oxycodone.

According to court records, between January 2013 and September 2015, Grant conspired with others to distribute heroin, crack, and oxycodone in the Bangor area and elsewhere.  After the drugs were obtained from out-of-state sources and transported back to Maine, Grant and others sold them to customers in the Bangor area.  Grant was found to be responsible for distributing over 200 grams of heroin during the four-month period that he participated in the conspiracy.

Chief Judge Torresen varied the defendant’s sentence downward because, among other things, he faces deportation proceedings at the conclusion of his sentence.

The case was related to the prior prosecution of Mario Lee, a/k/a “Moe,” who was sentenced to 218 months imprisonment for his role in the conspiracy.  The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.

WASHINGTON – The Drug Enforcement Administration will join forces tomorrow with more than 4,000 local, tribal, and community partners at more than 5,000 collection sites to collect potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  The effort will help prevent these drugs, including opioids, from falling into the wrong hands and contributing to a lethal drug abuse epidemic in the United States. 

On Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. local time, individuals can take pills and other solid forms of medication at nearby collection sites (DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps), which can be located at www.DEATakeBack.com or by calling 800-882-9539. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

The DEA action comes just days after President Donald J. Trump announced the mobilization of his entire Administration to address drug addiction and opioid abuse by directing the declaration of a Nationwide Public Health Emergency to address the opioids crisis.

“Today the United States is facing the worst drug crisis in our history, as more Americans are dying from drug overdoses than ever before,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We lose one American life to drugs every nine minutes. This crisis affects every American, as it is filling up our emergency rooms, our foster homes, and our cemeteries.

“President Trump is right to make this issue a top priority for his administration, and his plan will make a difference for millions of Americans. It will help those suffering from addiction get the treatment they need and prevent many new addictions from starting in the first place.   I commend him for recognizing the public health emergency that this is.”  

“This Department of Justice is committed to doing its part to turn the tide. This year we have conducted the largest opioid-related health care fraud takedown in American history, charging some 120 defendants with opioid-related crimes. Since then I have taken additional steps to stop opioid-related fraud, creating a new data analytics team that can find evidence of overprescribing, and appointing 12 prosecutors to focus solely on this issue. I firmly believe that these steps will prevent drug abuse and addiction and save American lives.

“We will continue to do our part in this effort, prosecuting drug traffickers and those who exploit vulnerable people suffering from addiction, so that every American can be safe and live out their God-given potential."

On Oct. 17, the Justice Department announced the indictments of two Chinese nationals and their North American based traffickers and distributors for separate conspiracies to distribute large quantities of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues and other opiate substances in the United States.  In July, the department announced the seizure of the largest criminal marketplace on the Internet, AlphaBay, which operated for over two years on the dark web and was used to sell deadly illegal drugs, including synthetic opioids like fentanyl, throughout the world. The international operation was led by the United States and involved cooperation with law enforcement authorities around the world.

In addition, DEA this week announced the formation of six new heroin enforcement teams in hard hit areas such as West Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, New York and Massachusetts.

The Take-Back initiative by the DEA addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. DEA launched its prescription drug take back program when both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration advised the public that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—posed potential safety and health hazards.

“Disposing of leftover painkillers or other addictive medicines in the house is one of the best ways to prevent a member of your family from becoming a victim of the opioid epidemic,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert W. Patterson. “More people start down the path of addiction through the misuse of opioid prescription drugs than any other substance. The abuse of these prescription drugs has fueled the nation’s opioid epidemic, which has led to the largest rate of overdose deaths this country has ever seen.”  

Last April the public turned in 450 tons (900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 13 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 8.1 million pounds—more than 4,050 tons—of pills. 

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Yanel Greene, a/k/a “Nel”, 37, of Brewer, Maine; and Syriane Baldwin, a/k/a “Del”, 31, and Quindell Smallwood, a/k/a “Queezo”, 37, both of Bangor; pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute and distributing heroin, cocaine base, commonly known as crack, and oxycodone.  Alialin Doughty, a/k/a “Ally”, 38, of Old Town, Maine, pleaded guilty to maintaining drug-involved premises.  All were charged by indictment on January 19, 2017.

