District of Maine

Contact: Joel B. Casey
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Christian Turner, a/k/a “P”, 29, formerly of New Haven, Connecticut, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 25 years in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute 280 grams of cocaine base, commonly referred to as “crack” and conspiring to violate federal gun laws. He pleaded guilty to the charges on September 2, 2015.

According to court records, the defendant and other conspirators were members of the Red Side Guerilla Brims (“RSGB”), a New Haven based street gang affiliated with the Almighty Blood Nation.  Between January 2010 and August 2013, the defendant conspired to acquire more than five kilograms of crack in New Haven and to distribute it in Penobscot County and elsewhere in Maine.  He and other conspirators sold it in multiple half-gram and gram amounts for $40 and $80. Drug proceeds were returned to New Haven and maintained in the gang’s “kitty” that was used to finance gang activities. 

Over the same period, the defendant obtained 14 handguns through straw purchases at pawnshops in Bangor and Brewer and seven other firearms through private transactions.  The defendant paid for the guns with cash and drugs.  In all, over 25 firearms were illegally acquired and transported back to New Haven where they were transferred to others.

In imposing the lengthy sentence, Judge Woodcock said: “the message to those people like members of the Red Side Guerilla Brimms is this: stay away from Bangor.”

The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the New Haven Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the New Haven Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Spector and Peter Markle of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut assisted in the investigation and prosecution of the case.

Contact: Andrew McCormack           
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Clifford Sprague, 38, of Exeter, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 41 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release making false statements to obtain Social Security Disability Insurance (“SSDI”) benefits and for being an accessory after the fact to a pharmacy robbery. The defendant was also ordered to pay $18,042 in restitution. The defendant pled guilty to the charges on September 16, 2015. 

According to court records, from March 2011 until March 2012, the defendant received $12,864 in SSDI benefits for himself and his three dependent children. SSDI benefits are paid by the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) to people with a disability.  In November 2011, the defendant was required to undergo a Continuing Disability Review to determine if he was still disabled.  During this review, the defendant told his representative payee to falsely represent that he did not work outside the house and did require someone to clean, bathe, dress and cook for him.  In truth and fact, the defendant did not have disabilities that required someone else to clean, bathe, dress and cook for him and did a significant amount of work outside the house including working as a scrap metal dealer, carpenter and woodcutter.

On March 10, 2012, Michael Thompson entered the Rite Aid pharmacy in Guilford, Maine wearing a bandana, a hood, sunglasses and gloves.  He jumped over the pharmacy counter, brandished a large hunting style knife and demanded narcotics.  A pharmacist opened the locker containing narcotics and Thompson filled his back pack with more than $5000 worth of them.  After the robbery, Thompson called Sprague, told him that he had robbed the pharmacy and asked Sprague to pick him up in his car.  Sprague did so.  Shortly after picking up Thompson, Sprague saw a Somerset County Sheriff’s Office vehicle.  Sprague slowed down his vehicle and told Thompson he needed to get out.  Thompson got out of Sprague’s vehicle and fled into the woods.  Later, Sprague used and sold some of the narcotics Thompson stole.  On June 29, 2015, Thompson was sentenced to 82 months in prison for his role in the pharmacy robbery.

The false statements investigation was conducted by the SSA’s Office of the Inspector General. The pharmacy robbery investigation was conducted by the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office, the Maine State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office.

Contact: Joel B. Casey or Chris Ruge
Assistant United States Attorneys
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jermaine Mitchell, a/k/a “Mello”, 44, formerly of New Haven, Connecticut and Akeen Ocean, a/k/a “A”, “Alex”, 42, of Bangor, were convicted yesterday in U.S. District Court following a six-day jury trial of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 280 grams of cocaine base, commonly referred to as “crack.”  

The trial evidence revealed that between January 2010 and August 2013, the defendants were part of a conspiracy that acquired crack cocaine in New Haven and brought it into the Bangor area where it was distributed through a network of New Haven dealers staying in the Bangor area and local residents.  Proceeds of the sales were transported back to New Haven and used to purchase, among other things, more crack cocaine to send to Bangor.

Mitchell faces between ten years and life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine. Ocean faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.  They will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.  They are the final two defendants charged in an eleven defendant indictment returned in February 2015.

The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the New Haven Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the New Haven Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Spector and Peter Markle of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut also assisted in the investigation and prosecution of this case.

Contact: Darcie N. McElwee
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Doug Bixby, 25, of Lewiston, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John D. Levy to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, commonly known as “crack,” and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  He pled guilty on February 2, 2016.

According to court records, on August 28, 2014, Bixby was found by police at a Pine Street apartment in Lewiston in possession of a sawed-off shotgun, six boxes of shotgun shells, 24.6 grams of crack cocaine, a digital scale and small plastic baggies. At the time, surveillance cameras were set up in the hallway outside Bixby’s apartment with a live feed displayed on a monitor in his bedroom and he was on state probation for drug trafficking.
           
The investigation was conducted by the Lewiston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Contact: F. Todd Lowell
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Aaron C. Robinson, 51, of Steuben, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Court records show that on November 16, 2015, the Maine Warden Service (MWS) found the defendant with a Savage .308 rifle hunting dear with bait from a tree stand in Steuben.  The defendant had prior Maine state court felony convictions for terrorizing, violations of conditions of release, possession of a firearm by a felon, burglary and aggravated criminal mischief.

