District of Maine

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Robert Berg Enterprises, Inc., d/b/a “Berg Sportswear” of Corinna, Maine was fined $10,000 today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. for trafficking in counterfeit goods.  The defendant was also placed on probation for one year and ordered to pay $11,855.67 in restitution.  The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge on June 23, 2014.

The defendant operates a screen printing business that prints, markets and sells apparel items bearing trademarks and other logos and images. A trademark is a symbol, word, or words legally registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office or established by use as representing a company or product.  According to court records, between January 2006 and January 2011, the defendant counterfeited apparel bearing the trademarks of the Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, New England Patriots, New York Yankees, Harley Davidson, John Deere, Jack Daniels, Orange County Choppers and Playboy.  Employees designed counterfeit trademarks, created screens from which the trademarks could be printed on apparel items and printed the counterfeit trademarks on those items.

"Counterfeiting is not a victimless crime. It dupes the consumer, forces local stores out of business, and results in lost revenue for the trademark holders,” said special agent in charge Matthew Etre of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Boston. “Intellectual property theft is a very real crime with very real victims.”

The case was investigated by HSI, with the assistance of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Bruce Smith, 58, of Lincoln, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possession of firearms by an unlawful user of bath salts.  

According to court records, between January and April 2014, the defendant possessed seven firearms at a time when he was regularly using Alpha-PVP.  Alpha-PVP is a schedule I controlled substance and is among a group of illegal, street drugs commonly referred to as bath salts.  Two of the firearms were seized on March 9, 2014 following a traffic stop and Smith’s arrest by the Lincoln Police Department.  Two more were seized on March 11, 2014 in Bradford, Maine and traced back to Smith. Smith possessed three more on April 8, 2014 when he was questioned by federal agents.

The defendant 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 case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Lincoln Police Department.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Robert Berg, 52, of Corinna, Maine, was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 6 months in prison and one year of supervised release for being an accessory after the fact to the manufacture of 1,000 or more marijuana plants. An accessory after the fact is a person who, knowing that an offense against the United States has been committed, comforts or assists the offender in order to hinder or prevent his apprehension, trial or punishment.  He was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.  Berg pleaded guilty to the charge on January 7, 2014.

According to court records, following the September 22, 2009 discovery by law enforcement officers of a large, sophisticated marijuana growing operation in Township 37 in Washington County, Berg provided assistance to those who committed the crime.  Specifically, Berg was aware that Malcolm French, Rodney Russell and Kendall Chase and a number of migrant workers were growing marijuana in Township 37.  When it was discovered, several offenders including migrant workers, fled into and hid in the woods of Township 37.  Shortly thereafter, at French’s request, Berg drove to Township 37 with another individual, located the migrant workers, took them to his Corinna residence and hid them in his barn. He also gave them food and clothing. A day or two later, another individual picked up the migrant workers at Berg’s barn and drove them out of state.

The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Homeland Security Investigations, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Nicole A. Breton, 21, of Chelsea, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court  by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 21 months in prison and three years of supervised release for being an accessory after the fact to a pharmacy robbery. An accessory after the fact is a person who, knowing that an offense against the United States has been committed, comforts or assists the offender in order to hinder or prevent his apprehension, trial or punishment.   Breton pleaded guilty to the charge on February 9, 2015.

Court records show that on the evening of September 2, 2014, Dominic J. Pomerleau robbed the Rite Aid Pharmacy located on Hospital Street in Augusta, Maine.  He approached the pharmacy counter with a note that demanded oxycodone and absconded with three bottles of oxycodone.  Breton was waiting for Pomerleau in a getaway car.  She emptied the pills from the bottles and threw the empty bottles and caps out the car window.  Pomerleau, Breton, and the driver of the car fled to Breton’s residence and spent the night there.  They consumed many of the pills that were taken from the robbery.  The robbery was captured on surveillance video and witnesses provided descriptions of Pomerleau and his distinctive arm and neck tattoos.  Pomerleau pleaded guilty to pharmacy robbery and attempted pharmacy robbery charges on January 23, 2015 and awaits sentencing.

In imposing sentence, Judge Woodcock said: “If you commit a serious crime and you end up in federal court you will get a serious sentence.”

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

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Harold Peters, III, 37, of Bradford, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute bath salts and being a felon in possession of firearms.

According to court records, the defendant joined a conspiracy that distributed the “bath salt” Alpha-PVP in Penobscot County between January 2012 and March 2014.  The defendant helped acquire Alpha-PVP from China; got distribution size quantities of it from other conspirators; distributed it to dealers and users in the Bangor area; collected drug proceeds from customers and delivered it to his suppliers; and used cellular telephones to coordinate the criminal activity.