According to court records, between January 2013 and September 2015, the group conspired with others to distribute heroin, crack and oxycodone in the Bangor area and elsewhere.  Greene obtained the drugs from out-of-state sources and had them transported to Maine by other conspirators.  Baldwin, Smallwood, Grant and other conspirators distributed the drugs to customers in the Bangor area.  Doughty rented an apartment in Bangor that was used to facilitate drug trafficking.

Greene, Baldwin and Smallwood face up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and from three years to life on supervised release.  Doughty faces up to 20 years in prison, a $500,000 fine and from three years to life on supervised release. 

The case was related to the heroin conspiracy prosecution of Mario Lee, a/k/a “Moe,” who, on May 5, 2017, was sentenced to over 18 years in prison.  On June 29, 2017, Duval Grant, a/k/a “Val”, 25, formerly of the Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge and awaits sentencing. 

The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. 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 Adam Davis, 37, of Rockland, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to illegally importing from China the synthetic opioid U-47700, also known as “Pink” or “U4,” and to illegally possessing a firearm while being a user of a controlled substance. 

On November 14, 2016, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration listed U-47700 as a temporary Schedule 1 controlled substance on an emergency basis after it determined that the drug represented an imminent hazard to public safety. 

On January 15, 2017, border agents intercepted a package from China which contained U-47700 that was destined for the defendant’s Rockland residence.  On January 25, 2017, federal and state agents made a controlled delivery of the package to the defendant.  The defendant was arrested after he accepted the package.  The defendant admitted that he knew that the package contained U-47700 and that he ordered it from China.  Agents also recovered a firearm while searching Davis’ apartment.

Davis is the first person convicted of a federal offense involving U-47700 in the District of Maine.  He faces up to 20 years in prison 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 U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.

WASHINGTON – This Saturday, October 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and its local law enforcement, community and tribal partners will give the public its 14th opportunity in seven years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

Individuals can take pills and other solid forms of medication to one of almost 5,000 collection sites manned by more than 4,000 partners nationwide. (DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps.) They can find nearby collection sites at www.DEATakeBack.com or by calling 800-882-9539. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

“Disposing of leftover painkillers or other addictive medicines in the house is one of the best ways to prevent a member of your family from becoming a victim of the opioid epidemic,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert W. Patterson. “More people start down the path of addiction through the misuse of opioid prescription drugs than any other substance. The abuse of these prescription drugs has fueled the nation’s opioid epidemic, which has led to the largest rate of overdose deaths this country has ever seen.”  

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. DEA launched its prescription drug take back program when both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration advised the public that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—posed potential safety and health hazards.

Last April the public turned in 450 tons (900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 13 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 8.1 million pounds—more than 4,050 tons—of pills.

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Joshua Harrison, 35, of Augusta, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 10 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release for possessing child pornography.  Harrison pleaded guilty on December 15, 2016.

According to court records, in August 2015, law enforcement agents learned that child pornography had been located in the defendant’s email account.  A search warrant was executed at the defendant’s Augusta residence and agents seized his laptop computer.  Agents also seized a second computer belonging to the defendant from a local pawn shop.  Forensic examination of these devices revealed multiple images of child pornography.  During the search of his residence, the defendant also admitted that he obtained child pornography by email and a messaging application and that he met people in online chat rooms to obtain child pornography.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit, and the Augusta Police Department.

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Michael Brewer, 61, of Union, Maine pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court records, on May 13, 2017, Brewer led the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office on a high speed chase after they attempted to execute a traffic stop of the truck Brewer was driving.  The chase ended when Brewer crashed and rolled his truck.  When removing Brewer from the truck, officers located a .22 caliber pistol resting beside Brewer.  Brewer was prohibited from possessing firearms based on prior felony convictions for Criminal Operating Under the Influence (2006), Burglary (2015) and Attempted Murder (1989).

Brewer 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.

