District of Maine

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Sandra Melnick, 53, of Winter Harbor, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to three years of probation for the theft of public money.  She was also ordered to pay the U.S. Postal Service $1,629.55 in restitution.  The defendant pled guilty on August 11, 2015.

According to court records, from about May 19 to September 12, 2014, while serving as a Postmaster Relief at the Sullivan, Maine Post Office, Melnick issued a series of money orders without reporting the sale or tendering the money to the Postal Service.  Many of these money orders were cashed by recipients before the defendant reported them as sold.  When Postal Service investigators audited Melnick’s accounts, there were three previously-cashed money orders that Melnick had not reported as sold. 

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Service, 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 Crystal Dufault, 33, and Joseph Richards, 46, both of Manchester, New Hampshire, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to armed bank robbery and conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery.  The charges arise from the August 3, 2015 armed bank robbery of Norway Savings Bank, in Freeport, Maine by Richards; the August 14, 2015 armed bank robbery of Franklin Savings Bank, in Franklin, New Hampshire by Dufault and Richards; the September 4, 2015 armed bank robbery of University Credit Union in Portland by Dufault and Richards; and the September 12, 2015 armed bank robbery of TD Bank in Lewiston, Maine by Richards.

According to court documents, a pellet gun was brandished during each of the robberies and the robber(s) absconded with $5,854 from Norway Savings Bank; $9,887 from Franklin Savings Bank; $12,308 from University Credit Union; and $9,888 from TD Bank.
     
The defendants face up to 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each charge.  They will be sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. 
     
The joint investigation was conducted by the Franklin and Manchester, New Hampshire Police Departments; the Freeport, Portland, Lewiston, Old Orchard Beach and Saco Police Departments; the Maine State Police; and the Southern Maine Gang Task Force comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; 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 armed bank robberies were quickly solved because local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies across two states worked closely together.”

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jason Robinson, 30, of Orono, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 41months in prison and 5 years of supervised release for wire and bank fraud conspiracies.  He was also ordered to pay over $13,000 in restitution to victims.

According to court records, from about February 2014 to May 2015, Robinson conspired with others to steal merchandise from Walmart, Hannaford, and other stores in Maine, and sell it on eBay; to return stolen merchandise to Lowe’s and Home Depot in return for store credit; and to defraud federally insured financial institutions by depositing worthless checks and withdrawing the money before those checks bounced.

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

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that a federal jury in Portland found 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 guilty today of visa fraud, possession of firearms by a non-immigrant alien,  bank fraud, and making  false statements to a government agency.  

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.

Kifwa faces up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 fine on each of the visa fraud and firearms charges, up to 30 years and a $1,000,000 fine on the bank fraud charges and up to five years and a $250,000 fine on the false statement charge.  He will be sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.  

The case was investigated by the U.S. Departments 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: Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Dustin Giles, 30, of Caribou, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute bath salts.

According to court records, between about January 2012 and June 2014, Giles conspired with others in Aroostook County to obtain bath salts overseas via the internet and distribute it.  Specifically, Giles was supplied with bath salts by another member of the conspiracy and distributed it to multiple customers. 

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

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency with assistance from the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

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, 72, of Arrowsic, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to Social Security Fraud.

According to court documents, Caton’s mother received Retirement and Survivors Benefits (RSI) following the death of her husband.  When Caton’s mother died in September 2000, the RSI benefits continued to be deposited into Caton’s and his mother’s joint bank account.  Caton did not notify the Social Security Administration that his mother’s RSI benefits continued to be deposited into their joint account following his mother’s death.  The excess RSI payments continued uninterrupted for 14 years, with the last payment occurring in September 2014.  Excess RSI payments to Caton’s joint account totaled $162,786.  Caton used these funds to pay his own personal bills and expenses, spending all but approximately $15,000. 

Caton faces up to five 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 U.S. Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Brandon Caparotta, 24, of Winterport, Maine pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to escape from federal custody.

According to court records, on November 23, 2015, Caparotta was arrested by federal marshals at a town house complex on Griffin Road in Bangor after he escaped from the Northern Maine Regional Re-Entry Center, a contracted correctional facility of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, at which he was completing a sentence for two felony firearm offenses.  After arriving at the facility in late September 2015, Caparotta was instructed that he could not leave the facility without permission, he had to keep the facility advised of his whereabouts while on a work pass, he could not leave a work site without permission, and he had to return to the facility after work hours.  On September 22, 2015, Caparotta received a work pass, but failed to return. The investigation revealed that Caparotta left his work site early that day and did not have permission to be at the Griffin Road complex.

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

The investigation was conducted by the United States Marshals Service.

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 New York, New York, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack cocaine,” and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. 