Robinson 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 MWS and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced today that Garrett G. Brosnan, 25, of Bath, Maine, was arrested yesterday and charged in U.S. District Court by criminal complaint with attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor.

According to court records, on two occasions earlier this month, Brosnan sent obscene material to an individual who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. In fact, the recipient of the material was an agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

The defendant will make an initial appearance in the U.S. District Court in Portland today.

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

This case was investigated by HSI.

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

Contact: Daniel J. Perry
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Anthony Lacomb, 30, of Biddeford, Maine, was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and cocaine.  Lacomb pleaded guilty on February 24, 2016. 

According to court records, Lacomb was a manager of a group of people who imported oxycodone and cocaine from Rhode Island to Maine in 2014 and 2015. In April 2015, Lacomb was arrested in Scarborough when an undercover agent ordered cocaine and oxycodone from him.  When Lacomb and another conspirator arrived to conduct the transaction, they were arrested and about an ounce of cocaine and 35 oxycodone pills were seized. 

This case results from a joint investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Scarborough Police Department.

Contact: Michael J. Conley
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Scott McMahon, 33, of Orchard Park, New York, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for pharmacy robbery.  McMahon pleaded guilty to the charge on February 12, 2016.

According to court records, on September 10, 2014, McMahon entered a Rite Aid pharmacy in Saco, approached the pharmacy counter, told a pharmacy employee “I’m watching you” and then handed the employee a note which read “Give me oxycontin.  If you don’t it will get ugly.”  A pharmacist put 18 10 mg. Oxycontin pills worth $49 into a plastic bag and handed it to McMahon who absconded with them.  Shortly after the robbery, McMahon was tracked by police to a Saco motel located about one-half mile from the pharmacy. His DNA was also found on a sweatshirt recovered by the police that appeared to have been worn by the robber.

The investigation was conducted by the Saco Police Department.

Contact: Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Ervin Morrison III, 23, of Gardiner, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to wire fraud charges.

According to court records, between about June 2014 and July 2015, Morrison entered into contracts promising goods and services to five individuals and companies and for which he collected over $27,000 in advance payments.  At the time he entered the contracts, Morrison had no intention or ability to provide the goods and services and he did not provide them.

The defendant 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 case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Maine State Police, the Brunswick Police Department, and the Monson, Massachusetts Police Department.

Contact: James W. Chapman, Jr.
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Charles Mack, 51, of Clearwater, Florida, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 15 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for interstate stalking.  Mack pleaded guilty to the charge on March 3, 2016.

Court records reveal that between January 2014 and May 2015, Mack sent numerous harassing emails and text messages to his ex-wife, who was living in Maine, despite her repeated requests that he stop the communications.  Mack’s conduct caused the victim and her family substantial emotional distress.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Falmouth Police Department.

Contact: Michael J. Conley
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that William Duffy, 59, of Attleboro, Massachusetts, was sentence today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to four years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for possessing child pornography. Duffy was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution to one of the victims of sexual abuse.  Duffy pleaded guilty to the charge on February 23, 2016.

According to court records, in May 2015, deputies with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant for Duffy’s laptop computer at his Sebago residence.  A forensic analysis revealed 4,475 still images and 261 video files depicting minors being sexually abused, many depicting adults abusing prepubescent minors and infants.

In determining sentence, Judge Singal noted that possessing child pornography encourages the sexual abuse of children and elevates the trauma that victims of sexual abuse have already endured: “Simply creating a market for child pornography guarantees that more children will be abused. ... The impact of early childhood abuse never goes away.  It’s there all the time.  We have a population ... of [people] who live day by day knowing that the videos and photographs of their abuse are not only being distributed but are continuing to fuel sexual gratification of people who view them.  And that never ends. ...  It’s always there and will be there even after they are dead.  That is their legacy to posterity.” 

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit.

Contact: Benjamin M. Block
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jennifer Leighton, 37, of Auburn, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to theft from interstate shipments of goods.

Court records reveal that between July and September 2015, Leighton was employed by United Parcel Service (UPS) as a customer care representative in the Auburn, Maine, sorting facility.  During this period, Leighton stole at least six packages containing prescription narcotic medications that had been shipped via UPS from the Veterans Administration medical facility in Togus, Maine to outpatient veteran clients.

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

This case was investigated by the Criminal Investigations Division of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.

Contact: Darcie N. McElwee
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Mukonkole Huge Kifwa,  a/k/a “Ndowa Adrien Lushiku,” a/k/a “Adrien Ndowa,” a/k/a “Adrien Lushiku,” a/k/a “Hugue Kifwa,” 30, of South Portland, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 46 months in prison for visa fraud, possession of firearms by a non-immigrant alien,  bank fraud, and making  false statements to a government agency.   He was also ordered to pay $15,090 in restitution.  He was convicted following a jury trial on January 14, 2016.

According to the indictment and trial evidence, the defendant was a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo who fraudulently obtained a diplomatic visa in January 2014 in a false name and by making false representations.   He illegally rented a pistol and a rifle in Maine in October and November 2014 under a false name.  While living in Maine between September 2014 and March 2015, he committed a series of fraudulent transactions at four financial institutions in the greater Portland area. Finally, on July 14, 2015, he was arrested and falsely told federal agents that he had never been to Canada when, in fact, he previously lived in Canada for many years.

In imposing sentencing Judge Hornby said: “You’re a con man.  You’re a fraudster. …  One of the primary factors here is my obligation as a federal judge to protect the public.”