The case was investigated by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the Boothbay Harbor Police Department and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that David Miller, 54, of Flushing, Michigan (formerly Bath, Maine) was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 327 months months in prison and five years of supervised release for transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual abuse. Miller pleaded guilty to the charge on June 1, 2017.

Court records reveal that during the summer of 1995, Miller, then age 33, was working as a long haul truck driver for a company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. In June and July of that year, Miller took his adopted thirteen-year-old daughter with him on two trips through several states, including Maine and Nebraska.  Miller sexually assaulted his daughter multiple times in his truck and at a motel in Nebraska.  The FBI in Maine began investigating the case in 2015 when Miller’s daughter came forward to report the 1995 abuse.  She was prompted to make the report when she saw a Facebook photograph which showed a five-year-old girl sitting on Miller’s lap. In October 2016, Miller was interviewed by FBI agents in Flint, Michigan and he admitted that he had sexually abused his daughter during the 1995 cross-country trips.

The investigation was conducted by the Bath Police Department, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Portland ME, Boston MA and Detroit MI.

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Anibal Orsini, 35, of Lawrence, Massachusetts was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 188 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, and quantities of fentanyl and cocaine hydrochloride.  Orsini entered a guilty plea on March 28, 2017.

Court records reveal that between October 2014 and August 2016, Orsini distributed heroin and other drugs from Lawrence, Massachusetts.  Between January and July 2015, three Maine heroin dealers were arrested as they returned from Massachusetts in possession of distributable quantities of heroin they acquired from Orsini.  Law enforcement officers also purchased drugs from Orsini and his co-conspirators. 

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration – Portsmouth Tactical Diversion Squad; the Ogunquit Police Department; and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.  

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Cara M. Blewitt, 30, of Oakville, Connecticut, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to aiding and abetting bank robbery and Hobbs Act robbery.  The charges arose from the robberies of a TD Bank branch and a Dollar Tree store.

Court records reveal that on May 28, 2017, an individual robbed a TD Bank branch in Bangor absconding with cash.  The next day, the same individual robbed the Dollar Tree store in Bangor at gunpoint, again, absconding with cash. The defendant served as the getaway driver for both robberies. Officers from the Bangor Police Department arrested the robber and the defendant within minutes of the Dollar Tree robbery. 

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

Portland, Maine:  The United States Attorney’s Office announced that Halsey B. Frank has taken the oath of office to become the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine.  U.S. Attorney Frank was nominated by President Donald Trump on July 27, 2017 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 4, 2017. He took the oath of office today from U.S. District Court Chief Judge Nancy Torresen.

U.S. Attorney Frank is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the District of Maine. He oversees a staff of 47 employees and contractors located in Portland and Bangor, including 24 attorneys, 20 non-attorney support personnel and three contractors. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms, and narcotics. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.

U.S. Attorney Frank grew up in New York City and in Englewood, New Jersey.   Prior to becoming U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine, he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) in the District of Maine where, from 1999 to 2017, he prosecuted federal crimes and defended the United States in civil actions in federal district court.  From 1990 to 1999, he served as an AUSA in the District of Columbia, where he prosecuted crimes in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia and in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and defended the United States in civil actions in the district court.  From 1987 to 1990, he served as a Trial Attorney in the Torts Branch of the Civil Division of the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., where he defended the United States in tort actions around the country.  U.S. Attorney Frank is a 1980 graduate of Wesleyan University and a 1986 graduate of Boston University School of Law. 

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that David L. Cook, 60, of Burnham, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to using the internet to access and view child pornography.  Cook was indicted in May 2017.

Court records reveal that in August 2016, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit (MCCU) received a report from Microsoft that a user had uploaded an image of child pornography.  Federal and state officers obtained a physical address for that user, executed a warrant at that address, and seized the defendant’s computer.  The MCCU’s forensic examination of the computer revealed 30 images of child pornography and that the defendant searched the internet for child pornography on dozens of occasions between March and August, 2016.