According to court records, between October 2011 and January 2013, Sparrow conspired with others from New York and Portland to bring heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine to Maine and distribute it from apartments and hotels in the Portland area.  The defendant brought the drugs from New York to Portland, distributed them to customers in the Portland area, and brought drug proceeds back to New York.  On March 12, 2013, the defendant got into a gun battle using a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber handgun with a former conspirator in the hallway outside an apartment in the Lafayette Arms in Portland, while he was there distributing drugs.
     
Sparrow faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine on the drug charge and a consecutive sentence of between 10 years and life in prison and a $250,000 fine on the gun charge.  He will be sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. 

The investigation was conducted by the Portland Police Department, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced the selection of the District of Maine as one of only six federal Districts designated to participate in the Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team (ACTeam) Initiative, an interagency federal law enforcement initiative aimed at streamlining the investigation and prosecution of federal human trafficking offenses.

“Maine is a relatively small and rural state, but it is not immune from human trafficking issues,” said U.S. Attorney Delahanty. “They are a priority for our office and the District of Maine.” The ACTeam will consist of agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“HSI”), the Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) Wage and Hour Division and Office of the Inspector General and two Assistant United States Attorneys (“AUSA”), one of whom will be Human Trafficking Coordinator, Julia M. Lipez.  In 2014, HSI formed the Human Trafficking Task Force (“HTTF”) in Maine which consists of agents from federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  The ACTeam will enhance the efforts of the HTTF in Maine.

U.S. Attorney Delahanty’s announcement follows the joint announcement of Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, and Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez yesterday designating the following cities as Phase II ACTeam sites:  Cleveland, Ohio; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Newark, New Jersey; Portland, Maine; Portland, Oregon; and Sacramento, California.  The sites were selected by unanimous interagency consensus of the Federal Enforcement Working Group, comprised of national anti-trafficking experts of the Department of Justice (“DOJ”), Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, the Executive Office of United States Attorneys, the FBI, HSI, and DOL’s
Wage and Hour Division and Office of the Inspector General.

ACTeams are aimed at developing high-impact human trafficking investigations and prosecutions involving forced labor, international sex trafficking, and sex trafficking of adults by force, fraud, and coercion, complementing Project Safe Childhood and related efforts aimed at combating child sexual exploitation, including child sex trafficking.  ACTeams bring together federal prosecutors and federal agents from multiple federal investigative agencies to develop and implement proactive anti-trafficking case identification, investigation, and prosecution strategies in close coordination with one another and with national anti-trafficking subject matter experts.

During Phase I of the ACTeam Initiative, Phase I Pilot ACTeams were convened in Atlanta, Georgia; El Paso, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Los Angeles, California; Memphis, Tennessee; and Miami, Florida.  Phase I proved highly successful, with ACTeam Districts collectively increasing prosecutions by 119%, compared to 35% nationwide during the same two-year period. 

Based on the outstanding results of Phase I, Attorney General Lynch, Secretary of Homeland Security Johnson, and Secretary of Labor Perez launched Phase II on June 25, 2015 by soliciting joint applications from United States Attorneys’ Offices and their federal law enforcement partners nationwide.

“Human trafficking robs victims of their liberty, exploits them for labor and for sex, and infringes not only on their rights, but on their essential humanity,” said Attorney General Loretta Lynch.  “Through the ACTeam Initiative, we are harnessing resources across the federal government to ensure that our multi-agency fight against human trafficking is as comprehensive and effective as possible.  In the days and months ahead, the DOJ will continue to work alongside our federal partners to prosecute wrongdoing, support survivors, and bring this devastating crime to an end.”
     
“The ACTeam Initiative is an important tool in our collective ability to combat sex trafficking, forced labor and domestic servitude here in the United States,” said Secretary Jeh C. Johnson of Homeland Security.  “It highlights our commitment to increase capacity to rescue victims and bring perpetrators of these terrible crimes to justice.  Our collective efforts are amplified when we work together in furtherance of shared missions like this.  And, through DHS’s Blue Campaign, we will remain focused on ending human trafficking in the United States.”
     
“A trafficking victim shouldn’t have to spend time trying to determine whether they have a DOL issue or a DOJ issue,” said Secretary Thomas Perez of the DOL.  “Their basic rights are being violated, and we can accomplish so much more to redress those crimes when we work together.  The Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team Initiative, by bringing our respective departments’ collective resources and expertise to bear, is helping us build a whole even greater than the sum of our individual parts.”
     
“Human trafficking is a modern day form of slavery that destroys lives and exploits the most vulnerable in our society,” said Director James B. Comey of the FBI.  “These ACTeams are the most effective way to investigate human trafficking by allowing us to work in a collaborative, victim-oriented manner.”

The Attorney General has declared efforts to bring human traffickers to justice and to restore the lives of human trafficking survivors be among the highest priorities of the DOJ.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Russell Gordon, 32, of Ansonia, Connecticut, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to 13 years in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute cocaine base, often referred to as crack cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.  Gordon also was ordered to forfeit $10,706.50.  He pleaded guilty to the charges on May 29, 2015.