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Portland and Scarborough Police Departments; the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office; with assistance from Canadian authorities.

Contact: Michael J. Conley
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Stephen Bean, 55, of Norway, Maine pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to possessing firearms after being convicted of a felony offense.

According to court records, on November 21, 2015, Maine Game Wardens encountered Bean hunting with two other men in the Paris, Maine area.  The other men were carrying a shotgun and a rifle both belonging to and provided by Bean. The weapons were seized. A search of Bean’s residence on January 7, 2016 resulted in the seizure of another shotgun and rifle. Bean was prohibited from possessing firearms as the result of a 2005 felony conviction for operating after revocation in Maine state court.

Bean 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 Maine Warden Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Contact: Daniel J. Perry                                                                      
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Wayman Sparrow a/k/a “Blaze”, 25, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 196 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute heroin and crack and firing a firearm while trafficking drugs. Sparrow pleaded guilty to the charges on December 22, 2015. 

According to court records, Sparrow was one of a group of New York men who came to Maine in 2011 and proceeded to regularly distribute heroin and crack cocaine from various apartments in Portland.  In late 2012, Sparrow had a falling out with the group and began distributing the drugs for himself. In March 2013, Sparrow was distributing heroin from an apartment at the Lafayette Arms Apartment in Portland when the leader of the conspiracy confronted him.  Sparrow and this leader engaged in a shootout inside the Lafayette Arms Apartments. In June 2013, Sparrow was arrested in South Portland by state drug agents and found in possession of heroin and the firearm that he used in the shootout. 

This case resulted from a joint investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Portland Police Department, with valuable assistance provided by Maine State Police Crime Lab.

Contact: Jody Mullis, Andrew McCormack                                                                       
Assistant United States Attorneys
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jeffrey Barnard, 52, of Ellsworth, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. 

According to court records, on May 31, 2014, Barnard barricaded himself in his home and commenced a stand-off that lasted more than fourteen hours.  During the stand-off, Barnard fired a .22-caliber semi-automatic rifle.  Barnard had previously been convicted of state felony offenses in California and Maine, including a conviction in U.S. District Court for the District of Maine for being a felon in possession of a firearm. 

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

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Maine State Police; the Bangor and Ellsworth Police Departments; the Maine Attorney General’s Office; and the Maine State Police Crime Lab.

Contact: Craig M. Wolff                                                                    
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Kevin Millette, 44, of Alfred, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to 10 years in prison to be followed by seven years of supervised release for possessing child pornography. Millette pleaded guilty to the charge on January 28, 2016. He was also ordered to pay a total of $39,000 in restitution to victims depicted in the images he possessed.

According to court records, in November 2015, agents from Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant at Millette’s residence in Alfred. Millette was present, and agreed to be interviewed after waiving his Miranda rights. He admitted that he had accessed child pornography recently using his phone, and estimated that he had thousands of child pornography images on the phone.

Investigators seized three cell phones and a memory card from the residence. One of the phones was in the process of downloading child pornography images when it was seized. A forensic analysis of the phone and its memory card revealed thousands of digital still images depicting children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, as well as a smaller number of child pornography videos. Another memory card was also found to contain child pornography images.

Millette was subject to an enhanced mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment because he had a prior child pornography conviction.

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

Contact: Jody Mullis
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Willie Harper, 47, of Guilford, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of distribution of heroin and one count of distribution of oxycodone. 

According to court records, on August 13, 2015, Harper met with an undercover law enforcement officer at a grocery store parking lot.  Harper provided the undercover officer with heroin in exchange for $500.   On August 27, 2015, Harper met with the undercover officer at a Rite-Aid parking lot.  Harper provided the undercover officer with ten oxycodone pills in exchange for $500. 

Harper faces up to 20 years in prison for each count, a $1,000,000 fine, and between three years and a lifetime of supervised release.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Greenville, Maine, Police Department.

Contact: Halsey B. Frank
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that United States District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Tammy J. Mc Kenney, 50, of Portland, Maine to 2 years of probation and $26,646.60 worth of restitution for Theft of Public Money.

According to court documents, VA dependency and indemnity compensation is a monthly benefit paid to eligible survivors of military service members or veterans who died as a result of a service-related injury.  A friend of Mc Kenney was the recipient of VA survivor benefits and those benefits were being paid into an account which Mc Kenney held jointly with her friend.  When the friend died in 2012, the benefit payments continued to be paid into the joint account.  Mc Kenney regularly accessed the account and spent the benefit money until the VA learned of the friend’s death.  In all, McKenney received more than $26,000 worth of benefits to which she was not entitled.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs Office of Inspector General.

Contact: Halsey B. Frank
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that United States District Court  Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Carol L. Carter, 58, of Parsonsfield, Maine to 2 years’ probation and $2,713.08 worth of restitution for Misappropriation of Postal funds.

According to court documents, between April and September of 2014, while working as a postmaster relief in the East Parsonsfield Post Office, Carol L. Carter stole $2,713.08 worth of postal funds by selling money orders, pocketing the cash, and either not reporting the sale of the money orders until she could cover the shortfall with a subsequent sale or not reporting the sale at all.  

When interviewed, Carter admitted selling the money orders without reporting their sale and using the money to pay personal expenses.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General.