Cook faces up to 20 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 MCCU and by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

Portland, Maine:  Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Meylisi Rueda, 22, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to commit access device fraud.

Court records show that between November 2015 and June 2016, the defendant and others used stolen credit and debit card numbers to purchase merchandise. In June 2016, as part of the conspiracy, the defendant and others traveled to Maine. On June 14, 2016, the defendant and co-conspirator Yaisder Herrera Gargallo purchased over $400 of merchandise at a Walgreens in Portland using a stolen card number belonging to a victim from New Gloucester, Maine. After the defendant and Herrera Gargallo made another fraudulent purchase using a different card number at another Portland Walgreens on June 15, 2016, store personnel notified the police and provided a license plate number.

On June 18, 2016, a Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped the vehicle in which Herrera Gargallo and two other co-conspirators, Jose Castillo Febles and Juan Carlos Febles, were traveling. The stop led to their arrest and the discovery of merchandise, numerous fraudulent credit cards, and a laptop computer. The laptop was later found to contain credit card numbers and related data, including the stolen card number the defendant and Herrera Gargallo used to make the fraudulent purchase on June 14, 2016.

Rueda faces up to five 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. Her three co‑defendants have all pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

The case was investigated by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, the Portland Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service.

Portland, Maine:  Today, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced several Department of Justice actions to reduce the rising tide of violent crime in America. Foremost of those actions is the reinvigoration of “Project Safe Neighborhoods,” a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

In announcing this recommitment to Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Attorney General issued a memo directing United States Attorneys to implement an enhanced violent crime reduction program that incorporates the lessons learned since Project Safe Neighborhoods launched in 2001.

In a statement on the program, the Attorney General said:

“According to the FBI, the violent crime rate has risen by nearly seven percent over the past two years, and the homicide rate has risen by more than 20 percent. We cannot be complacent or hope that this is just an anomaly: we have a duty to take action.

“Fortunately, we have a President who understands that and has directed his administration to reduce crime. The Department of Justice today announces the foundation of our plan to reduce crime: prioritizing Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that has been proven to work.

“Let me be clear – Project Safe Neighborhoods is not just one policy idea among many. This is the centerpiece of our crime reduction strategy.

“Taking what we have learned since the program began in 2001, we have updated it and enhanced it, emphasizing the role of our U.S. Attorneys, the promise of new technologies, and above all, partnership with local communities. With these changes, I believe that this program will be more effective than ever and help us fulfill our mission to make America safer."

Acting Maine U.S. Attorney Richard W. Murphy said:

“Since 2001, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine has led the PSN Maine task force, which includes representatives from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, domestic violence coalitions, sportsmanship alliances, state agencies, and educational and business leaders.  Representatives include: the Bangor, Lewiston, and Portland  Police Departments; the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence; the Violence Intervention Partnership; the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine; Maine’s Attorney General's Office, Department of Corrections, Department of Public Safety and Warden Service; Maine Chiefs of Police Association; Maine Council of Churches; Maine Domestic Violence Investigators; Maine Gun Safety Coalition; Maine Merchants Association; Maine Prosecutors Association; Maine Sheriffs' Association; Volunteers of America - Northern New England; CD&M Communications; Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service; and L.L. Bean.” 

“PSN Maine has promoted an aggressive enforcement strategy, particularly in the area of domestic violence, with an extensive community outreach campaign aimed at educating Maine citizens about federal gun laws. The goal of PSN Maine is to hold those who violate gun laws accountable and prevent future gun crime, in part, by informing the public of the consequences of violating these federal laws. Over the years, PSN Maine has seen success through initiatives such as Operation Hot Spot (community policing aimed at reducing gun violence in the City of Lewiston), the Gun Seller Awareness Campaign (a grass roots media campaign focused on educating responsible Maine gun owners about private sales) and the Domestic Violence Bystander Awareness Campaign (a local media campaign focused on raising awareness within the community).”

“The strength of PSN Maine continues to be the involvement of dedicated and informed stakeholders throughout the State. I know my office looks forward to continuing the good work of PSN Maine in seeking ways to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.”