Court records reveal that between December 2013 and January 2015, Gordon conspired with others to sell crack cocaine in Portland, Maine.  Gordon would arrange 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, and then return the cash proceeds to Gordon.  During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officers conducted controlled purchases of crack cocaine from members of the conspiracy.  Gordon was arrested on January 9, 2015 at 66 Smith Street in Portland.  At the time of his arrest, officers found him next to a bag containing 89 grams of crack cocaine and over $10,000 in cash. 

Marco Gordon previously was sentenced to eleven years in connection with this conspiracy and Robert Joiner, Jr. and Samuel Collins each were sentenced to three years.  Other defendants connected to this conspiracy have entered guilty pleas and await sentencing.  

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; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.  The 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 that Damian Corbett, 40, of New Rochelle, New York, was found guilty today in U.S. District Court following a two-day jury trial of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and oxymorphone.

According to court records, on December 16, 2014, federal agents and task force officers seized approximately 1,000 oxycodone and oxymorphone pills at the home of a North Berwick, Maine resident.  Investigators learned that, since at least June 2013, Corbett had been supplying those pills to the resident who, in turn, distributed them in southern Maine.  On December 19, 2014, Corbett was arrested shortly after he met with the resident and agents seized about $2,500 that he had just been paid for a delivery.
  
Corbett faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation office. 

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Portsmouth Tactical Diversion Squad, North Berwick Police Department, Maine State Police, and York County Sheriff’s Office.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Shawna Calhoun, 25, of Lewiston, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to nine years in prison and five years of supervised release for transporting a minor in interstate commerce with the intent that she engage in prostitution.  She pleaded guilty on July 29, 2015

Court records reveal that on December 23, 2014, Calhoun and Alvin Houston, Jr. obtained a rental car in Maine and used it to drive a 13-year old girl and another individual from Maine to Boston, Massachusetts, where they stayed with Calhoun’s family.  While there, Calhoun and Houston drove the 13-year old girl to various hotels in the Boston area to engage in prostitution.  On December 30, 2014, Calhoun and Houston learned that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was looking for the minor.  They drove her in the rental car back to Maine and ultimately to Bangor, so that she could again engage in prostitution.  Early in the morning on December 31, 2014, Calhoun and Houston drove the minor to a hotel in the Bangor area so that she could meet with a client for the purposes of prostitution.  The purported client turned out to be a member of law enforcement.  Calhoun and Houston were arrested outside in the parking lot, where they were waiting in the rental car. 

This case was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Human Trafficking Task Force, the Lisbon and Bangor Police Departments, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency. 

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Alvin Houston, Jr., 28, of Auburn, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to nine years in prison and five years of supervised release for transporting a minor in interstate commerce with the intent that she engage in prostitution.  He pleaded guilty on July 29, 2015.

Court records reveal that on December 23, 2014, Houston and Shawna Calhoun obtained a rental car in Maine and used it to drive a 13-year old girl and another individual from Maine to Boston, Massachusetts, where they stayed with Calhoun’s family.  While there, Calhoun and Houston drove the 13-year old girl to various hotels in the Boston area to engage in prostitution.  On December 30, 2014, Calhoun and Houston learned that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was looking for the minor.  They drove her in the rental car back to Maine and ultimately to Bangor, so that she could again engage in prostitution.  Early in the morning on December 31, 2014, Calhoun and Houston drove the minor to a hotel in the Bangor area so that she could meet with a client for the purposes of prostitution.  The purported client turned out to be a member of law enforcement.  Calhoun and Houston were arrested outside in the parking lot, where they were waiting in the rental car. 

This case was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Human Trafficking Task Force, the Lisbon and Bangor Police Departments, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency. 

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

Portland, Maine: Thomas E. Delahanty II, United States Attorney for the District of Maine, Janet T. Mills, Maine Attorney General, and John E. Morris, Maine Commissioner for the Department of Public Safety, will host a press conference to discuss the Maine Opiate Collaborative (“MOC”) on Thursday, December 17, 2015 at 12:00 noon at the Maine Medical Association, 30 Association Drive, Manchester, Maine.

U.S. Attorney Delahanty, Attorney General Mills and Commissioner Morris will provide information on the organization and activity of the MOC and its efforts to combat opiate abuse and addiction in Maine.  Team leaders for the Law Enforcement, Treatment and Prevention/Harm Reduction Task Forces will also be available to answer questions and provide information.  Dr. Wendy Wolf and Steve Rowe, Esq. will also be present representing the Maine Health Access Foundation and the Maine Community Foundation who will be announcing financial support for Maine community forums.