Contact: Joel B. Casey
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Syriane Baldwin, a/k/a “Del,” 29, of Bangor, Maine, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor, Maine to distribution of cocaine base, commonly referred to as “crack.”  The charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years imprisonment, a minimum of three years supervised release, and a maximum $1,000,000 fine.

According to Court records, on September 5, 2014 in Bangor, the defendant distributed a quantity of crack to a person who was assisting government agents in exchange for $300.  A grand jury indicted Baldwin on the distribution charge in September of 2015.  Baldwin will be sentenced following the completion of a presentence report.

The case was investigated by officers and agents from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the New Haven, Connecticut Office of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, and the City of New Haven Police Department.

Contact:  James M. Moore
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Mark Durinski, 64, of Limestone, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to one month in prison and three years of supervised release for making false statements and entries in annual reports filed with the U.S. Department of Labor.  He was also ordered to pay $53,544.98 in restitution to the Local from which he stole money as well as $300.00 in special assessments.  Durinski pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to three felony counts of making the false statements on September 14, 2015 and subsequently paid $20,000 in restitution. 
                                                                                                                                        
Court records reveal that Durinski was employed by the Defense Finance Accounting Service (“DFAS”) and was also a founding member and the president of the local American Federation of Government Employees (“AFGE”) union that represented DFAS employees in Limestone.  In his capacity as local AFGE president, he signed and certified as true annual Labor Department reports that failed to disclose that he received over $50,000 from the local to reimburse him for travel and other expenditures for which he was also reimbursed by U.S. Department of Defense or another source.  In imposing the prison sentence, Judge Woodcock stated it was “striking that [the defendant] would cheat the very organization that he had founded and take money from employees who trusted him.”

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Labor-Management Standards.

Contact: Joel B. Casey
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Sara Monroe, 29, of Holden, Maine, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor, Maine to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute heroin.  The charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years imprisonment, a minimum of three years supervised release, and a maximum $1,000,000 fine.

According to court records, between February 2015 and September 2015, Monroe conspired with Mario Lee, a/k/a “Moe” and others known and unknown to distribute heroin in the Bangor area and elsewhere.  The heroin was packaged in “bundles” consisting of ten small baggies containing heroin and bundled together with a rubber band. The bundles were supplied by Lee and distributed by Monroe. Monroe also provided transportation for Lee so that he could distribute heroin to others. 

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

Contact: Joel B. Casey
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Raymond “Ken” Ferris, 60, of Detroit, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor, Maine to a 87 month term of imprisonment and a 3 year term of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute oxycodone.

According to court records, between April 2013 and April 2015, Ferris conspired with others in Somerset County to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone supplied by an out-of-state source of supply. He was arrested on April 16, 2015 when deputies and agents with the Somerset County Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at his Detroit, Maine residence.  Agents seized 100 oxycodone 30 mg tablets, heroin, marijuana and an assortment of drug paraphernalia.  During the course of the investigation an undercover DEA agent purchased oxycodone from Ferris on two separate occasions. 

Ferris was prosecuted federally in 2006 for possession with intent to distribute over a kilogram of cocaine.  He was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor to 51 months imprisonment. 

Contact: F. Todd Lowell
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Mwashuma M. Sithole, 31, of Waterville, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to selling counterfeit coins. 

Court records show that the defendant began ordering counterfeit Morgan dollars online in May 2014.  Over the next several months, the defendant placed orders online for items that looked like genuine Morgan dollar coins.  The Morgan dollar is a United States dollar coin minted from 1878 to 1904 and then again in 1921.  The coins that the defendant ordered and received were offered as counterfeits and made in China.  The defendant would pay about $2 each for the coins.  The coins resembled genuine Morgan dollars in appearance, design, and weight.

The defendant sold and pawned several counterfeit Morgan dollars in Maine in 2014.  He knew that the coins were counterfeit but told the buyers that the coins were genuine Morgan dollars.  He sold and pawned coins in Augusta, Newport, Farmington, Lewiston, and South Portland.  Law enforcement officers executed a warrant at the defendant’s residence on January 22, 2015.  They seized approximately 1200 counterfeit Morgan coins that belonged to the defendant.  

Sithole faces up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and he may be ordered to pay restitution.  He will also forfeit all of the coins seized from him.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. 

The investigation was conducted by the Augusta Police Department, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Waterville Police Department, the Auburn Police Department, the Lewiston Police Department, the South Portland Police Department, the Newport Police Department, the Maine State Police, and the United States Secret Service.

Contact: Michael J. Conley
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that David Foster, 39, of South Paris, Maine pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court records, on November 21, 2015, a Maine Game Warden discovered Foster in possession of a rifle in the Paris, Maine area.  Foster was prohibited from possessing firearms based on three prior felony convictions for burglary. 

Foster 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 Maine Warden Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Contact: Benjamin M. Block
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Raymond T. Pinkham, 22, of Buxton, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland to 52 months in prison following convictions for Possession of Stolen Firearms (two counts) and Conspiracy to Possess Stolen Firearms. 

Two of Raymond Pinkham’s co-conspirators, Dale M. Pinkham Jr., 26, and Robert C. Bean-Pinkham, 21, both of Buxton, Maine, previously pled guilty and were sentenced by the Court.  On April 19, 2016, Robert Bean-Pinkham was sentenced to 40 months in prison based on convictions for Possession of Stolen Firearms and Conspiracy to Possess Stolen Firearms.  On April 20, 2016, Dale Pinkham Jr. was sentenced to 64 months in prison based on convictions for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, Possession of Firearms by a Prohibited Person, and Conspiracy to Possess Stolen Firearms.   