The Attorney General also announced the following Department of Justice initiatives to help reduce violent crime:

Additional Assistant United States Attorney Positions to Focus on Violent Crime – The Department is allocating 40 prosecutors to approximately 20 United States Attorney’s Offices to focus on violent crime reduction.

More Cops on the Streets (COPS Hiring Grants) – As part of our continuing commitment to crime prevention efforts, increased community policing, and the preservation of vital law enforcement jobs, the Department will be awarding approximately $98 million in FY 2017 COPS Hiring Grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.

Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force’s (OCDETF) National Gang Strategic Initiative –The National Gang Strategic Initiative promotes  creative enforcement strategies and best practices that will assist in developing investigations of violent criminal groups and gangs into enterprise-level OCDETF prosecutions.  Under this initiative, OCDETF provides “seed money” to locally-focused gang investigations, giving state, local, and tribal investigators and prosecutors the resources and tools needed to identify connections between lower-level gangs and national-level drug trafficking organizations.

Critical Training and Technical Assistance to State and Local Partners –The Department has a vast array of training and technical assistance resources available to state, local and tribal law enforcement, victims groups, and others.  To ensure that agencies in need of assistance are able to find the training and materials they need, OJP will make available a Violence Reduction Response Center to serve as a “hot line” to connect people to these resources. 

Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGIC) – The Department has provided grant funding to support a comprehensive approach to identifying the most violent offenders in a jurisdiction, using new technologies such as gunshot detection systems combined with gun crime intelligence from NIBIN, eTrace, and investigative efforts.  These FY 2017 grants were awarded to Phoenix, Arizona, and Kansas City, Missouri. 

Expand ATF’s NIBIN Urgent Trace Program – The Department will expand ATF’s NIBIN Urgent Trace Program nationwide by the end of the year.  Through this program, any firearm submitted for tracing that is associated with a NIBIN “hit” (which means it can be linked to a shooting incident) will be designated an “urgent” trace and the requestor will get information back about the firearm’s first retail purchaser within 24 hours, instead of 5 to 6 business days.

Bangor, Maine:  Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Warren Laprell, 54, of Palmyra, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 121 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute oxycodone.  Laprell pleaded guilty on January 27, 2017.

According to court records, between June 2013 and April 2015, Laprell ran an oxycodone trafficking conspiracy in Central Maine.  The defendant and others obtained about 15,000 30 mg oxycodone tablets in Connecticut and distributed them in Central Maine.  On April 16, 2015, federal and state law enforcement officers and agents executed search warrants at Laprell’s Palmyra residence and the residence of one of his associates, Raymond “Ken” Ferris of Detroit, Maine.  During the search of Laprell’s residence, investigators found large amounts of prescription pills, drug paraphernalia and five firearms.  On May 18, 2016, Ferris was sentenced to 87 months in prison for his role in the conspiracy.  

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

Portland, Maine:  Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that $2,278,604 in Department of Justice grants were awarded yesterday to the Pleasant Point Passamaquoddy Tribe ($899,965) and the Indian Township Tribal Government ($1,378,639).

The awards were made through the Department’s Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS), a single application for tribal-specific grant programs. The Department developed CTAS through its Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Office of Justice Programs and Office on Violence Against Women, and administered the first round of consolidated grants in September 2010.

CTAS grants are designed to enhance law enforcement practices, expand victim services and sustain crime prevention and intervention efforts. Awards cover nine purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; and tribal youth programs.

Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

American Indians experience disproportionate rates of violence and victimization and often encounter significant obstacles to culturally relevant services. CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs.

About the Office of Justice Programs:

The Office of Justice Programs, headed by Acting Assistant Attorney General Alan R. Hanson, provides federal leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice and assist victims. OJP has six bureaus and offices: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking. More information about OJP and its components can be found at: www.ojp.gov.

About the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services:

The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 129,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.

About the Office on Violence Against Women:

The Office on Violence Against Women provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.

Portland, Maine:  Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Luis Medina, 49, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to 27 months in prison and two years of supervised release for submitting a false document to a government agency, social security fraud and aggravated identity theft.