In March 2014, the defendant illegally possessed two Winchester rifles that he purchased from another conspirator in exchange for Alpha-PVP.  The defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms because he had previously been convicted of three felony offenses (unlawful sexual contact, trafficking in prison contraband, and failure to comply with sex offender registry act).  The firearms were recovered from a family member’s residence where the defendant stored them.

On the drug charge, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, and between three years and life of supervised release.  On the gun charge, he faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the New Haven (Connecticut) 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 Steven Sawyer, 37, of Splendora, Texas, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 14 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release for transporting child pornography. Sawyer pleaded guilty to the charge on March 25, 2015.

According to court records, in October 2014, Sawyer, who was in Texas, sent an email message to the undercover email account of a Special Agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Maine. Attached to the email was a video file depicting a young girl engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

The investigation was conducted by HSI. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Krystal Bell, 29, of Corinth, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to two years in prison and three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute bath salts.  She was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.  She pleaded guilty to the charge on February 13, 2015.

Court records reveal that on May 30, 2014, the defendant went to the U.S. Post Office in St. Albans, Maine and picked up a package mailed from China.  As she left the post office, she was stopped by law enforcement agents conducting surveillance at the post office who had reason to believe the package contained bath salts.  Bell told the agents that the package contained Alpha-PVP, that she agreed to pick up the drugs for another person, and that she intended to deliver the drugs to the other person.  Alpha-PVP is a schedule I controlled substance and is among a group of illegal, street drugs commonly referred to as bath salts.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service 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 Shawna Calhoun, 24, of Lewiston, Maine and Alvin Houston, Jr., 27, of Auburn, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to transporting an individual in interstate commerce with the intent that she engage in prostitution.

Court records reveal that on December 23, 2014, Calhoun and Houston arranged to rent a car in Maine.  On the same day, Houston drove Calhoun, another individual, and a 13-year old girl from Maine to Boston, Massachusetts, where they stayed with Calhoun’s family.  While in Boston, 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 13-year old.  They drove her in the rental car back to Maine and ultimately to Bangor, where the 13-year old again engaged in prostitution.  Early in the morning on December 31, 2014, Calhoun and Houston drove the 13-year old 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.

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

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Homeland Security Investigations Human Trafficking Task Force, the Lisbon and Bangor Police Departments, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.

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, 57, of Bath, Maine pleaded guilty on Tuesday in U.S. District Court to possession of firearms by a felon.
 
According to court documents, on October 13, 2013, while Johnson was on probation for a 2013 domestic violence assault felony conviction in Maine state court, his probation officers conducted a home visit and found him in possession of three firearms.

The defendant faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.  His prior felony convictions may also subject him to an enhanced sentence as an Armed Career Criminal requiring a sentence of at least of 15 years in prison 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 Maine Department of Corrections (Probation and Parole); the Bath Police Department; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Corey Eustis, 39, formerly of Mexico, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to 51 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of firearms by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.  Eustis was found guilty of the charge on May 27, 2015 after a four-day bench trial.

According to trial evidence and court documents, in 2011, Eustis was convicted in Maine state court of assaulting his wife. On August 26, 2012, Eustis shot himself outside of his Bethel, Maine residence while sitting at a camp fire. Responding law enforcement deputies found Eustis in possession of three firearms and ammunition.  He was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because of his domestic violence conviction.

In imposing sentence, Judge Torresen departed upward from the guideline range because of the seriousness of Eustis’s criminal history, which included multiple convictions for drunk driving, and his history of domestic violence incidents involving at least five women. Judge Torresen stated that Eustis is a danger to the community and, in particular, to his intimate partners.

The investigation was conducted by the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office; the Maine State Police; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Sothy Khiev, 48, a citizen of Cambodia who most recently resided in Florida, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to six months in prison for conspiracy to commit marriage fraud.  Khiev was convicted on February 27, 2015 after a four-day bench trial.  After serving his sentence, Khiev will be turned over to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings.

According to the trial evidence, Khiev paid Chanara Sok $5,000 to fraudulently engage and marry his girlfriend, Sophal Cheng, so that she could legally enter the country.  Cheng entered the United States on a fiancé visa and married Sok in Westbrook on September 4, 2007.  Thereafter, Cheng sought to adjust her immigration status on the basis of her fraudulent marriage to Sok.  To conceal the fraudulent marriage, Khiev orchestrated, among other things, false affidavits and letters of support, a false utility bill in the names of Cheng and Sok, and used car purchase and insurance documents in the name of Cheng and Sok.  He also arranged for a false birth certificate identifying Cheng and Sok as parents.