According to court records, from around November 2012 until November 2014, Dale Pinkham Jr. conspired with others to distribute heroin.  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 in Dale Jr.’s bedroom.  Dale Jr. was then prohibited from possessing guns due to his illegal drug use. Agents also recovered a stolen firearm from a vehicle operated by Raymond that day.  Between about August and November 2014, Dale Jr., Raymond and Robert also conspired to possess and possessed stolen firearms.  The co-conspirators paid for the stolen firearms using U.S. currency, heroin, or both.  On October 11, 2014, a search warrant executed at the Pinkhams’ Buxton residence resulted in the seizure of seven stolen firearms from Robert’s bedroom.   Law enforcement subsequently recovered 11 additional stolen firearms possessed by the co-conspirators.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Maine State Police, with assistance from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the York and Cumberland County Sherriff’s Offices, the Buxton Police Department, and the Office of the Maine Attorney General.

Contact: Jody Mullis
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Richard Hughes, 30, of Bangor, Maine, pleaded guilty on May 6, 2016 in U.S. District Court to destroying government property.

According to court records, on June 5, 2015, Hughes drove a motor vehicle through the high frequency area electronic gate located on Elmer’s Way at the Cutler, Maine, Naval Support Activity installation.  The gate is owned and operated by the United States Department of Defense.  Hughes destroyed the gate. 

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

The investigation was conducted by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Cutler, Maine, Naval Support Activity Police Department.

Contact: Chris Ruge
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Steven Strang, Jr., 37, of Athens, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing child pornography.

According to court records, from about June 15, 2015 to about August 20, 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.

Strang 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit.

Contact: Darcie N. McElwee
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Lonnie Ball, 28, of Pennsylvania, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 8 years in prison and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pled guilty on November 16, 2015.

According to court records, on January 29, 2015, Ball was found by police during a routine traffic stop in possession of a loaded .40 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number. Ball’s criminal history includes 2009 and 2012 convictions in Pennsylvania for Robbery and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.

Judge Hornby stated that he imposed a lengthy sentence due to the “need to protect the public in light of the serious criminal history Mr. Ball has been accumulating.”

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

Contact: Michael J. Conley
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Robert Caton, 73, of Arrowsic, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to six months in prison and three years of supervised release for social security fraud.  He was also ordered to pay $162,786.80 in restitution.  He pleaded guilty to the charge on January 6, 2016.

According to court documents, Caton’s mother received retirement and survivors benefits following the death of her husband.  The benefits were deposited into a joint account he held with her. When she died in September 2000, Caton did not notify the Social Security Administration (SSA) of her death.  As a result, benefits continued to be deposited into the joint account until September 2014.  At that time, the excess payments totaled $162,786.80.  Caton used all but about $15,000 of these funds to pay personal bills and expenses. 

In pronouncing sentence, Judge Torresen noted that Caton’s crime was a serious offense against all taxpayers that continued for 14 years and netted significant money, but also considered Caton’s age, health issues and lack of criminal history in imposing the sentence.   

The investigation was conducted by the SSA’s Office of Inspector General.

Contact: James W. Chapman, Jr.
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jimmy Odong, 26, of Portland, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to committing four bank robberies in Portland.  The charges arise from the robberies of University Credit Union on May 14, 2015; TruChoice Federal Credit Union on May 26, 2015; and CPort Credit Union and Bank of America, both on June 19, 2015.

In the robberies, Odong was captured on bank security cameras wearing a hat or wig that partially disguised his appearance, he demanded cash from tellers, and he brandished what appeared to be a gray or black semiautomatic handgun.

On January 20, 2016, Odong pled guilty to the robbery of Key Bank in Freeport, Maine, on July 17, 2015, and awaits sentencing. 

The defendant faces up to 20 years in jail and a $250,000 fine for each robbery.  According to a plea agreement, Odong has agreed to be sentenced for all of the robberies to a total term of imprisonment of between 12 years and three months and 14 years.   He will be sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. 

The investigation was conducted by Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); the Freeport, Portland and Brunswick Police Departments; the Maine State Police; and the Southern Maine Gang Task Force 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, Lewiston and Biddeford Police Departments.  U.S. Attorney Delahanty praised the cooperation among these law enforcement agencies noting that “these bank robberies were quickly solved because local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies worked closely together.”

Contact: David B. Joyce
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine: The United States Attorney’s Office announced that James Winbrone, 32, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 21 years in prison and six years of supervised release for possessing with intent to distribute heroin and distributing cocaine base, also known as crack cocaine.  He was convicted on September 30, 2015, following a two-day bench trial. 

Court records reveal that on April 10, 2014 and October 28, 2014, the defendant was involved in the distribution of heroin and crack cocaine in Lewiston.  On January 14, 2015, a search warrant executed at a Lewiston apartment used by the defendant resulted in the seizure of cocaine and heroin. The defendant’s sentence was enhanced because of his leadership position and his involvement in an act of violence related to his drug trafficking, namely, the assault of a customer who owed him a drug debt.

The investigation was conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Maine State Police, and the Southern Maine Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Portland and Biddeford Police Departments; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistance was also provided by the Lewiston and Auburn Police Departments and the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office.

