District of Maine

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Roberto Lueje-Rodriguez, 30, of Hialeah, Florida, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 1½ years in prison and three years of supervised release for access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. He was also ordered to pay $31,772 in restitution.

Court records show that in January 2016, the defendant and Ariel Perez-Calvo used debit and credit card account numbers belonging to Maine bank customers to make unauthorized purchases totaling over $30,000. They used the cards in Penobscot, Knox, Hancock, Piscataquis, Franklin, Somerset, Kennebec, and Androscoggin counties. The two men engaged in similar conduct in Manchester and Concord, New Hampshire in November 2015 when they used debit and credit card account numbers belonging to New Hampshire bank customers to make purchases totaling more than $1,000.

The name embossed on each fake card was “David Cuan,” which was not the name of any of the victims. Each fake card bore a unique account number and appeared to be an authentic debit or credit card and their magnetic strips were encoded with the true account numbers of the victim s.

On January 25, 2017, Perez-Calvo was sentenced to 3½ years in prison for his role in the offenses.

The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the Bangor, Brewer, Dexter, Dover-Foxcroft, Ellsworth, Hampden, Lincoln, Millinocket, Newport, Pittsfield, Rockland, Saco, Waterville (Maine) and Londonderry (New Hampshire) Police Departments.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Amanda Harding a/k/a “Amanda Grass,” 32, of Orono, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to social security fraud.

According to court records, the defendant began receiving Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) payments in 2006. SSI benefits are paid by the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) to disabled adults and children who have limited income and resources. The defendant was living in Maine when she first obtained SSI benefits. Between 2006 and 2016, the defendant was repeatedly informed that she needed to report any change of address to the SSA. On October 8, 2011, the defendant married a Canadian citizen, moved to Brunswick, Canada, and applied for Canadian citizenship. She resided in Canada from October 2011 through February 2016. The defendant did not inform SSA of her change of address and illegally obtained over $26,000 in SSI benefits. During an interview with law enforcement agents, the defendant admitted that she understood if she told SSA that she moved to Canada her SSI benefits would be significantly reduced.

The defendant 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.

The case was investigated by SSA’s Office of Inspector General, U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Canadian Border Patrol

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Dane Mitchell, 25, of Boston, Massachusetts, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to being a felon in possession of firearms.

According to court records, on April 8, 2017, Mitchell and another individual travelled to Gray, Maine, where they rented firearms, purchased ammunition, and fired the weapons at a shooting range. Boston Police Department officers identified Mitchell and the shooting range from videos that were uploaded to Snapchat. Mitchell was prohibited from possessing firearms as the result of his 2016 Massachusetts felony convictions for possessing a firearm without a permit and possessing a firearm with a defaced serial number.

Mitchell 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 jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Boston Police Department’s Youth Violence Strike Force.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Daniel Fitzsimmons, 54, of Whiting, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to four months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for social security fraud. Fitzsimmons was also ordered to pay about $144,415 in restitution. Fitzsimmons pleaded guilty on February 22, 2017.

According to court records, the defendant began receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (“SSDI”) payments in 2002. SSDI benefits are paid by the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) to people with disabilities. From 2003 to 2013, the defendant and his dependents received about $144,415 in SSDI benefits. In order to obtain those benefits, the defendant was required to certify that he could no longer perform “substantial gainful work.” In numerous forms submitted to the SSA and at an in-person SSA interview, the defendant reported little work activity and very low annual earnings between 2003 and 2013. In fact, an investigation revealed that, contrary to his statements, the defendant was actively and consistently engaged in commercial fishing over that period.

The case was investigated by SSA’s Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Iulian Petre, also known as Julian Petre, 50, of Waterville, was convicted yesterday of illegally receiving and shipping firearms following a jury trial in U.S. District Court. He was found not guilty of smuggling and money laundering charges.

Court records and trial evidence revealed that in 2012 and 2013, Petre purchased and received firearms from out-of-state sellers intending to unlawfully export them. He shipped some of these firearms to Romania. The export of these firearms required authorization from the U.S. Department of State, which the defendant knowingly failed to obtain.

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

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Amy Lynn Holmes, 45, of Calais, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to stealing Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. SSI benefits are paid to people with limited income who are blind, disabled or elderly.

Court records reveal that between February 2004 and May 2016, Holmes falsely represented to the Social Security Administration (SSA) that she was living alone and not receiving help or money from any person. In fact, she was living with her husband who was providing her with financial assistance. She told investigators that she knew that she would have been ineligible for SSI if she had disclosed her husband’s income and that they were living together.