Members of the media should plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before the scheduled conference time.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Barbara Phillips, 66, of Franklin, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to two years of probation and fined $3,000 for theft of public money.  She was also ordered to pay $31,496.37 in restitution to the Social Security Administration.

According to court records, from about August 2011 until December of 2013, Phillips withdrew social security funds being deposited in her deceased mother’s checking account.  In all, Phillip’s stole over $31,000 by drafting checks to herself from the decedent’s account. 

The investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Samuel Collins, 47, of Portland, Maine, was sentenced today to three years in prison and three years of supervised release in connection with charges of conspiring to distribute cocaine base, often referred to as crack cocaine.

Court records reveal that between December 2013 and January 2015, Collins conspired with others to sell crack cocaine in Portland, Maine.  Members of the conspiracy would arrange 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 Collins and determined that Collins let other members of the conspiracy sell drugs from his apartment. 

Marco Gordon previously was sentenced to eleven years in connection with this conspiracy and Robert Joiner, Jr. was sentenced to three years.  Several other members of the conspiracy have entered guilty pleas and await sentencing.  

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine collected $1,742,830.04 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2015.  Of this amount, $880,662.93 was collected in criminal actions and $862,167.11 was collected in civil actions. 
     
Additionally, the District of Maine worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $5,708,677.30 in cases pursued jointly with these offices. Of this amount, $600 was collected in criminal actions and $5,708,077.30 was collected in civil actions.         
            
Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch announced today that the Justice Department collected $23.1 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2015. Collections in FY 2015 represents more than seven and a half times the approximately $2.93 billion of the Justice Department’s combined appropriations for the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the main litigating divisions in that same period. 

"The Justice Department is committed to upholding the rule of law, safeguarding taxpayer resources, and protecting the American people from exploitation and abuse," said Attorney General Loretta Lynch.  "The collections we are announcing today demonstrate not only the strength of that commitment, but also the significant return on public investment that our actions deliver.  I want to thank the prosecutors and trial attorneys who made this achievement possible, and to reiterate our dedication to this ongoing work."

The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims.  The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss.  While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

Nationally, the largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal financial, health, safety, civil rights and environmental laws.  In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration and Department of Education.
     
In March 2015, the District of Maine recovered $484,744 from Dr. Daniel P. Schecter, a dentist who provided services in Rockport, Maine, to settle claims involving improper billing to MaineCare (Maine’s Medicaid program).

The District of Maine, working with partner agencies and divisions, also collected $942,407 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2015.  Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Xiu Fang Zhang, 21, of New York, New York, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to commit credit card fraud.

According to evidence introduced at the plea hearing, between January 3 and January 6, 2015, Zhang and others used counterfeit credit cards to make purchases at retail stores and pharmacies in Maine.  Zhang used counterfeit credit cards to purchase over $7,500 worth of items from Lowes, Home Depot, Bon-Ton, Rite Aid and Sears. She was paid by a co-conspirator for each fraudulent purchase.

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

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service and the Auburn and South Portland Police Departments.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Peter Anderson, 56, of Berwick, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to two years in prison and five of supervised release for possessing child pornography.  He was also ordered to pay $5,000 to each of three victims who sought restitution.  He pleaded guilty on April 10, 2015.

According to court documents, on April 23, 2014, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Anderson’s residence and seized laptops, USB drives and DVD discs containing 105 movie or video files and 430 image files depicting child pornography. Of those files, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children identified 194 images and 33 videos from 59 series depicting known minor victims.  Anderson admitted that he downloaded child pornography for several years for sexual gratification and shared it online.

In pronouncing sentence, Chief Judge Torresen told Anderson that his crime was serious because the production of child pornography ruins the lives of innocent children.  The victims described how the knowledge that people took pleasure from viewing pictures of their torture was hurtful.  In addition, Chief Judge Torresen noted that the mere possession of child pornography contributes to the exploitation and rape of children by creating demand for the exploitive images.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit.

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

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that James Robert Underwood, 43, of Dalton, Georgia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 33 months in prison for failing to register as a sex offender.  Underwood pleaded guilty on June 24, 2015.

According to court records, Underwood was convicted in 1999 in Georgia for rape and other charges.  He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and was released in 2009.  The rape conviction required him to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act in Georgia and any other state where he established residency.  In March 2012, Underwood established residency in Maine, but failed to register as required. 
     
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Torresen noted that this was a particularly serious violation because while Underwood was not registered in Maine, he committed gross sexual assault.  He was convicted for this crime in York County Superior Court and was sentenced in April 2013 to eight years in prison, with all but two years suspended. 
     
Following Underwood’s sexual assault conviction, Georgia reclassified him as a "Dangerous Sexual Predator" under its State Sexual Offender Registry which subjects him to electronic monitoring for the rest of his life while residing in Georgia.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Maine Probation and Parole Office and the Maine State Police, State Bureau of Identification.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Glen S. Caristinos, 49, of Safety Harbor, Florida, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to five years of probation for failure to pay child support.  He was also ordered to pay $117,601.38 in restitution.  Caristinos pled guilty on July 3, 2015.