In pronouncing sentence, Judge Torresen observed that countries have the right to control immigration and that Khiev’s violation of federal law to adjust Cheng’s status was unfair to other immigrants who have to follow the law.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Gyadeen P. Ramdihall, 28, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit access device fraud.  He was also ordered to pay $17,987.56 in restitution.  Ramdihall pleaded guilty on January 29, 2015.

According to court documents, on about September 4, 2013, Ramdihall, Jervis Hillaire and a third person travelled from New York to Maine with 38 credit, debit and gift cards that were counterfeit or fraudulently altered.  In Maine, the three used cards to purchase gift cards and electronic devices from vendors including, among others, Best Buy, Apple, Target and Walmart.  On October 10, 2013, an Ohio State Trooper stopped Ramdihall for speeding.  Hillaire was his passenger.  A total of 17 fraudulent access device cards in Hillaire’s name were found in the trunk of the vehicle under the spare tire. On January 24, 2014, the Biddeford Police stopped Ramdihall near the Walmart store in Biddeford.  Hillaire was again his passenger. Ramdihall was arrested for driving with a suspended license; Hillaire was arrested for providing a false identity.  Police discovered eight fraudulent access device cards in Hillaire’s boot.

In pronouncing sentence, Judge Hornby observed that the use of false credit cards was a serious problem, that he was concerned that Ramdihall did not understand the seriousness of his situation and that a sentence that would provide deterrence was required.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service, the Kittery and Biddeford Police Departments and the Ohio State Police.

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

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Ashley Gross, 26, of Peaks Island, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to 3 years in prison and 3 years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin. Gross pleaded guilty on March 11, 2015.
     
According to court records, from at least March 2013 through November 2013, Gross was part of a drug trafficking organization that distributed heroin and cocaine base, also known as crack cocaine, from several residences in the Portland area.  Conspirators brought heroin and crack cocaine from out-of-state suppliers to the residences.  Conspirators fielded telephone calls from drug customers for the drugs.  The drugs were delivered to customers by runners, including Gross, who met with customers and exchanged the drugs for money.  Runners brought the drug proceeds back to the residence and they were thereafter sent to the out-of-state suppliers.

This case results from a joint investigation conducted by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Portland Police Department.

U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II of the District of Maine announced today that Lawrence Estrella, 65, of Worcester, Massachusetts, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal of the District of Maine to 92 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for interstate transportation of stolen property.  Estrella pleaded guilty on Feb. 20, 2015.

According to court records and information from the sentencing hearing, in May 2013, six N.C. Wyeth paintings were stolen from a residence in Portland, Maine.  In November 2014, Estrella transported four of the six stolen paintings to California in an effort to sell them.  Law enforcement officers in California located his vehicle in the parking lot of a hotel in North Hollywood, California.  Estrella’s room at the hotel was searched and a firearm was located, but no paintings were found.

On Dec. 19, 2014, law enforcement officers recovered the four stolen paintings from a pawn shop in Beverly Hills, California.  The four recovered paintings are titled, “At a touch from Michael’s knife,” “The Unwrit Dogma,” “The Duel” and “John Brimblecombe.”  The four recovered paintings are worth more than $1 million.  Oscar Roberts, the man who used the stolen paintings to secure a loan from the Beverly Hills pawn shop, was prosecuted in the U.S. District Court of the Central District of California and was sentenced to 28 months in prison.

The remaining two stolen paintings, “The Encounter on Freshwater Cliff” and “Go, Dutton, and that right speedily,” have not yet been recovered. 

This case results from a joint investigation conducted by the FBI’s Portland and Los Angeles offices, the Portland Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department.

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

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced today that Lawrence Estrella, 65, of Worcester, Massachusetts, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to 92 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release for interstate transportation of stolen property.   Estrella pleaded guilty on February 20, 2015.
     
According to court records and information from the sentencing hearing, in May 2013, six N.C. Wyeth paintings were stolen from a residence in Portland.  In November 2014, Estrella transported four of the six stolen paintings to California in an effort to sell them. Law enforcement officers in California located his vehicle in the parking lot of a hotel in North Hollywood. Estrella’s room at the hotel was searched and a firearm was located, but no paintings were found.
     