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

The case was investigated by the SSA, Office of the Inspector General.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Jose Castillo Febles, 30, of Doral, Florida pleaded guilty today; and Juan Carlos Febles, 52, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Court records show that between November 2015 and June 2016, the defendants and others used stolen credit and debit card numbers to purchase merchandise. In late May 2016, as part of the conspiracy, the defendants and others traveled to Maine. On May 29, 2016, Jose Castillo Febles purchased over $500 of merchandise at a Portland Walgreens using a stolen card number belonging to a victim from Auburn. On June 15, 2016, after a co-conspirator, Yaisder Herrera Gargallo, purchased merchandise at another Portland Walgreens using a stolen card number, store personnel notified the police and provided a license plate number. On June 16, 2016, Juan Carlos Febles purchased over $700 of merchandise at an Augusta Home Depot using a stolen card number belonging to a victim from Vassalboro.

On June 18, 2016, a Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped the vehicle in which the defendants and Herrera Gargallo 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.

Both men face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the conspiracy charge. Both men also face a mandatory sentence of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft charge, to be served consecutively to the sentence imposed for the conspiracy charge. They will be sentenced after the completion of presentence investigation reports by the U.S. Probation Office. Co-defendant Yaisder Herrera Gargallo pleaded guilty to the same charges on June 19, 2017, and awaits sentencing.

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

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Jeffrey Swimm, 38, of Bangor, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography.

According to court records, between about October 2012 and April 2017, Swimm produced still-image and video files depicting child pornography, some of which were produced using a camera hidden in the defendant’s bathroom. In addition, the defendant possessed other images and videos of child pornography depicting children under the age of 12 which he solicited and received over the internet.

Swimm faces between 15 to 30 years in prison for child exploitation and up to 20 years in prison for possessing child pornography. He also faces up to a $250,000 fine on each count and between five years and life on supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

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

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Norma Duhamel, 71, of Saco, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to two years of probation for theft of mail. She was also ordered to pay $1,230 in restitution. Duhamel pleaded guilty on June 2, 2017.

According to court documents, between August and October of 2016, Duhamel stole mail containing bank checks and a credit card from mailboxes of residents of Cumberland, Maine. She cashed about $1,125 worth of stolen checks and charged about $105 on the credit card.

In pronouncing sentence, Judge Torresen warned Duhamel that if she repeated her behavior and violated the terms of her probation, the Judge guaranteed her a jail sentence.

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

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy today announced that Orono Pharmacy, Inc. and its owner, Ali Aghamoosa, of Orono, have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the United States pursuant to which they will pay $60,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”).

Controlled substances are strictly regulated in the United States because of their potential for abuse and the danger they pose if improperly used. The CSA establishes a closed system of controls over the handling of controlled substances by registrants, including pharmacies. Violations of the CSA concerning dispensing and administering, distribution, recordkeeping, and other related activities can result in civil penalties.

The settlement resolves allegations that, from 2014 through 2016, Orono Pharmacy and Aghamoosa negligently failed to make and maintain complete and accurate records of pharmacy transactions concerning the receipt and dispensation of controlled substances. The Government alleged that Orono Pharmacy and Aghamoosa failed to consistently record when, and in what quantities, controlled substances were received and failed to record sales and dispensations from pharmacy inventory. The Government also alleged that thousands of doses of controlled substances were unaccounted for, a pharmacist diverted controlled substances, and another pharmacist falsified records.

Orono Pharmacy and Aghamoosa admitted no wrongdoing in settling the matter and cooperated fully throughout the investigation.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Office of Diversion Control. The civil action is docketed United States v. Orono Pharmacy, Inc., et al., 17-cv-00305-GZS (D. Me.).

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced today that Ryan Jones, 34, of Bath, Maine was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for embezzling union funds.

The indictment charges Jones with embezzling over $280,000 from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local Lodge S6, during a period when he served as an officer of that union.

If convicted, Jones faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $10,000 fine and restitution.

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

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 and Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, announced that Michael A. Liberty, 56, of Windermere, Florida was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to four months in prison and one year of supervised release for illegally making political contributions in the names of others to a presidential candidate’s primary campaign committee. He was also ordered to pay a $100,000 fine. Liberty pled guilty to the charge on November 28, 2016.

According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, between May and June 2011, Liberty made $22,500 in primary contributions through nine employees, associates and family members to the principal campaign committee of a candidate for President of the United States. In fact, Liberty paid for all of the contributions.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Mickey Gilley, 34 of West Bath, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to distributing heroin and fentanyl.