According to court documents, on October 31, 2001, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services ordered Caristinos to pay his ex-wife $248.16 per week toward the support of their minor child.  That support order was increased to $303.20 per week on October 10, 2003.  The court ordered that such payments continue until the minor reached the age of 18.  The defendant made inconsistent payments between 2001 and 2005.  In December 2005, he moved to Florida and virtually ceased making payments.  The court-ordered restitution amount represents his total arrearage to date.

The conditions of Caristinos' probation include that he pay his restitution obligation and his court-ordered child support.  In explaining the sentence, Chief Judge Torresen observed that Caristinos had obtained full-time employment enabling him to make his payments through a wage garnishment and explained that the statutory purposes of criminal punishment include getting defendants to pay restitution and getting parents to pay child support.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Maine State Department of Health and Human Services, Child Support Enforcement Unit.

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

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jean Valbrun, 27, of Mattapan, Massachusetts, was found guilty by a jury today in U.S. District Court of possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as, crack cocaine.

According to court records, on March 16, 2014, law enforcement officers seized 225 grams of heroin and 106 grams of crack cocaine from a vehicle driven by Valbrun.  The seizure occurred at a gas station in Auburn, Maine.

Valbrun faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.  He will be sentenced after the preparation of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. 

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Auburn and Lewiston Police Departments.  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: Jonathan R. Chapman
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that William C. Day, 40, of Saco, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to pharmacy robbery. 

According to court documents, on August 10, 2015, Day entered the Community Pharmacy on Main Street in Saco, vaulted the counter at the back of the store and demanded that employees give him narcotic drugs.  Officers of the Saco Police Department responding to a silent alarm spotted Day running away from the pharmacy with the drugs and chased him to a location near School Street.  There, the officers arrested Day and recovered most of the stolen drugs.

Day faces up to 20 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.  A sentencing date has not been set.  He has been held without bail since the date of his arrest.

The investigation was conducted by the Saco Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Cecile Roux, 38, of Harpswell, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to embezzling bank funds. 

According to court records, between April 12, 2012 and August 14, 2015, Roux, while serving as the head bank teller at the Bank of Maine in Brunswick, Maine, transferred $107,000 in a series of transactions from a customer’s account into her own account without authority. 
     
Roux faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.  She will be sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. 

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Brunswick Police Department.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced today that Johnny Ray Johnson, 58, of Wiscasset, Maine was sentenced today by in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to three years in prison and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of firearms.  He pled guilty on July 14, 2015.

According to court documents, on October 13, 2013, while Johnson was on probation for a 2013 felony domestic assault conviction in Maine state court, his probation officers conducted a home visit and found him in possession of three firearms.

The investigation was conducted by the Maine Probation and Parole Office; the Bath Police Department; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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 pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to failing to present at a border crossing point when he entered the United States from Canada.

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 had previously been refused entry into the country as result of his criminal history.

U.S. Attorney Delahanty said 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 the United States present themselves for inspection at designated crossing points and ports of entry.

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

The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Border Patrol.

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

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Wayne Sunderland, a/k/a "Sean Johnson," a/k/a "Thomas Butler," 32, of South Portland, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Sunderland pleaded guilty on July 9, 2015.

According to court records, on May 23, 2015, Johnson pulled alongside another vehicle with two occupants stopped at a traffic light located at the intersection of Payne Road and the Maine Turnpike Approach/Connector Road in Scarborough.  Johnson fired a shot into the vehicle missing both occupants and lodging in the driver side door.  He fled down Payne Road. A passing motorist reported the incident by calling 9-1-1.  Scarborough police officers responded and located Johnson’s vehicle parked in a driveway a short distance away.  Johnson was found and arrested hiding in nearby woods.  A police K-9 led officers to Johnson’s firearm, a Glock nine millimeter semi-automatic pistol that was buried under leaves near his vehicle.  Johnson was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2013 felony drug trafficking conviction in Maine. 

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

Contact: Jamie Guerrette
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257
    
Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced today that Francis J. Ready, 59, of Portland, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to armed bank robbery and using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence.

The charges arose out of the armed bank robberies of TD Bank in Portland on October 3, 2015 and of Bangor Savings Bank (“BSB”) in Portland on October 12, 2015.  In both instances, the defendant used a firearm to rob the banks.  He absconded with $2,846 from TD Bank and with $14,189 from BSB.  Following the BSB robbery, he was apprehended by a Portland Police officer in a nearby parking area and found to be in possession of a silver Harrington and Richardson revolver.

Ready faces up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine on the armed bank robbery charges and a mandatory consecutive seven years in prison for using a firearm to commit the robberies.