Contact: Chris Ruge
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Chad Bitgood, 38, of Glenburn, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Magistrate Judge John C. Nivison to two years of probation for the theft of government property and attempted possession of a controlled substance.  He was also ordered to pay a fine of $1000.  The defendant pled guilty on January 26, 2016.

According to court records, on April 27, 2015, Bitgood was employed as a delivery truck driver for United Parcel Service (UPS), when he stole a package belonging to the Veterans Administration (VA) that he believed to contain narcotic medications.  The package was being monitored by VA investigators.  When confronted by investigators, Bitgood admitted he stole the package with the intention of consuming any narcotics inside.  

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Veterans Administration, Office of the Inspector General.

Contact: Michael J. Conley
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Andrew Bean, 51, of South Paris, Maine pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing a firearm after being convicted of four felony offenses.

According to court records, on November 21, 2015, a Maine Game Warden discovered Bean in possession of a 12-gauge shotgun in the Paris, Maine area.  Bean was prohibited from possessing firearms based on prior felony convictions for Operating Under the Influence and for Operating after Revocation in 2002 and, again, in 2006. 

Bean 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 Maine Warden Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Contact: Donald E. Clark
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  As part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to strengthening the criminal justice system, Attorney General Loretta Lynch and the Department of Justice have designated the week of April 24-30, 2016, as National Reentry Week. 

“Too often, justice-involved individuals who have paid their debt to society confront daunting obstacles to good jobs, decent housing, adequate health care, quality education, and even the right to vote,” said Attorney General Lynch.  “National Reentry Week highlights the many ways that the Department of Justice – and the entire Obama Administration – is working to tear down the barriers that stand between returning citizens and a meaningful second chance – leading to brighter futures, stronger communities, and a more just and equal nation for all.”

In recognition of National Reentry Week, Thomas E. Delahanty II, United States Attorney for the District of Maine, announced today that he will host a reentry roundtable discussion on Tuesday, April 26, 2016, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, 100 Middle Street, East Tower, 6th Floor, in Portland with key public and private stakeholders that are engaged in efforts to reduce recidivism and promote the successful reintegration into society of justice-involved individuals. 

These stakeholders include: the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office; the Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic; Family Crisis Services; the Federal Defender, District of Maine; Goodwill Industries of Northern New England; Maine Pretrial Services; Maine Inside Out; MaineWorks; the Maine Department of Corrections; My Sister’s Keeper; the Portland Recovery Community Center; Straight Ahead Ministries and Transformation Project; the U.S. Attorney’s Office; U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services; the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office; and Volunteers of America Northern New England. These organizations will discuss the reentry work or programs in which they are engaged, identify areas where they can collaborate with others, and identify barriers encountered by justice-involved individuals. 

Members of the media are invited to attend and observe the roundtable discussion.  They should arrive by 8:45 a.m. if they wish attend and observe.  Representatives of the organizations will be available at about 10:30 a.m. to answer questions and provide additional information.  Members of the media should arrive by 10:15 a.m. if they wish ask questions or obtain additional information.

Contact: Joel Casey
F. Todd Lowell
Assistant United States Attorneys
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Malcolm French, 54, of Enfield; Rodney Russell, 52, of South Thomaston; and Kendall Chase, 59, of Bradford; were sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. for offenses arising out of the September 22, 2009 seizure of 2,943 marijuana plants in Township 37, Washington County. 

French was sentenced to 175 months in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $100,000 for conspiracy to manufacture over 1000 marijuana plants, managing and controlling property used to manufacture marijuana and harboring illegal aliens.  Russell was sentenced to 151 months in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiracy to manufacture over 1000 marijuana plants, managing and controlling property used to manufacture marijuana and harboring illegal aliens.  Chase was sentenced to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $17,500 for conspiracy to manufacture over 1000 marijuana plants.

In imposing sentence, Judge Woodcock said the defendants “attempt to make profits turned into a series of losses,” that he was “profoundly offended by the perjurious testimony of French and Russell” and that the defendants had the “bad fortune to run into an extremely professional prosecutorial and investigative team whose diligence was the hallmark of the case.”

On February 10, 2016, Haynes Timberland, Inc. was sentenced to pay a $100,000 fine for managing and controlling property used to manufacture marijuana.  Haynes Timberland and  French were also ordered to forfeit $1,550,000, a warehouse compound in Township 31, and a hunting camp in LaGrange that facilitated drug trafficking.

The Director of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (“MDEA”), Roy McKinney said, “This case was and remains the largest and most sophisticated marijuana growing operations in Maine history.”

“I commend the dedicated investigators and members of the prosecution team who have worked tirelessly on this case for many years,” said Joel Garland, Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Office.  “IRS-Criminal Investigation provides the financial expertise needed to trace drug trafficking proceeds which, as shown in this large-scale marijuana operation, can lead to the forfeiture of significant assets.”

“U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI’s”) unique law enforcement authorities bring to the table, not only the experience and expertise to handle the criminal investigation of this grow operation, but also the ability to appropriately investigate their dealings with undocumented aliens,” said Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Boston. “Our partnerships with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies helps ensure that these criminal drug organizations are completely dismantled, making communities safer.”

The case was investigated by the MDEA, IRS-Criminal Investigation and HSI, with assistance from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine State Police, the Washington and Penobscot County Sheriff’s Offices, the Maine Warden Service, the Maine Forest Service and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.  This investigation is part of the ongoing effort of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.