According to court records, on September 20, 2016, Gilley obtained heroin mixed with fentanyl from a Portland supplier. Later that day, Gilley distributed some of the mixture to a person in West Bath who consumed it and died as a result.

Gilley faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and up to life on supervised release.

This case results from an investigation conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Sagadahoc and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Offices, the Maine State Police and the Maine Attorney General’s Office.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that on July 26, 2017, Silvino ORDUNA-Cabrera, a 40 year old Mexican citizen, made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Portland, Maine with respect to a criminal complaint charging alien smuggling. In addition, two other Mexican citizens who had previously been removed from the United States appeared with respect to complaints charging them with re-entry after removal. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation Officer arrested the defendants in Maine.

A criminal complaint 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 Steven Strang, Jr., 38, of Athens, Maine, was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 6 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography. Strang pled guilty on May 6, 2016.

According to court records, from about June 15, 2015 to about 20 August, 2015, Strang possessed dozens of video files depicting child pornography. Many of these videos, which he had purposely sought out and downloaded from the internet, depicted the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children under the age of 12.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Travis J. Stinson, 39, of Milford, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to stealing firearms from a licensed firearms dealer and to possessing firearms after having been convicted of a felony crime.

Court records reveal that on October 12, 2016, Stinson and another man agreed to steal guns from JG Pawn in Bangor. The man agreed to do the burglary in order to get drugs. Stinson drove the man to a parking lot near the pawn shop. The man broke a window in JG Pawn, stole 16 handguns, and absconded. Stinson drove them both away with the stolen handguns. Stinson was prohibited from possessing firearms because of felony convictions in Kentucky.

Stinson faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each charge. 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 Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Moses Okot, 29, of Portland was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Okot pled guilty on March 29, 2017.

Court records revealed that on November 16, 2015, Okot discharged a Springfield Armory USA Model SA XD-9 subcompact handgun in Portland’s Old Port district, striking two people standing on the sidewalk. Okot fled from the scene of the shooting in a vehicle. A Portland Police officer followed the vehicle to a residence in Portland. Okot was found hiding on a nearby third-story porch. The firearm used in the shooting was found in the vehicle. Okot was prohibited from possessing the firearm because of a 2011 conviction for felony murder.

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

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Melson Jacques, a/k/a “Mike”, 35, of Braintree, Massachusetts, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to eight years in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon. Jacques pleaded guilty to the charge on March 3, 2016.

Court records reveal that in May 2015, Jacques coerced a drug-addicted Biddeford man to purchase a Glock 9mm handgun for him and a drug trafficking accomplice through a straw purchase in Saco that was surveilled by federal agents. Jacques was prohibited from possessing firearms as the result of multiple felony drug convictions in Massachusetts. At the time Jacques came to Maine in the spring of 2015, he was a fugitive wanted on felony warrants out of Massachusetts where he had absconded from an ongoing drug trafficking trial.

Jacques faced an enhanced sentence for possessing the handgun while engaged in drug trafficking. In imposing the sentence, Judge Levy noted the defendant’s lengthy criminal history and “disregard for the law.”

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

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Adam Hamilton, 34, of Dixmont, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 1½ years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone.

According to court records, for several months, Hamilton conspired with others to acquire oxycodone in Waterbury, Connecticut and distribute it in Central Maine. Hamilton obtained and brought oxycodone tablets to Maine and sold 30 mg tablets to customers for $40 each. The conspiracy existed from about June 2013 to about April 2015.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and 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 Stephanie Knightly, 50, of South Paris, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to time served (about two months) for transferring a firearm to a felon.

According to court records, on August 16, 2014, Knightly purchased a pistol in Scarborough, Maine. The private sale was arranged by Steven Piirainen, a person Knightly knew to be a felon. Piirainen accompanied her to the sale and gave her cash to purchase the pistol. After the sale, Piirainen took the firearm. The next day, after stealing a truck, Piirainen engaged in a shootout with the Maine State Police in South Paris, was shot, and died. Prior to the shootout, Piirainen told Knightly that he knew his probation officer was going to arrest him soon and that he was “never going back” to prison.

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

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy today announced that Douglas J. Jorgensen, D.O. has entered into a civil settlement agreement with the United States in which he will pay $124,110 to resolve allegations that from January 2011 through August 2014 he submitted false claims to Medicare.