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

Contact: David B. Joyce
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257
     
Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced today that Moses Okot, 27, of Portland has been charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The charge arises out of a shooting that took place on November 16, 2015 in the vicinity of Fore and Market Streets in Portland’s Old Port district.  According to the complaint, Okot possessed a Springfield Armory USA Model SA XD-9 subcompact handgun that was recovered from a vehicle that he drove that day.  Okot was prohibited from possessing the firearm because of a 2011 conviction for felony murder.
     
If convicted, Okot faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
     
It is expected that Okot will make an initial appearance in federal court today at noon.
                 
The investigation is being conducted by the Portland Police Department; and the Southern Maine Gang Task Force comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the Portland, South Portland, and Lewiston Police Departments.
     
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Joann C. Rittall, 45, of Augusta, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 63 months in prison and three years of supervised release for making false claims against the United States and identity theft. She was also ordered to pay restitution of $219,065 to the U.S. Treasury and $19,896 to the State of Maine.  The defendant pleaded guilty to the charges on August 15, 2013. 

According to court documents, the defendant offered to assist individuals in filing tax returns and claims under Maine’s Residents Property Tax and Rent Refund "Circuit Breaker" Program.  Partly as a result of these efforts, the defendant acquired the names, dates of birth and social security numbers of those individuals.  Between 2007 and 2012, she used that personal information to prepare and file electronically from Maine dozens of false income tax returns seeking $435,298 in federal and state tax refunds without the authority or knowledge of the individuals whose identities she had stolen.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and Maine Revenue Services.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jeremy Ingersoll-Meserve, 38, of Waldoboro, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine base, commonly known as, crack cocaine. 
     
Between about January 2010 and August 2013, the defendant conspired with others to distribute over 280 grams of crack cocaine throughout the greater Bangor area. The drugs were obtained in the New Haven, Connecticut area and transported to the Bangor area by others. The defendant obtained the drugs from other conspirators and sold it for $100 per gram and $50 per half-gram. 

The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and supervised release of between three years and life.  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 Drug Enforcement Agency; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (New Haven office); and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that John C. Barry, 69, of Portland, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to embezzlement and making false entries in credit union records.

According to court records, the defendant was the manager of the Portland Police Department Federal Credit Union (“PPDFCU”), a federal credit union whose deposits were federally insured.  In that capacity, the defendant had access to PPDFCU bank accounts and was responsible for managing the activities of the credit union.  Between 2009 and December 2013, the defendant embezzled more than $400,000 from credit union accounts by transferring the funds into his and his family members’ accounts for his and their personal use.  Over that period of time, the defendant was also responsible for preparing and submitting certified quarterly call reports to the National Credit Union Administration (“NCUA”).  The defendant caused false quarterly call reports to be filed that overstated the PPDFCU’s net worth to make it appear that PPDFCU was sufficiently capitalized, when in truth and in fact, as he well knew, the PPDFCU was not sufficiently capitalized.  As a result, on December 1, 2014, the NCUA facilitated the acquisition of the PPDFCU by a much larger federal credit union.
     
Barry faces up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Terrance Douglas, 35, of Bennettsville, South Carolina and Bangor, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 10 years in prison and eight years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, commonly known as crack cocaine, and heroin; possession with intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin; and being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Douglas pleaded guilty on April 3, 2015.

According to court records, from April to October, 2014, Douglas imported drugs from out of state and then prepared, packaged, and distributed them in the Bangor area.  Douglas, who had a previous felony conviction for distributing crack cocaine, was also found in possession of a loaded Smith & Wesson .44 magnum pistol at the time of his arrest.   

The investigation was conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the Bangor Police Department; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Mark Wood, 56, of Bangor pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute bath salts.
     
According to court records, between about January 2012 and March 2014, the defendant conspired with others to distribute the bath salts MDPV and Alpha-PVP in Penobscot County.   He obtained drugs from other conspirators and delivered them to friends and associates who paid for them.  He was also paid in drugs for driving his supplier on drug deliveries and by other users and dealers who were buying drugs from his supplier.

The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and supervised release of between three years and life.  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 Drug Enforcement Agency; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

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, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to stealing and embezzling funds from the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point.

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 about $25,000 from the tribe by submitting fraudulent travel expense reports and supporting documentation.
      
The defendant faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
     
The case was investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 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 Edwin Hamel, 59, of Milford, Maine pleaded guilty today U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute bath salts and to being a felon in possession of firearms. 
     
According to court records, between about January 2012 and March 2014, the defendant conspired with others to distribute the bath salts MDPV and Alpha-PVP in Penobscot County. He obtained the drugs from China by ordering them over the internet.  He and others following his instructions wired payments for them to China. The drugs were shipped by U.S. International Express Mail to the defendant and others where they were re-packaged for distribution and sold for $100 or more per gram.
     