According to court records, in August 2015, Medina, who was working for an asbestos abatement contractor, used a false name and social security number to gain access to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery. Based on the false information, Medina was cleared for access to the shipyard.

The case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the New Hampshire State Police; and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General.

Bangor, Maine:  Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Raheem Childers, 32, of New London, Connecticut, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., to six years in prison and three years of supervised release for possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.  Childers pleaded guilty on August 16, 2016. 

According to court records on May 26, 2017, federal agents executed a search warrant at a hotel room in Orono, Maine where they found Childers, $2,500, and 168 grams of fentanyl.  Childers admitted that he had been in the area selling the drug.

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

Portland, Maine:  Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Jamie Hussey, 35, of Gorham, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to three months in prison and one year of supervised release for federal program fraud.  She was also ordered to pay $92,877 in restitution.

Court records show that between February 2014 and September 2016, the defendant embezzled money from the South Portland Housing Authority (SPHA), an agency that that administers public housing units and that receives federal benefits each year under programs administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”).   While employed as the SPHA Resident Services Coordinator for the Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSS), the defendant illegally caused 48 checks to be issued in the names of FSS program participants and deposited into her personal bank account.

The case was investigated by HUD-Office of the Inspector General and the South Portland Police Department.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Silvino Orduna-Cabrera, 40, a Mexican citizen, was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to time served (63 days) for alien smuggling.  The defendant pleaded guilty on August 31, 2017.  He is subject to deportation.

According to court documents, on July 17, 2017, the defendant dropped off two Mexican citizens who had previously been removed from the United States on the Canadian side of the border with the United States near Norton, Vermont.  The defendant then drove into the United States at the Norton Port of Entry. The two Mexican citizens walked across the border illegally and were picked up by the defendant who drove them to Maine. The investigation began the next day when a roadside worker found a passport belonging to one of the Mexican citizens near Norton. The worker gave the passport to a Border Patrol agent assigned to the Beecher Falls, Vermont station which placed an alert regarding a possible smuggling event that led to the Mexican citizens’ arrests in Maine.

U.S. Border Patrol Swanton Sector Chief Patrol Agent John Pfeifer stated that: “this case is an excellent example of the regular information sharing between the components of the Department of Homeland Security to prevent criminal aliens from entering into and remaining in the United States.  The Swanton Sector also appreciates the local citizens and workers that alert agents to potential criminal activity.”

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

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Adam Brake, 29, of Berwick, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to 7 years in prison and 24 months of supervised release for being a felon in possession of firearms.  Brake pleaded guilty on June 5, 2017.

According to court records, in May 2016, Brake committed eight burglaries in the Berwick area. He traded some of the stolen items for heroin in Lawrence, Massachusetts and hid other items in a wooded area in Berwick.  Law enforcement agents recovered items stolen during six of the burglaries, including nine firearms. Brake was prohibited from possessing firearms because of a prior felony drug conviction.

The case was investigated by the North Berwick; South Berwick; Berwick; Wells and Eliot Police Departments; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Portland, Maine:  Acting United States Richard W. Murphy announced that Kourtney Williams, 27, of Lewiston, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 184 months in prison and five years of supervised release for interstate robbery conspiracy and using a firearm during a crime of violence.  The defendant was convicted following a jury trial on September 12, 2016. 

Court records and trial evidence revealed that on August 2, 2014, at about 11:00 p.m., the defendant, armed with a pistol, and associates, one of whom had a crowbar, broke into a residence on the Garfield Road in Minot, Maine intending to steal drugs and money from its occupants. The defendant used the pistol to repeatedly threaten and assault the occupants.

The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police; the Lewiston and Auburn Police Departments; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine launched its official Twitter account with the aim of increasing the accessibility of news and information.

Members of the public and media can now follow https://twitter.com/USAO_ME on Twitter, a social media, microblogging service which limits text messages to 140 characters.