According to a civil complaint filed today, Dr. Jorgensen is alleged to have violated the federal False Claims Acts by submitting claims for certain evaluation and management (“E&M”) services that were not eligible for payment under Medicare and submitting those claims knowing, deliberately ignoring or recklessly disregarding that they were false. Dr. Jorgensen was not entitled to be paid for those E&M services because they were provided in connection with, and integral to, osteopathic manipulative treatment Dr. Jorgensen performed on the same day. In total, Dr. Jorgensen received $62,055 from the Medicare Trust Fund to which he was not entitled. The settlement amount represents twice the amount of damages incurred by the Medicare program.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General. The civil action is docketed United States v. Douglas J. Jorgensen, D.O., 1:17-cv-271-JAW (D. Me.).

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Donald Vigue, 42, of Dexter, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone and cocaine.

According to court records, for several years between 2002 and 2014, Vigue conspired with Roger Belanger, Mark Tasker, and others to acquire oxycodone and cocaine in Rhode Island and distribute it in the Dexter area. Vigue is the 11th person to be sentenced in the case. On August 19, 2016, Belanger and his daughter, Kelli Mujo, were convicted of conspiracy and related charges following a jury trial.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, with assistance provided by the Dexter Police Department and the Penobscot and Somerset County Sheriffs’ Offices.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Carrie Caporino, 45, of Scarborough, Maine, was arrested on Tuesday and charged in U.S. District Court by criminal complaint with embezzling from a health care benefit program.

According to court records, from December 2015 to June 2017, Caporino was employed as the office manager for a Falmouth physician. The complaint affidavit alleges that she took about 600 checks totaling about $250,000 payable to the physician or the practice, and deposited them into her personal bank accounts, instead of the practice’s bank account.

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

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was part of the Department of Justice’s (DOJs’) Health Care Fraud Takedown announced today by Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, M.D., which is the largest health care fraud enforcement action in DOJ’s history.

A criminal complaint 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 Malcolm Cowart, a/k/a “Prince”, 37, of Harlem, New York, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 24 years in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a kilogram or more of heroin, cocaine base, commonly known as “crack,” and oxycodone and for discharging a firearm during and in furtherance of that drug trafficking conspiracy. He pled guilty to the charges on January 6, 2017.

According to court records, from about November 2011 until March 2014, Cowart led a conspiracy that distributed heroin, crack, and oxycodone in Portland. The drugs were brought from the New York area by managers of the drug conspiracy. The managers stayed with Portland residents who were paid drugs and money for allowing the conspirators to use their apartments to distribute drugs. Managers dispatched runners to distribute the drugs throughout the Portland area.

In March 2013, Cowart had a falling out with Wayman Sparrow that led to the two of them engaging in a shootout inside the Lafayette Arms Apartments in Portland. In March 2014, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (“MDEA”) searched an apartment in Portland, encountered a manager fleeing out the back door, and seized about $25,000 in drug proceeds from him. Later that day, agents apprehended another manager traveling by bus from New York and seized about 400 grams of heroin from her.

This joint investigation was conducted by DEA, MDEA and the Portland Police Department, with valuable assistance provided by Maine State Police Crime Laboratory and the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Juan Andino-Tirado, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 85 months in prison for robbery and aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

According to court records, on November 15, 2015, Andino-Tirado and four other men drove from Massachusetts to Wells, Maine, for the purpose of committing a home invasion robbery. Andino-Tirado and two co-defendants, Carlos Diaz and Javier Pagan Gonzalez, broke into the victim’s home. Diaz and Gonzalez brandished firearms. Andino-Tirado brandished a knife. Co-defendants Anthony Arrendell Pena and Marcos Hernandez remained outside the residence. The co-defendants stole $2,389 and 861 Oxycodone pills.

and Hernandez were previously sentenced to six years for their roles in the offense. Pena and Gonzalez pled guilty to their involvement in the robbery and await sentencing.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; and the Wells Police Department, with assistance from the Ogunquit Police Department, the Maine State Police, the Office of the Maine Attorney General, and the York County District Attorney’s Office.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Ronald Boersma, 38, of Brewer, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 69 months in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release for possessing child pornography. Boersma pleaded guilty on November 18, 2016.

According to court records, in February of 2016, law enforcement, using a peer-to-peer file sharing program, downloaded files containing images of child pornography from the defendant’s home computer. A search warrant was subsequently obtained for the defendant’s residence where a forensic examination of the defendant’s computer revealed additional images of child pornography. On the day the search warrant was executed, the defendant was interviewed and admitted that he had searched for and downloaded sexually explicit images via the internet and that his specific interest was in females between 8 and 10 years of age.