In addition, the defendant possessed two Remington Model 700LH Bolt Action rifles which he acquired in exchange for bath salts.  They were recovered by law enforcement agents on March 11, 2014 when the defendant was arrested.  The defendant was prohibited from possessing the firearms because he had a prior felony marijuana trafficking conviction.
     
The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and supervised release of between three years and life on the drug conspiracy charge. He faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the gun 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 Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Oscar Nunez, 28, of Verona Island, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 82 months in prison and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Nunez pleaded guilty on January 20, 2015.

Court records reveal that on July 23, 2012, investigators found a High Point .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun during the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s Verona Island residence.  A Maine State Police Crime Lab forensic analyst found the defendant’s DNA on the handgun.  The defendant was prohibited from possessing the handgun because of a prior felony conviction in New York for the criminal sale of a controlled substance.  Nunez’s sentence was longer because he used the handgun in connection with other crimes and he had a history of drug trafficking and possessing explosive devices.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the Maine State Police; and the Hancock and Penobscot County Sheriffs’ Departments.

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

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Christopher Coombs, 43, of Westbrook, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possession with intent to distribute alpha-PHP (a bath salt) and obstruction of justice.

According to court records, on October 31, 2015, law enforcement officers conducted a controlled delivery of about 500 grams of alpha-PVP to Coombs at his residence in Westbrook.  This package originated from China and was intercepted by customs officials in New York.  After Coombs accepted the package, he was arrested.  Following his arrest, he directed his wife to delete certain emails that were relevant to the investigation.

At the plea hearing, Coombs also admitted to a violation of his supervised release.  Coombs was on supervision from a 2008 conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine base. 

Coombs faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine on the drug charge; up to 20 years and a $250,000 fine on the obstruction charge; and up to three years for violating supervised release. He will be sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. 

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Westbrook Police Department, and the U.S. Postal Service.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Frank Curtis, 35, formerly of Canaan, Maine, was sentenced today U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., to 80 months in prison and three years of  supervised release for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine and oxycodone.

According to court records, between January 2010 and March 2012, Curtis conspired with Maurice McCray, William Waters and others in Waterville, Maine and surrounding communities. Curtis, McCray and Waters would obtain the drugs from out of state sources, have them transported to Central Maine, and then distribute the drugs.  Curtis is the twenty second person to be convicted and sentenced in the federal investigation into drug distribution in the Waterville, Maine area.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency with assistance from the Waterville Police Department.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Marco Gordon, 34, of Portland was sentenced today to 11 years in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute cocaine base, often referred to as crack cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.  He was also ordered to forfeit $4,415.  He pleaded guilty to the charges on July 7, 2015.

Court records reveal that between December 2013 and January 2015, Marco Gordon conspired with others, including, Russell Gordon and Robert Joiner, to sell crack cocaine in Portland.  Members of the conspiracy would arrange for the acquisition of drugs out of state.  Once the drugs were transported to Maine, they were provided to retail distributors, including Marco Gordon, who would sell the drugs in the Portland area, and then return the cash proceeds to Russell Gordon.  During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officers conducted controlled purchases of crack cocaine from several members of the conspiracy.  Marco Gordon was arrested on January 9, 2015, and found to be in possession of over 180 grams of crack cocaine and over $4,000. 

Robert Joiner was previously sentenced to three years in prison.  Russell Gordon has entered a guilty plea and awaits sentencing.

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; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.  The 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: Julia M. Lipez
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Wayne Pike, 38, of Harrison, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to three years in prison and 10 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography.  He also was ordered to pay $10,320 in restitution to victims of the offense.  He pleaded guilty to the charges on May 28, 2015.

Court records reveal that in July 2014, investigators with the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit (“MSPCCU”) downloaded via a peer-to-peer file sharing program hundreds of images that depicted minors engaged in sexually explicit activity.  Investigators determined that the files were being made available by a computer at a home in Harrison where Pike was living.  On October 10, 2014, investigators conducted a search warrant at the home, and found multiple electronic devices that contained child pornographic images.  Pike claimed ownership of the devices and admitted that he was responsible for possessing the images the investigators found.

This case was investigated by the MSPCCU and the U.S. 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 William McNeill, 23, of Cumberland, Rhode Island, was arrested yesterday in Massachusetts following his indictment in Maine on October 21, 2015 for travelling interstate on October 18, 2014 to have sex with a minor.

McNeill faces up to 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The joint investigation was conducted by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Bridgton, Maine Police Department. 

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

Contact: Andrew McCormack
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373
                                                                                               
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Rosemary Peterson, 29, of Pembroke, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to two years of probation for making false statements to obtain Social Security Disability Insurance ("SSDI") benefits.  She was also ordered to pay $11,874 in restitution.  SSDI benefits are paid by the Social Security Administration ("SSA") to people with disabilities.  Peterson pleaded guilty on May 8, 2015.