Portland, Maine:  Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Kyle Braga, 28, of Standish, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 63 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possessing with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”  He pleaded guilty on April 4, 2017.

Court records reveal that on January 20, 2016, the defendant distributed cocaine.  Following this distribution, law enforcement stopped his car and seized heroin, cocaine, and crack from a magnetic box under the car. 

The investigation was conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in conjunction with 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 U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the Portland, South Portland, and Lewiston Police Departments.

Bangor, Maine:  Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Steven Butler, 24, of Rangeley, Maine, was indicted last week by a federal grand jury for distributing fentanyl. 

If convicted, Butler faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine.

The investigation was conducted 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. 

An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Bangor, Maine:  Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Jordan Richard, 24, of New Vineyard, Maine and formerly of Rangeley, Maine, was indicted last week by a federal grand jury for distributing cocaine. 

If convicted, Richard faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine.

The investigation was conducted 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. 

An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Brent Roaix, 33, of Lewiston, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to five years in prison and three years of supervised release for robbery of a credit union.

According to court records, on January 25, 2017, Roaix entered a Rainbow Federal Credit Union in Lewiston and gave a handwritten note to a teller demanding money and stating that he was armed.  The teller gave him money and Roaix absconded on foot. Shortly thereafter, Lewiston police officers found him hiding in a nearby apartment, arrested him, and recovered all of the stolen money.  According to evidence introduced at sentencing, at the time of the robbery, Roiax was a participant in Maine’s Adult Drug Treatment Court because he had committed two credit union robberies in 2014, one of which was of the same credit union.

This investigation was conducted by the Lewiston Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Matthew Feehan, 30, of Gray, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby, to 15 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court records, in September and October 2015, the defendant possessed a Sig Sauer 9mm semi-automatic pistol.  Feehan was prohibited from possessing the firearm because of a prior felony conviction for theft.

The case was investigated by the Maine State Police; the Central Maine Violent Crime Task Force; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Hyunkook Korsiak, 36, of Harpswell, Maine pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to theft of firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer.

According to court records, on January 3, 2017, the defendant stole firearms from C&R Trading Post. The theft was discovered by Brunswick Police Department who responded to a burglar alarm, found a broken window near the building’s entrance, and used a police K9 to locate several firearms, a sledgehammer and drops of blood on snow in nearby woods. The blood was later determined to be the defendant’s. In April 2017, the defendant admitted to stealing the firearms.

Korsiak 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.

The case was investigated by the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office; the Brunswick Police Department; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Richard W. Murphy announced that Victor Lara Jr, 33, of Lewiston, Maine was sentenced on Friday in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 184 months in prison and five years of supervised release for interstate robbery conspiracy and using a firearm during a crime of violence. The defendant was convicted following a jury trial on September 12, 2016.

Court records and trial evidence revealed that on August 2, 2014, at about 11:00 p.m., the defendant, armed with a crowbar, and associates, armed with firearms, broke into a residence on the Garfield Road in Minot, Maine intending to steal drugs and money from its occupants. The defendant used the crowbar to repeatedly assault the occupants and encouraged his associates to shoot them.

The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police; the Lewiston and Auburn Police Departments; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Hayri Berberoglu, 30, of Etna, formerly of Bangor, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., to a year and a day in prison and a year of supervised release for conspiring to violate federal firearms laws. The defendant pleaded guilty on December 28, 2016.

According to courts records, while employed at a Brewer pawn shop between July 2011 and October 2012, the defendant facilitated the straw purchase of 16 firearms. He falsified records of firearm sales to make it appear that a network of local straw purchasers bought the firearms, when, in fact, the actual buyers were from New Haven, Connecticut. At sentencing, Judge Woodcock noted that the actual buyers were members of the Red Side Guerilla Brims, a violent street gang affiliated with the national Bloods street gang. Gang members gave straw purchasers money to purchase particular firearms. The straw purchasers falsely claimed to be the actual buyers on the required federal transaction record. The defendant completed the sales knowing that the straw purchasers were not the actual buyers of the firearms.