The case was investigated by the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and the U.S. Secret Service.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Glenn Strout, 54, of Portland, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 3½ years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release for possessing child pornography. Strout pleaded guilty on December 1, 2016.

According to court records, in November 2015, law enforcement agents were investigating the sharing of child pornography over the internet. As part of the investigation, agents downloaded child pornography images from a computer at Strout’s residence in Portland. A search warrant was obtained for the residence and during the warrant’s execution Strout admitted downloading child pornography. A forensic analysis of devices seized under the warrant revealed numerous child pornography still images and video files.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and the Portland 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 Presiliano Gonzalez Berruete, 53, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to one year and a day in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release for being an alien who entered the United States after having been removed and deported. He pleaded guilty on March 10, 2017.

According to court documents, on February 12, 2017, the defendant arrived at the Canada Border Services Agency in Woodstock, New Brunswick. He was refused entry to Canada and transported to the Houlton, Maine Port of Entry. A United States Custom and Border Protection (CBP) officer determined that the defendant was a citizen of Mexico who had been removed from the United States in 2010 after being convicted of a federal felony drug trafficking offense. The defendant returned to the United States without inspection at a place that was not designated for entry.

The case was investigated by CBP, Department of Homeland Security.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that David B. Watson, Sr., 56, of Madison, Maine was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 16 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to defraud the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Watson was also ordered to pay about $48,405 in restitution.

According to court records, the defendant conspired with his daughter-in-law to illegally obtain about $48,405 in VA compensation benefits for her. Watson submitted documents to the VA on her behalf, falsely claiming she had suffered from mental disabilities that were connected to her service in the U.S. Army and told her how she should falsely describe her mental condition to VA doctors.

The investigation was conducted by the Criminal Investigation Division of the VA Office of the Inspector General.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy today announced that Brunswick Eye Care Associates, P.C. (“BECA”) has entered into a civil settlement agreement with the United States and the State of Maine in which it will pay $16,343 to resolve allegations that it submitted false claims to Medicare, TRICARE, the Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”), and MaineCare (Maine’s Medicaid program) from May 7, 2014 through April 29, 2016. MaineCare is primarily funded by the United States, which pays about two-thirds of all claims submitted to MaineCare.

According to a civil complaint filed today, BECA billed and received reimbursement from Medicare, TRICARE, the VA, and MaineCare for services provided by BECA, and then improperly used a portion of the funds received from these programs to pay the salary and benefits of a BECA employee who previously had been excluded from Federal health care programs and the MaineCare program. Prior to joining BECA, the employee had been excluded based upon her conviction for stealing drugs while employed as a pharmacy technician. Before employing this woman, BECA failed to ask her whether she had ever been excluded from participation in any Federal health care program or MaineCare. BECA also did not check the publicly available exclusion databases maintained by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General and MaineCare’s Program Integrity Unit, despite federal regulations prohibiting the employment of excluded providers.

Federal health care programs may not pay, directly or indirectly, for items or services furnished, ordered, or prescribed by excluded individuals or entities. This prohibition extends to administrative and clerical personnel, and is not limited to health care providers. By failing to abide by the requirements of the MaineCare and Federal health care programs regarding the employment of excluded individuals, BECA acted with reckless disregard of the falsity of the claims it submitted to MaineCare and Federal health care programs.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Maine. The civil action is docketed United States and the State of Maine v. Brunswick Eye Care Associates, P.C., 2:17-cv-257-DBH (D. Me.).

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Jesse Newton, 29, of Waldo, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Newton also admitted in Court to violating terms of his supervised release.

Court records reveal that on July 13, 2016, Jesse Newton was serving a term of federal supervised release for a 2013 felony firearms conviction. U.S. Probation Officers and investigators employed by the Office of the Maine State Fire Marshal conducted searches of Newton’s residence. They discovered a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol, 9mm casings, rifle stocks, 46 marijuana plants and a cell phone. An examination of the contents of the cell phone along with DNA evidence and witness testimony established that Newton had possessed the firearm and had used it for target shooting.

Newton faces up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine for his unlawful firearm possession as well as an additional two years of imprisonment for violating the terms of his supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of presentence investigation and revocation reports by the United States Probation Office.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Probation Office, the Office of the Maine State Fire Marshal, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Victor Lawrence, 63, of Chelsea, Maine pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to theft of travel reimbursement benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

According to court records, Lawrence submitted 77 claims from 2015 through 2016 to the VA for travel reimbursement, falsely claiming that he had driven nearly 100 miles to obtain treatment from the Togus VA Medical Center while he was in fact residing less than six miles away.