According to court records, from April 2011 until November 2012, the defendant was designated as the representative payee for her boyfriend’s SSDI benefits.  During this period of time, her boyfriend received over $10,000 in SSDI benefits.  In November 2011, the defendant's boyfriend was required to undergo a Continuing Disability Review to determine if he was still disabled.  During this review, the defendant claimed that her boyfriend did not work outside the house and required someone to clean, bathe, dress and cook for him.  In fact, the defendant had lived with her boyfriend for several years and was well aware that he did not have disabilities that required her to clean, bathe, dress and cook for him.  She was also aware that her boyfriend did a significant amount of work outside the house including working as a scrap metal dealer, carpenter and woodcutter.

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

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Anthony Parent, 22, of Milford, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing child pornography.

According to court records, from about October 31, 2013 to about July 17, 2014, Parent kept images and videos of child pornography on his personal computer, uploaded them to online accounts, and used electronic mail services to trade child pornography with others. 

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

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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

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

According to court records, from about March 17 to about May 5, 2015, Dunston uploaded multiple images of child pornography to online accounts he controlled, and kept scores of additional images depicting the sexual exploitation of young children on his cell phone.  At the time of these acts, Dunston was on supervised release for a 2006 child pornography conviction.

Dunston faces between 10 and 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, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit, the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bangor Police Department.

Contact: John G. Osborn
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II today announced that Maine Dermatology, LLC, a dermatology practice with an office in Lincolnville, Maine, has agreed to pay $629,816 to settle claims involving false billings to the Medicare federal health care program.  Medicare provides health insurance primarily to disabled and elderly Americans.
     
The United States filed a civil complaint on October 26, 2015, alleging that Maine Dermatology violated the federal False Claims Act between June 2010 and August 2013 by billing Medicare for providing evaluation and management services to patients in violation of applicable Medicare billing guidelines.  The complaint alleged that Maine Dermatology submitted $314, 908 in false claims to Medicare.  The complaint sought damages equaling double the full amount of the false claims.  Maine Dermatology cooperated in the investigation.
     
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, led by Health Care Fraud Investigator Richard Fairfield.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Beth M. Rogers, 46, of Portland, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 1½ years in prison and six years of supervised release for mail and wire fraud. She was also ordered to pay almost $209,000 in restitution. She pleaded guilty on March 17, 2015.

Court records show that Rogers operated TravelWise Cruises & Tours, a travel agency in Saco. Beginning in late 2011, Rogers began taking client money without making travel reservations for the clients who had provided the funds. She instead used the money to pay for the travel of other individuals who had booked travel through TravelWise. She misapplied money from more than 50 clients in this fashion until mid-2012, when her scheme was discovered.
     
The investigation was conducted by the Saco Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jacob Choate, 27, of Augusta, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to bank fraud.

Court records reveal that in July and August, 2014, Choate defrauded more than ten banks in central and southern Maine by negotiating nine counterfeit checks and eight altered checks.  U.S. Postal Inspectors uncovered Choate’s involvement in the scheme after receiving complaints of stolen mail and reports of cashed stolen checks.  Video surveillance cameras at the banks recorded Choate cashing or attempting to cash each check. 
 
Choate faces up to thirty years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service as well as the Augusta, Portland, Saco, and Scarborough, Maine Police Departments.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Darrin Cates, 46, of Winslow, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S District Court to possession of child pornography.

According to court records and proceedings, between September 15, 2014, and October 30, 2014, the defendant used a computer and peer-to-peer software to make available for sharing videos of child pornography.  In January of 2015, a search warrant was executed at Cates’s residence.  Cates’s computer equipment was seized and examined and investigators found over 800 images and 290 videos of child pornography.

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

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

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Mark J. LaPierre, 55, of Lyman, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to one year and one day in prison and two years of supervised release for social security fraud.  He was also ordered to pay $38,212 in restitution.  LaPierre pleaded guilty on April 22, 2015.

According to court documents, after LaPierre’s father’s death, LaPierre’s mother received Social Security survivor benefits.  When LaPierre’s mother died in November of 2010, those survivor’s benefits continued to be deposited into LaPierre’s and his mother’s joint account at Biddeford Savings Bank.  LaPierre did not notify the Social Security Administration of his mother’s death or that survivor benefits continued to be deposited into the joint account.  LaPierre used the benefits to pay his own personal bills and expenses.  On April 4, 2014, the Social Security Tele-Service Center in Boston, Massachusetts received an anonymous tip about the fraud and terminated the survivor benefits.
     
In pronouncing sentence, Judge Levy observed that LaPierre’s crime was a serious offense that continued for 3½ years and netted significant money.  It was a negative influence on others.  A sentence of imprisonment was necessary to deter him and others in the public who might be similarly inclined.
     
The case was investigated by the U.S. Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General.