Contact: Julia M. Lipez
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that William Weston, 36, of Portland, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to seven years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute cocaine base, often referred to as crack cocaine.  Weston entered a guilty plea to the charge in October 2015.

Court records reveal that between December 2013 and January 2015, Weston conspired with others to sell crack cocaine in Portland.  Members of the conspiracy arranged for the acquisition of drugs out of state.  Once the drugs were transported to Maine, they were provided to retail distributors who would sell the drugs in the Portland area.  During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officers conducted controlled purchases of crack cocaine from Weston and other members of the conspiracy. 

This case was investigated by the Southern Maine Gang Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Portland, South Portland, Biddeford, and Lewiston Police Departments; the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.  The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Maine State Police also assisted with the investigation.   The case also results from the ongoing effort of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. 

Contact: Daniel J. Perry
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced today Chad Conner, age 35, of Scarborough was sentenced by United States District Judge Nancy Torresen for the crime of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and cocaine. Conner received a sentence of 33 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release for these crimes.

Evidence in the case showed that from at least August 2014 through April 2015, Conner was part of a drug trafficking organization that distributed oxycodone and cocaine from different locations in the Scarborough area.  Various co-conspirators would obtain the oxycodone pills and cocaine from out of state sources of supply.  The drugs would then be brought to various locations in Maine whereupon they would be distributed by Conner and other conspirators to their customer base in the Scarborough area. 

Conner was charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and cocaine in October 8, 2015.   Conner pleaded guilty to the charge on October 28, 2015. 
 
This case results from a joint investigation conducted by Scarborough Police Department and DEA.

Contact: F. Todd Lowell
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Stephen E. Crawford, 68, of Beaufort, North Carolina, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to one year of probation for stealing and embezzling funds from the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point.  The defendant paid $26,373.72 in restitution in advance of the sentencing.

Court records show that between February 2003 and February 2012, the defendant served as the tribe’s environmental director.  Between 2006 and 2012, the defendant fraudulently obtained and stole over $25,000 from the tribe by submitting fraudulent travel expense reports and supporting documentation.

In imposing the probationary sentence, Judge Woodcock noted that the defendant was now a federal felon, had lost his job and career and reputation, and would be barred from working on federal contracts for a period of time.  Judge Woodcock said that the fact that the defendant had paid full restitution before sentencing also played a significant role in his determination of the appropriate sentence.
 
The case was investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Inspector General. 

Contact: F. Todd Lowell
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Steven C. Chaput, 40, of Mt. Vernon, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to six years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for committing two pharmacy robberies.  He was also ordered to pay $726 in restitution. 

On February 7, 2015, Chaput drove Rudger S. Ellis to the Rite Aid Pharmacy located on North Belfast Avenue in Augusta, Maine.  Ellis entered the pharmacy wearing a hooded gray sweatshirt, blue and white athletic pants, and gloves.  He had covered his face with a plaid cloth.  Ellis approached the counter and demanded that the pharmacist give him oxycodone, Oxycontin, and Ritalin.  He told the pharmacy employees to hurry up and said that he had a gun.  Ellis absconded with six bottles containing oxycodone.  Chaput was the lookout for Ellis and the getaway driver.

On February 18, 2015, Chaput drove Ellis to the Rite Aid Pharmacy located on Spring Street in Gardiner.  Ellis robbed that pharmacy again wearing a hooded sweatshirt and gloves and covering his face with a plaid cloth.  He approached the pharmacy counter and demanded oxycodone 30 milligram pills.  He repeatedly told pharmacy employees to “hurry” and several times commanded:  “now, now, now!”  Ellis absconded with 11 bottles of oxycodone.  Chaput was once again the lookout for Ellis and the getaway driver. 

Ellis was sentenced on April 6, 2016, to five years in prison and three years of supervised release.

The investigation was conducted by the Augusta Police Department, the Gardiner Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Matthew McElroy, 39, of Chicopee, Massachusetts, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to transporting child pornography.

According to court records, in January 2016, a federal agent was investigating the distribution and production of child pornography over the internet when he received an email message attaching three child pornography images from an individual later identified as McElroy, who claimed that the images depicted his niece and that he had sexual contact with her. A search warrant was obtained for McElroy’s Chicopee residence and he was arrested on a criminal complaint. McElroy later admitted that he used his email account to trade child pornography.

McElroy faces between five and 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine 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 and the Chicopee Police Department.

Contact: Craig M. Wolff
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Howard Hoffman, 53, formerly of Richmond, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to bank fraud.

According to court records, in March 2007, Hoffman’s childhood friend died while abroad. Over a year later, Hoffman used his deceased friend’s personal identifying information to gain access to the friend’s bank account and change the address on the account to his residence in Richmond. Over the next few weeks, Hoffman caused two checks, totaling about $80,000, to be issued from his friend’s account. Hoffman deposited the checks into a bank account of a company he controlled. Hoffman did not have authority to access his friend’s account or cause the bank to issue the two checks.

Hoffman faces up to 30 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and five years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

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

Contact: Donald E. Clark
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Timothy P. Gallagher, 46, of Jay, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to federal program fraud.

According to court records, between May and November 2014, the defendant embezzled about $80,000 from Stanford Management LLC (“Stanford”), a property management company specializing in affordable housing that received millions of dollars in federal benefits each year under programs administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”).  While employed as a full-time construction manager at Stanford, Gallagher set up a competing construction company and paid it to hire subcontractors to perform work on Stanford properties, the job he was being paid a wage to perform.  He also concealed his ownership of the competing construction company from Stanford and the federal agencies.  As a result, he improperly obtained about $80,000.