On December 19, 2014, law enforcement officers recovered the four stolen paintings from a pawn shop in Beverly Hills, California.  The four recovered paintings are titled:  “At a touch from Michael’s knife,” “The Unwrit Dogma,” “The Duel,” and “John Brimblecombe.”  The four recovered paintings are worth more than $1 million.  Oscar Roberts, the man who used the stolen paintings to secure a loan from the Beverly Hills pawn shop, was prosecuted in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and was sentenced to 28 months in prison.

The remaining two stolen paintings -- “The Encounter on Freshwater Cliff” and “Go, Dutton, and that right speedily” -- have not yet been recovered. 
 
This case results from a joint investigation conducted by the Portland, Maine, and Los Angeles, California, offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Portland Police Department; and the Los Angeles Police Department.

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

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Paul Robinson, 33, of Lewiston, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to 121 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for distributing cocaine base, also known as crack cocaine, conspiring to distribute crack cocaine, and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Robinson pleaded guilty on September 4, 2014.
     
Court records reveal that between early 2011 and September 2013, Robinson and others obtained crack cocaine in Massachusetts for distribution in the Lewiston area.  On April 11, 2013, after Robinson distributed about an ounce of crack cocaine, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Robinson’s apartment in Lewiston.  Among the items seized were crack cocaine, about $4,500 in cash, two firearms, video monitors attached to surveillance cameras facing the front of the building, and EBT cards in the names of five other people.  In total, Robinson was held responsible for 2.73 kilograms of crack cocaine.  
 
This case results from a joint investigation conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine State Police, the Lewiston and Auburn Police Departments, and the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office.  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:  Jim Moore
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Gregory Violette, 59, of Waterville, was resentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to 18 months in prison and two years of supervised release for failing to pay restitution.

Court records reflect that on October 31, 2002, Violette was sentenced to 87 months in prison for wire, mail and bankruptcy fraud; making false statements to financial institutions; and money laundering.  He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $422,657 in restitution to the victims of his fraud.  As of June 2, 2015, he still owed $406,487 in restitution.  The Court resentenced the defendant to an additional 18 months in prison to be followed by two more years of supervised release after finding that Violette transferred more than $70,000 to his wife in order to prevent the money from being used to pay restitution to his victims. 

The investigation was conducted by the U.S Probation Office and the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

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

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Sean Johnson a/k/a “Thomas Butler” a/k/a “Wayne Sunderland,” 32, of South Portland, Maine, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

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.

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

This case was investigated by the Scarborough Police Department and the Southern Maine Gang Task Force, which is comprised of 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 and Biddeford Police Departments.

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 and Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, often referred to as crack cocaine, and to possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base.

Court records reveal that between December 2013 and January 2015, Gordon conspired with others to distribute crack cocaine.  Conspirators arranged for the acquisition of drugs out of state and transported them to Maine where they were provided to retail distributors, including Gordon, who sold them in the Portland area.  During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officers conducted controlled purchases of crack cocaine from members of the conspiracy.  On January 9, 2015, officers arrested Gordon on Gilman Street in Portland and seized 183.6 grams of crack cocaine and over $3,400 in cash.

Gordon faces between five and 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine on each count.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.  In May 2015, conspirators Russell Gordon and Robert Joiner, Jr. pleaded guilty to crack cocaine distribution charges and await sentencing. 

This case was investigated by the Southern Maine Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the Portland and Biddeford Police Departments.  The Lewiston Police Department, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and 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: Halsey B. Frank
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Manuel J. Arruda, 46, of Windham, Maine was sentenced today  in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to three months in prison and two years of supervised release for mail and access device fraud and identity theft.  He was also ordered to pay $11,962.85 in restitution.  Arruda pleaded guilty to the charges on February 20, 2015.

According to court documents, in March of 2012, the defendant applied on-line, over the Internet, for a Chase Bank Freedom credit card in the name of another person.  In doing so, the defendant used the victim’s name, date of birth and Social Security number.  He obtained the victims personal identifiers using his position as service manager at a car dealership in Portland when the victim brought his truck in for servicing.  Chase Bank approved the application and mailed two credit cards to the defendant in Windham.  Between about March and December of 2012, the defendant used the card to make about $12,000 worth of purchases, took over $2,300 in cash advances, made payments of about $1,200, and received about $350 in credits.

In pronouncing sentence, Judge Levy stated that identity theft is a serious crime that involves significant planning and causes more than monetary harm and that some incarceration was required to deter others who might be similarly inclined.

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

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Winston Dale Cronkhite II, 32, of Passadumkeag, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock Jr. to one year and a day in prison and three years of supervised release for receiving a firearm while under indictment.  Cronkhite pleaded guilty to the charge on March 6, 2015.