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

The investigation was conducted by the Criminal Investigation Division of the V.A. Office of the Inspector General.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Matthew Miller, 51, of Windham, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to accessing with intent to view material containing images of child pornography.

According to court records, in September 2016, investigators from Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit were investigating the exchange of child pornography over the internet. As part of the investigation, agents downloaded child pornography files from a computer that was making the files available. The computer was later determined to be at Miller’s residence in Windham. Investigators executed a search warrant at the residence, and found that Miller had been searching for and downloading child pornography to his computer using a peer-to-peer file-sharing network.

Miller faces a sentence of up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. He also faces a term of supervised release following his release from prison of no less than five years and up to life. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the United States Probation Office.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that ISF Trading Company (“ISF”) of Portland, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to one year of probation for violating the Lacey Act. ISF was also fined $552,500 and ordered to forfeit $297,500. The Lacey Act is a federal law that prohibits trade in wildlife that has been illegally taken, possessed, transported or sold.

ISF is a Maine company engaged in the business of buying seafood, including live sea urchins, from Maine and Canadian suppliers, processing that seafood, and selling it to domestic and foreign, mostly Asian, markets. According to court records, ISF bought Canadian sea urchins from a Canadian supplier, TGK Fisheries of Grand Manan that was not authorized under Canadian law to export them to the United States. ISF brought them across the Calais Port of Entry under the false label of another Canadian supplier, Matthews Seafood (“Matthews”) of New Brunswick, Canada. At times, Matthews was authorized to export them. On seven occasions between December 31, 2010 and February 1, 2011, ISF illegally imported a total of about 48,000 pounds of sea urchins, whose processed roe was worth at least $172,800, from TGK through Calais under the Mathews label. The scheme was discovered in February 2011, when ISF attempted to import 8,000 pounds of sea urchins, using an invoice in the name of Matthews. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer became suspicious when he noticed that the totes containing the sea urchins did not have the labels required by law.

In pronouncing sentence, Judge Woodcock observed that ISF’s actions violated laws in two countries that were designed to protect the environment, marine resources and food safety. Those actions took advantage of the good faith of the citizens of those two countries and merited a significant penalty.

James Landon, Director of NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement stated that "illegal imports of fish or fish products harm honest fishermen, undercut importers and exporters who follow the law, and distort fair trade. OLE will continue to work with our counterparts at the Canadian Border Services Agency, Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Fisheries and Oceans Canada to combat illegal importation of fish or fish products across the US-Canada border."

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Enforcement, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations, the Canadian Border Services Agency, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy today announced that Charles G. Landry, D.O. (“Dr. Landry”) has entered into a civil settlement agreement with the United States in which he will pay $133,464 to resolve allegations that from January 2011 through August 2014 he submitted false claims to Medicare.

According to a civil complaint, Dr. Landry is alleged to have violated the federal False Claims Acts by submitting claims for certain evaluation and management (“E&M”) services that were not eligible for payment under Medicare and submitting those claims knowing, deliberately ignoring or recklessly disregarding that they were false. Dr. Landry was not entitled to be paid for those E&M services because they were provided in connection with, and integral to, osteopathic manipulative treatment Dr. Landry performed on the same day. In total, Dr. Landry received $66,732 from the Medicare Trust Fund to which he was not entitled. The settlement amount represents twice the amount of damages incurred by the Medicare program.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General. The civil action is docketed United States v. Charles G. Landry, D.O., 17-cv-243 (D. Me.).

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Justin Riggall, 37, of Kennebunk, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 2½ years in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of firearms by a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Riggall pleaded guilty on February 15, 2017.

Court records reveal that on February 9, 2016, the defendant handled two pistols being purchased by a girlfriend at the Kittery Trading Post. On February 22, 2016, the defendant was arrested in Biddeford after police officers encountered him driving his truck in a residential neighborhood at about 30 mph with his girlfriend leaning out of the open passenger’s side door. Both pistols, one of which was loaded, and several shell casings were found in the vehicle.

The defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms as the result of a 2012 conviction in Maine for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence involving his former spouse.

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

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Joseph A. Martin, 54, of Warren, Maine, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Magistrate Judge John C. Nivison to three days imprisonment and a $1,000 fine for taking a federally-protected marine mammal.