Gallagher faces up to ten 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 HUD, Office of Inspector General and the USDA, Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Jay Police Department. 

Contact: Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Laura Lyons, 30, of Bangor pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to maintaining a drug involved premises. 

According to court records, in 2014, the defendant maintained a residence on Essex Street in Bangor where she allowed dealers to store and sell heroin to customers on a daily basis and for which she was compensated in heroin. 

The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, a $500,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

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

Contact: Jim Moore
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Bruce Mayberry, 55, of Windham, Maine was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Magistrate Judge John Nivison to serve a day in jail and pay a $3,000 fine for failing to present at a border crossing point when he entered the United States from Canada.  He also paid a $1,800 civil penalty and a $500 fee associated with impoundment of his automobile.
 
According to court records, on October 29, 2015, a red Saturn sedan operated by Mayberry triggered sensors and was observed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent entering the United States on a field road leading from New Brunswick into Maine.  After the Border Patrol agent conducted a vehicle stop, the driver admitted he had entered through the field road and had been in Canada for a few days.  An officer employed by the Canadian Border Services Agency reported that Mayberry, a U.S. citizen, had previously been refused entry into Canada as result of his criminal history.

U.S. Attorney Delahanty stated that the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security are committed to securing the international border and ensuring that those who seek to enter our country present themselves at designated crossing points and ports of entry. 

In imposing sentence, Magistrate Judge Nivison emphasized the importance of border security and the need to deter others from unlawfully crossing our nation’s borders.
 
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Border Patrol.

Contact: F. Todd Lowell
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Rudger S. Ellis, 23, of Gardiner, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for committing two pharmacy robberies.  He was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and $726 in restitution.   

On February 7, 2015, Ellis entered the Rite Aid Pharmacy located on North Belfast Avenue in Augusta, Maine, wearing a hooded gray sweatshirt, blue and white athletic pants, and gloves and covering his face with a plaid cloth.  Ellis approached the counter and demanded that the pharmacist give him oxycodone, Oxycontin, and Ritalin.  He told the pharmacy employees to hurry up and said that he had a gun.  Ellis absconded with six bottles containing oxycodone. 

On February 18, 2015, Ellis robbed the Rite Aid Pharmacy located on Spring Street in Gardiner, again wearing a hooded sweatshirt and gloves and covering his face with a plaid cloth.  He approached the pharmacy counter and demanded oxycodone 30 milligram pills.  He repeatedly told pharmacy employees to “hurry” and several times commanded: “now, now, now!” Ellis absconded with 11 bottles of oxycodone. 
 
Steven C. Chaput committed the robberies with Ellis.  He has pled guilty and awaits sentencing.

The investigation was conducted by the Augusta and Gardiner Police Departments and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Contact: Halsey B. Frank
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Thomas P. Cortez, of College Point, New York and Portland, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to failing to register as a sex offender. 

According to court documents, Cortez was convicted in Maine in 1989 of unlawful sexual contact with a minor under 14 years old.  As a result, Cortez is required to register as a sex offender for life.  In 1996, Cortez was living in New York when it instituted a sex offender registry. Between about 1996 and about March of 2003, Cortez was registered in New York.  In 2003, Cortez gave New York notice that he was moving back to Maine.  Between 2006 and 2015, Cortez registered in Maine.  After March 2015, Cortez moved to College Point, New York, where he lived with his father and stepmother.  He did not inform Maine that he had moved to New York and he did not register in New York.  In December of 2015, Cortez was arrested in New York and told arresting officers, among other things, that he had been living in New York for about eight months.

Cortez faces up to 10 years in jail 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 U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, the Maine and New York Sex Offender Registries, and the Portland Police Department.

Contact: Daniel J. Perry
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Scot Stolkner, 42, of Gray, Maine, Angela Green, 34, of South Portland, Maine, and Jonathan Day, 41, of Portland, pleaded guilty on April 1, 2016 in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, including heroin, fentanyl, and alpha-pyrrolidinovalerophenone (a-PVP), commonly known as a “bath salt.” 

According to court records, from about August through late December 2014, Stolkner obtained heroin from out-of-state sources and had others transport it to Maine and sell it to his customers.  During the conspiracy, Green transported heroin and fentanyl for Stolkner and she, Day, and others sold it for Stolkner.

In about April 2015, Stolkner began obtaining a-PVP from a Chinese source.  Stolkner placed online orders and wired money to the supplier.  The supplier sent a-PVP to the addresses Stolkner provided.  Once the a-PVP was in Maine, Green, Day, and others sold it for Stolkner.

The defendants face up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and between three years and life on supervised release.  They 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, with the assistance of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Contact: Chris Ruge
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Robert Kinney, Jr., 41, of Blaine, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 15 years in prison and 15 years of supervised release for transporting child pornography.  The defendant was also ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution.  He pled guilty on September 2, 2015.

According to court records, on about August 20 and 21, 2014, Kinney emailed at least nine videos and 15 images of child pornography as he traded with others over the internet.  The defendant’s trade in child pornography supported, and was supported by, his personal collection of images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of young children. 

In announcing the sentence, Judge Woodcock described the defendant’s conduct as “chilling to any parent, grandparent, or anyone who cares about children.”

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