According to court records, on October 5, 2014, following a domestic dispute with his girlfriend, Cronkhite was pulled over by the Maine State Police.  At the time he was stopped, Cronkhite had a 12-gauge shotgun and five shells on the passenger’s seat of his truck.  The shotgun had been manufactured in March of 2014. Cronkhite was prohibited from receiving firearms because he was then under indictment in Indiana for felony battery resulting in serious bodily injury.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Maine State Police; and the Penobscot District Attorney’s Office.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Michael Thompson, 27, of Dexter, 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 pharmacy robbery.  He was also ordered to pay $5,178.58 in restitution.  He pleaded guilty to the charge on December 9, 2014.

According to court records, on March 10, 2012, 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.

The 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
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Michael Campbell, 31, of Hampden, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., to 2½ years in prison and 3 years of supervised release for conspiring to make false statements to a federal firearms licensee.   He pleaded guilty to the charge on October 2, 2014.

According to court records, on two occasions in June 2012, Campbell went to Jimi’s Trading Center, a federal firearms licensee and dealer of firearms located in Brewer, Maine, and falsely completed federal firearms application forms certifying that he was the actual buyer of handguns, when, in fact, he had been asked to purchase them by people prohibited under federal law from buying them.  Prior to each occasion, Campbell met with the prohibited persons, was told what handguns to buy and where to buy them, and was given cash to do so.  After each purchase, he delivered the handguns to the prohibited persons.

The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (New Haven, Connecticut Office), and the New Haven 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 James Robert Underwood, 43, of Dalton, Georgia, and formerly of Old Orchard Beach, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to failing to register as a sex offender.

According to evidence introduced at the plea hearing, in 1999, Underwood was convicted in Georgia of 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 Old Orchard Beach, but failed to register as required.

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

The investigation was conducted by the United States Marshals Service.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that William Alfred Roscoe, 29, of Portland, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing child pornography.

According to court records, in early 2015, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) were investigating the exchange of child pornography over the internet. In April, as part of the investigation, agents took custody of a laptop computer located in the Portland apartment Roscoe shared with his girlfriend and her children. Agents obtained a search warrant for the laptop.  A forensic analysis revealed numerous still images and video files depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, that a user of the laptop had searched for files using keywords commonly associated with child pornography and that numerous files with titles indicative of child pornography were in the process of being downloaded to the laptop over the internet at the time agents took custody of the laptop. The investigation revealed that Roscoe knowingly possessed the laptop and knew that it contained child pornography.
     
Roscoe faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and supervised release for between 5 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 HSI and the Portland Police Department.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jackie Madore, 45, of Rockland, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute 280 grams of a mixture or substance containing cocaine base, commonly referred to as “crack.” 

According to court records, between January 2010 and December 2013, the defendant sold crack in Penobscot County and elsewhere.  She sold half-gram bags for $50 and gram bags for $100. She transferred the proceeds of her sales to her source of supply in the New Haven, Connecticut area and got cash and crack in exchange.  The crack was transported from Connecticut to the Bangor area by other conspirators.
     
The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.  She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. 
     
The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (New Haven Office).

Contact: F. Todd Lowell
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373
 
Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that that James Senior, 39, of Clinton, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to pharmacy robbery.

Court records show that on March 31, 2015, Senior entered the Rite Aid Pharmacy in Newport, Maine, approached the pharmacy counter, presented a note that demanded oxycodone and threatened that employees would be harmed if they did not comply.  While Senior waited, he told the employees to “hurry up” and “get moving.”  He absconded with three bottles of oxycodone and hydrocodone-ibuprofen pills. 
     
Law enforcement officers released a video of the robbery.  After receiving a tip, they confirmed that Senior was the robber by comparing the video footage to a known photograph of Senior.  Officers also recovered the three pill bottles that Senior had discarded a short distance from the pharmacy.  The next day, Senior surrendered to the Waterville Police Department and admitted that he was the robber.

Senior faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The investigation was conducted by the Newport Police Department, the Maine State Police, the Waterville Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Fern Dowling, 41, of Carmel pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute 280 grams of a mixture or substance containing cocaine base, commonly referred to as “crack.” 

According to court records, between January 2010 and December 2013, the defendant sold crack in Penobscot County and elsewhere.  She sold half-gram bags for $50 and gram bags for $100. She transferred the proceeds of her sales to her source of supply in the New Haven, Connecticut area and got cash and crack in exchange.  The crack was transported from Connecticut to the Bangor area by other conspirators.

The defendant faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine.  She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The case was investigated by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (New Haven Office).