According to court records, on October 10, 2016, the defendant was acting as captain of a fishing vessel. Off the coast of Acadia National Park, multiple protected seals began to approach the defendant’s fishing vessel. The defendant retrieved his rifle and began to shoot at the seals in the ocean. After the shooting, one seal could be seen floating in the water with a dark liquid surrounding its body. "Federal law provides great protection to the marine mammals that live in our waters," said James Landon, Director, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Law Enforcement (“OLE”). "OLE is dedicated to enforcing those laws and seeing that those who violate them are held accountable for their illegal actions."

The investigation was conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Carolyn J. Saunders, 57, of Orland, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 16 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for embezzlement from a health care practice. She was also ordered to pay full restitution to the victims of her crime. She pleaded guilty on September 16, 2016.

According to court records, from November 2011 until April 2015, Saunders, while employed as a financial administrator for Coastal Eye Care, PA and Coastal Eye Surgery Center, LLC, embezzled over $142,000 by stealing cash from the practices’ bank deposits.

At sentencing, Judge Woodcock noted that her criminal actions were aggravated by her spreading of falsehoods about her former employer after being fired for the thefts. Judge Woodcock found these defamatory actions to be “deplorable and egregious,” and concluded that the defendant stole money because she was “fundamentally dishonest.”

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Ellsworth Police Department.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Steven Nygren, 50, of Salem, Massachusetts, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to bank fraud, credit card fraud and tax evasion charges.

According to court records, from June 2014 through August 2015, Nygren used his position as financial officer of a Brooklin, Maine business to forge and embezzle 63 checks worth over $732,000. In 2015, he charged $62,000 to business credit cards for unauthorized personal purchases. Finally, from 2010 through 2016, he evaded federal unemployment and income taxes.

Nygren faces up to 30 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, and five years of supervised release for bank fraud; up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release for access device fraud; and up to five years, a $100,000 fine, and three years of supervised release for tax evasion. 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, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Philippe Maurice, 50, a citizen of France, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to being an alien who was found in the United States after having been removed and deported.

Court documents reveal that on May 17, 2017, at approximately 3:55 p.m., 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 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 defendant faces up to two 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 U.S. Border Patrol.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Yaisder Herrera Gargallo, 24, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.

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 used to make the fraudulent purchase on June 14, 2016.

The defendant faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the conspiracy charge. He faces a mandatory sentence of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft charge, to be served consecutively to the sentence imposed for the conspiracy charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

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

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Zane Wetzel, 31, of Easton, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 1½ years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for possessing child pornography. Wetzel pleaded guilty on December 28, 2016.

According to court records, on about May 14, 2015, Wetzel possessed image and video files depicting child pornography. Some of these files, which he had purposely sought out and downloaded from the internet, depicted the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children under the age of 12.

At sentencing, Judge Woodcock said of the minors depicted: “these young girls from around the world, who have been subjected to this abuse, are somebody’s daughters.” The judge went on to tell the defendant that his offense “is a serious crime that merits a significant penalty.”

The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. 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 Steven Lemieux, 54, of Fairfield, Maine, was convicted yesterday following a jury trial in U.S. District Court of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition.

Court records and trial evidence revealed that in December 2016, Lemieux possessed seven firearms and 784 rounds of ammunition. He was prohibited from possessing firearms of ammunition due to a 2006 federal felony conviction for providing false information to a federal firearm licensee.

Lemieux 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Fairfield Police Department.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Dale Pinkham, 57, of Buxton, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Portland to 20 years in prison following convictions for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, Conspiracy to Possess Stolen Firearms and Attempted Witness Tampering.

co-conspirators, Dale M. Pinkham Jr., 26, Raymond T. Pinkham, 23, and Robert C. Bean-Pinkham, 21, also of Buxton, Maine, pled guilty and were sentenced by the Court last year. In April 2016, Robert Bean-Pinkham was sentenced to 40 months in prison for conspiring to possess and possessing stolen firearms. That same month Dale Pinkham Jr. was sentenced to 64 months in prison for conspiring to distribute heroin, conspiring to possess stolen firearms and possessing firearms as a prohibited person. In May 2016, Raymond Pinkham was sentenced to 52 months in prison for conspiring to possess and possessing stolen firearms.

According to court records, from around November 2012 until November 2014, Pinkham conspired with members of his family and others to distribute heroin. Pinkham traveled with Dale Pinkham Jr. to obtain heroin from a source in the Lawrence, Massachusetts area. On December 6, 2013, a search warrant executed at the Pinkhams’ residence in Buxton resulted in the seizure of about 20 grams of heroin and numerous firearms. Agents also recovered a stolen firearm from a vehicle operated by Raymond Pinkham. On October 11, 2014, a search warrant executed at the Pinkhams’ Buxton residence resulted in the seizure of seven stolen firearms. In November 2014, law enforcement agents recovered 11 additional stolen firearms possessed by the co-conspirators. The Court found that between May 2013 and September 2014, Pinkham was distributing no less than 200 grams of heroin per month. The Court also found that Pinkham encouraged his heroin customers to commit thefts and burglaries in order to obtain valuable items to trade for heroin, including firearms, electronics and building materials. Pinkham also traded firearms to his Massachusetts supplier in exchange for heroin.