The case was investigated by the Maine and the New Haven, Connecticut Offices of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the City of New Haven Department of Police Services; with assistance provided by the Brewer Police Department.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Robert Goguen, 43, of Bangor pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possession of child pornography.

According to court records, on November 10, 2015, U.S. probation officers went to Goguen’s apartment in Bangor and seized a laptop computer. A search of the computer revealed images and videos of child pornography that Goguen had downloaded and saved.

Goguen faces up to 20 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. Probation Office, U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Bangor Police Department. 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: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Jonathan Bowers, 29, of Winthrop, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court records, on April 9, 2016, Bowers possessed a 9mm pistol while at a car repair shop in Chelsea, Maine. Bowers was prohibited from possessing firearms because of seven felony convictions for burglary and theft.

If Bowers is found to be an armed career criminal, he faces an enhanced sentence of between 15 years and life in prison, up to five 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 investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Carlos Manuel Perez-Crisostomo a/k/a “Nelson Calderon,” 40, of Portland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to 121 months in prison and four years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” He pleaded guilty on November 21, 2016.

Court records reveal that between January and March 2016, the defendant distributed multi-ounce quantities of cocaine and crack from an apartment in Portland. On March 6, 2016, law enforcement agents seized about 468 grams of cocaine and 174 grams of crack from his apartment.

The defendant faced a higher guideline sentencing range because he falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen when he entered his guilty plea under his alias “Nelson Calderon.” An investigation that followed his guilty plea revealed that the defendant is, in fact, a citizen of the Dominican Republic and was unlawfully in the United States at the time of the offense.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in conjunction with 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 DEA; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the Portland, South Portland, and Lewiston Police Departments.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Philippe Maurice, 50, a citizen of France, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to time served (113 days) and one year of supervised release for entering the United States after having been removed and deported. He pleaded guilty on June 19, 2017.

Court documents reveal that on May 17, 2017, U.S. Border Patrol agents found the defendant riding a bike on a dirt logging road in Portage, Maine. The defendant claimed he was a U.S. citizen. When an agent asked the defendant for proof of citizenship, he produced a French driver’s license. The defendant then acknowledged that he was a French citizen, that friends had dropped him off in Canada near the border, and that he had entered the United States illegally by riding a bike through the closed St. Pamphile Port of Entry. Immigration records showed that the defendant had been removed from the United States in 2015.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Ryan Jones, 34, of Bath, Maine pleaded guilty today to embezzling $280,865 from a union during a period when he served as an officer of that union.

According to court records, from 2009 until January 2017, the defendant was the Secretary-Treasurer of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local Lodge S6, a labor union. The defendant’s tenure ended when he failed to win re-election. In January, the newly elected union officials discovered discrepancies with union finances. The ensuing federal investigation revealed that the defendant made almost 200 unauthorized withdrawals from the union’s bank account, he fabricated monthly bank statements to conceal his withdrawals, he provided the fabricated bank statements to union auditors to deceive them, and he embezzled about $280,865 between May 2012 and November 2016.

The defendant faces up to 5 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $10,000 fine. He will also be ordered to pay full restitution to the union.

The investigation was conducted by the Bath Police Department; the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Bobby Mataara Owens, 40, of Turangi, New Zealand, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to transporting child pornography.

According to court records, in December 2016, a federal agent in Maine was investigating the sharing of child pornography over the internet. The agent chatted online with Owens, who sent the agent several images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Further investigation revealed that Owens was using an IP address assigned to a residence in Valley Village, California. A federal search warrant was obtained for the residence and executed later the same day. Owens was present at the residence, and admitted to investigators that he had sent the images to the agent earlier in the day.

Owens faces between five and 20 years in prison, between five years and life on 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Los Angeles Police Department.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Anthonio Dicentes, 37, formerly of Hodgdon, Maine and recently of Florida, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing child pornography.

According to court records, between about June 2009 and September 2015, Dicentes possessed image files depicting child pornography. At least one of these files, which he had sought out and downloaded from the internet, depicted a child under the age of 12.

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

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Maine State Police