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Ryan Pomerleau, 32, of Augusta, Maine was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to four years in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in a conspiracy to steal mail.  He was also ordered to pay $87,752.22 in restitution.  On January 14, 2015, Pomerleau pled guilty to conspiring to steal mail and theft of mail.

Court records reflect that in 2014, U.S. Postal Inspectors learned that Pomerleau had stolen mail, altered checks taken from that mail and enlisted others to cash the altered checks at banks in the Augusta area.  Execution of a search warrant at a hotel room in Seabrook, New Hampshire resulted in the seizure of counterfeit checks, typewriters, tools used to alter checks and other evidence linked to Pomerleau.  Pomerleau later admitted to Postal Inspectors that he possessed check writing software, check altering equipment and blank checks.

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

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Kathy Jordan, 61, of Westbrook, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to one month in prison and one year of supervised release for adulterating a food item, namely a bottle of fish oil capsules, with the intent to defraud.

According to court documents and testimony at the sentencing hearing, on April 3, 2012, Jordan purchased a bottle of fish oil capsules, face cream and shampoo from a retail pharmacy store near her home.  She returned all three items the following day for a full refund after tampering with each of the items.  One week later, the bottle of fish oil capsules was resold to another customer.  When resold, the bottle appeared to be unopened, with the tamper-proof plastic collar around the neck of the bottle.  Later that day, the customer returned the bottle to the pharmacist after she opened the bottle at home and discovered that it contained three different types of pills. U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigators determined that the bottle contained 10 fish oil capsules, about 70 phenytoin capsules and several stool softener pills.  Phenytoin, more commonly known by the brand name Dilantin, is a prescription anti-seizure medication that has several potential serious side effects.  The defendant told investigators that she added the phenytoin and stool softener to the bottle and returned it to the pharmacy so that she could get a full refund.

In imposing sentence, Chief Judge Torresen found that the defendant’s conduct created a risk of death or serious bodily injury if someone had accidently ingested phenytoin without a prescription from a physician, believing it to be fish oil capsules.   She told the defendant that a sentence of imprisonment was necessary to protect the public from the defendant’s actions and to send a message to Jordan and others that the court treated this as a very serious matter.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Inspector General.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Kevin Anderson, 46, of Mullica Township, New Jersey, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to one year and one day in prison and three years of supervised release for unlawful possession of firearms.  He pled guilty to the charge on September 12, 2014.

Court records reveal that on July 12, 2013, Maine probation officers conducting a probation check at a Moose River, Maine residence, discovered seven firearms in Anderson’s bedroom which he purchased in New Jersey, including four handguns that he registered under New Jersey law.  The defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions in New Jersey for possession of a destructive device, possession of a sawed-off shotgun and stalking.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Maine Department of Corrections - Adult Community Corrections; U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S.  Border Patrol; the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office; and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Bureau of Warden Service.

Contact: Halsey B. Frank
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257
 
Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Jervis A. Hillaire, 25, of Menifee, California was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to 13 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit access device fraud.  He was also ordered to pay $17,987.56 in restitution.  Hillaire pleaded guilty on January 29, 2015.

According to court documents, on about September 4, 2013, Hillaire, Gyadeen Ramdihall and a third person travelled from New York to Maine with 38 credit, debit and gift cards that were counterfeit or fraudulently altered.  In Maine, the three individuals used cards to purchase gift cards and electronic devices from vendors including, among others, Best Buy, Apple, Target and Walmart.  On October 10, 2013, an Ohio State Trooper stopped Ramdihall for speeding. Hillaire was his passenger.  A total of 17 fraudulent access device cards in Hillaire’s name were found in the trunk of the vehicle under the spare tire. On January 24, 2014, the Biddeford Police stopped Ramdihall near the Walmart store in Biddeford.  Hillaire was again his passenger. Ramdihall was arrested for driving with a suspended license; Hillaire was arrested for providing a false identity.  Police discovered eight fraudulent access device cards in Hillaire’s boot. 
     
In pronouncing sentence, Judge Hornby observed that Mr. Hillaire was a smart and capable person, but that he was messing up his life.  He urged Hillaire to use this experience as a life changer, but said that the sentence was necessary to send a message to the public and to the defendant that this kind of activity will not be tolerated. 
     
The investigation was conducted by the United States Secret Service, the Kittery and Biddeford Police Departments and the Ohio State Police.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that James Stile, 58, of Sangerville, Maine, was sentenced on Friday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., to ten years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release for pharmacy robbery.  He was also ordered to pay $13,306.93 in restitution.  Stile pled guilty on October 31, 2014. 