Pinkham was arrested on October 11, 2014, and has remained in state or federal custody since that date. While incarcerated, the Court found, Pinkham directed family members and co-conspirators to relocate stolen firearms from the Buxton residence to avoid their recovery by law enforcement. Writing from jail, Pinkham directed family members to locate and threaten suspected government witnesses, provide false information to law enforcement, and contact his heroin source in Massachusetts in an effort to perpetuate the drug trafficking conspiracy.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maine State Police, with assistance from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the York and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Offices, the Buxton Police Department, and the Office of the Maine Attorney General. This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Daniel Pallis, 29, of Dresden, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”

According to court records, between January 2015 and October 2016, Pallis conspired with others to distribute heroin and crack throughout communities in Central Maine. He distributed drugs that he had obtained from other co-conspirators. Investigators used a confidential informant to order drugs from one co-conspirator, who directed the informant to Pallis, who then completed the transaction.

The charge carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. Pallis 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 Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance provided by the Augusta, Maine Police Department. This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Brandon Lancaster, 21, of Norridgewock, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to four years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for distributing oxycodone. Lancaster pleaded guilty on February 22, 2017.

According to court records, on August 31, 2016, Lancaster sold eleven 30 mg oxycodone pills to an individual working with law enforcement for $500.

In imposing the sentence, Judge John Woodcock noted that illegal drug distribution has an “insidious impact on the fabric of a community” and that individuals who get involved in the drug trade begin “dancing with the devil.” Judge Woodcock admonished Lancaster for being a “traitor to the community.”

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

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that William Curtis Oliver, 53, of Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, and formerly of Dougherty County, Georgia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing child pornography.

Court records reveal that in January 2016, a detective with the Rosenberg, Texas police department, who was affiliated with the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, was monitoring certain internet sites. The detective was working in an undercover capacity and posing as a 14-year-old female child (“UC”). On January 27, 2016, the defendant wrote to the UC about traveling from Maine to see the UC and have sex. Over the next few weeks, the defendant sent several text messages to the UC. On about February 2, 2016, the defendant, using his cellular telephone, sent several images of prepubescent girls engaged in sexually explicit conduct to the UC.

defendant has been in custody since his arrest on September 15, 2016 following a related investigation by federal and state authorities that revealed that, in 2012, the defendant had been convicted of child molestation in Georgia and had moved to Maine in December 2015 without complying with federal sex offender registry requirements. On December 13, 2016, Oliver pleaded guilty to having failed to register as a sex offender.

Oliver faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the child pornography charge. Because of his child molestation conviction, he may face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. The defendant will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The investigation was conducted by the Rosenberg, Texas Police Department; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshal’s Service and the Dover-Foxcroft Police Department.

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Jack Palmer, 66, of Winter Harbor, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to five years in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release for possession of child pornography. Palmer was convicted on September 13, 2016 following a jury trial.

The evidence at trial revealed that on October 23, 2014, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Palmer’s residence where they recovered a laptop computer and compact disks. A forensic examination of these items revealed over 300 images and videos of child pornography. During two separate interviews with law enforcement, Palmer admitted to searching for, viewing, and collecting child pornography.

At sentencing, Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. noted that Palmer had done something “terribly wrong” and that the images of child pornography were “abhorrent.” Judge Woodcock admonished Palmer for committing a “terrible crime against children.”

The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. 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: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Nicholas Coy, 32, of Lewiston, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to six years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.

According to court records, on December 12, 2016, Lewiston police officers responding to a 911 call at an apartment on Knox Street encountered Coy behaving irrationally and appearing to be under the influence of a controlled substance. While inside the apartment, the police recovered a handgun belonging to Coy. Coy was prohibited from possessing firearms based on prior felony convictions for robbery, aggravated assault and theft.

The case was investigated by the Lewiston Police Department; the U.S. Marshals Service; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Adam Brake, 29, of Berwick, Maine pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to illegally possessing firearms.

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 drug felony conviction.

Brake 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 North Berwick, South Berwick, Berwick, Wells and Eliot Police Departments; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.