Court records and proceedings reveal that on September 12, 2011, Stile entered the E.W. Moore and Sons pharmacy in Bingham, Maine, wearing a dust mask and purple gloves, and pulled a sawed-off shotgun from his pants.  Stile pointed the gun at the owner and the three employees who were behind the pharmacy counter.  He then ordered the three employees to lie on the floor behind the counter.  A customer subsequently entered the store and Stile ordered the customer to go behind the pharmacy counter with the employees.  Stile told the owner of the pharmacy to fill a bag with narcotics.  As he did so, Stile tied the hands and feet of the customer and the three employees with zip ties.  Once the bag was filled with narcotics, Stile instructed the owner to lie down on the floor.  Stile then tied the hands and feet of the owner with zip ties and fled the store.

The pharmacist was able to free himself shortly after the robbery and saw the defendant depart in a minivan.  The minivan was traced to Stile’s residence in Sangerville.  A search warrant was executed at Stile’s residence early the next morning.  Among the items found in the minivan on the property was a used dust mask and purple gloves.  Three pieces matching the color and material of those gloves were also found at the pharmacy.  Stile’s DNA was found in the gloves.  In the defendant’s house, officers found the shoes and jacket that the defendant wore during the robbery.

In imposing sentence, Judge Woodcock noted that the violence and planning involved in this pharmacy robbery distinguished it from the other pharmacy robbery cases and noted that the victims  must have wondered, as they lay tied up on the ground with a masked man pointing a sawed-off shotgun at them, whether this would be their last day on earth.
     
U.S Attorney Delahanty commended the investigation that was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office; the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office; the Maine State Police; and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency. “Their cooperative work led to the quick identification of Stile as the perpetrator.”  “This robbery occurred over 3½ years ago at a time when the State of Maine was seeing a substantial increase in pharmacy robberies which became a priority for both federal and state law enforcement authorities,” said Delahanty.  “This was definitely one of the most violent pharmacy robberies in Maine.  We are very fortunate that no one was physically injured.  Stile was quickly found and arrested because of the diligent efforts of multiple county, state and federal law enforcement agencies.  This kind of cooperation has time and again provided positive results.”

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, 31, of Ansonia, Connecticut and Robert Joiner, Jr., 30, of Detroit, Michigan pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, often referred to as crack cocaine.  Gordon also pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and Joiner pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine base.

Court records reveal that between December 2013 and January 2015, Gordon and Joiner conspired with each other and 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 Joiner and from other 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 in close proximity to him a bag containing 89 net grams of cocaine base and over $9,000 in cash.

Russell Gordon faces between five and 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine on each count of conviction.  Joiner faces up to 40 years in prison and $5,000,000 fine on the conspiracy count and up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine on the distribution count.  Both will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case was investigated by the Southern Maine Gang Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Portland Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  The Biddeford and Lewiston Police Departments, 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 that Russell W. Brace, a/k/a “Rusty,” 81, of Camden, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to mail and tax fraud.

According to court records, between about July 1999 and September 25, 2014, the defendant, an officer and director of United Mid-Coast Charities, Inc. (“UMCC”), fraudulently obtained $4,646,636.45 by claiming that monies donated to UMCC, would be used for UMCC’s charitable purposes and not diverted for the defendant’s personal expenses or benefit.  In fact, the defendant diverted the funds into his own accounts and used them for his benefit and to pay personal expenses.  To execute the scheme, the defendant used the U.S. Postal Service to mail donation request letters, UMCC brochures, self-mailer remittance envelopes and thank-you letters.  The investigation also revealed that the defendant failed to report the money he obtained as income on annual federal tax returns thus failing to pay almost $390,000 in taxes and filed false non-profit income tax returns for UMCC in which he failed to disclose the funds he illegally obtained from UMCC.

Brace faces up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of twice the gain or loss on the fraud charge and up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a $100,000 fine on the tax charges.  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 and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.

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

Topsham Man Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Brian Lafrance, 36, of Topsham, Maine, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to mail fraud.

According to court records, between January 2014 and October 29, 2014, the defendant sought to fraudulently obtain $6,383 by claiming that he was owed that amount for electrical work he had performed at a residence located in Portland that was then the subject of federal forfeiture proceedings.  In fact, he had never worked on the residence and was not owed any money for work done there. To execute the scheme, the defendant mailed claims to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Albany, New York and to the U.S. District Courthouse in Syracuse, New York.
     
Lafrance faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

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, pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to theft of public money.

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.

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

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

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that James Eggleston, 34, of Ellsworth, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock Jr. to1½ years in prison and five years of supervised release for failing to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.  Eggleston pleaded guilty to the charge on February 5, 2015.

According to court records, Eggleston was arrested in August of 2014 for an Ellsworth burglary.  Investigators learned that Eggleston was required to register as a sex offender due to a 2003 Florida conviction, but that he had failed to do so in Maine.   Eggleston admitted that he moved to Maine in April of 2014, four months before his arrest and had not notified authorities as required by law.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Ellsworth Police Department.

Contact: Gail Fisk Malone
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Fritz Blanchard, 28, of Boston, Massachusetts, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release for aiding and abetting the transportation of women in interstate commerce for prostitution.  On August 28, 2014, following a four-day jury trial, a jury found him guilty of the charge.

According to the indictment and trial evidence, on March 27, 2013, Blanchard and Samuel Gravely caused a Presque Isle woman and a Portland woman to work as prostitutes at a Portland hotel, advertising their services on backpage.com.  On March 28, Blanchard and Gravely drove the two women, and another Portland woman, from Portland to Boston intending that the three work as prostitutes there.  When they arrived in Boston, Blanchard took two of the women to a downtown street and told them how to attract customers and engage in prostitution.  One of the two women, upon learning what was expected of her, feigned illness, separated herself, and contacted the police.

U.S. Attorney Delahanty commended the cooperation of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in Maine and Massachusetts that lead to the rescue of these women and the successful prosecution and conviction of the defendant.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Boston Police Department; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Portland, Presque Isle, Old Town, Brunswick and Saco Police Departments; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Dominic J. Pomerleau, 22, of Sidney, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to seven years in prison and three years of supervised release for pharmacy robbery and attempted pharmacy robbery.  He pleaded guilty to the charges on January 23, 2015.

Court records show that on the evening of September 2, 2014, Pomerleau attempted to rob the Rite Aid Pharmacy located on North Belfast Avenue in Augusta, Maine.  He approached the pharmacy counter and handed the pharmacist a note that read, “I Have a gun don’t push the button or I’ll shoot give me Oxycodone 30 mg & 15 mg and Ridilin 20 mg Hurry make it a minute or less act normal.”  As the pharmacist was getting the pills, the phone rang and another employee answered it.  Pomerleau left the pharmacy before the pharmacist had time to give him any pills.  About 20 minutes later, Pomerleau robbed the Rite Aid Pharmacy located on Hospital Street in Augusta.  He approached the pharmacy counter with a note that demanded oxycodone and absconded with three bottles of oxycodone.  Both encounters were captured on surveillance video and witnesses provided descriptions of Pomerleau and his distinctive arm and neck tattoos.

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

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

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Garrett Griffin, age 25, of Biddeford, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to 70 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, a/k/a “crack” cocaine and heroin.  He pled guilty to the charges on January 29, 2015.
     
According to court records, in 2014, Griffin distributed heroin and crack cocaine in the Lewiston area.  Agents learned of a specific delivery that Griffen was to make, intercepted him when he arrived to make the delivery, and seized from him the heroin and crack cocaine that he intended to deliver.

This case results from a joint investigation conducted by Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Maine State Police.

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

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Andre Hunter, 48, of Rochester, New Hampshire was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy Torresen to 235 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin.  He pled guilty to the charges on December 18, 2014. 
     
According to court records, from April 2014 until his arrest in October 2014, Hunter distributed between 700 and 1,000 grams of heroin to dealers in Portland and Rochester who distributed it to customers in those areas. On September 26, 2014, Hunter was stopped while driving from Rochester to Portland because the police suspected he was delivering drugs.  A search of his vehicle led to the seizure of about 24 grams of heroin and 5 grams of cocaine. A search of his Rochester residence resulted in the seizure of a digital scale with drug residue, drug packaging and $30,000.

This case results from a joint investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine State Police and the Strafford County Drug Task Force.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Michael Van Eekhout, 51, of Westbrook, 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 child pornography and transmitting an extortionate threat. Van Eekhout pleaded guilty to the charges on January 21, 2015.

According to court records, in late 2011, Van Eekhout, posing online under an assumed name, persuaded a woman to send him nude photographs of herself. He then told her that he would widely disseminate the photos unless she took explicit photos of herself and sent them to him. When she did so, he posted the photos online.  In April 2012, he threatened to continue doing so unless she sent him more explicit photos.

In June 2014, Van Eekhout, posing as the woman, sent an undercover federal agent a digital photograph of a naked pre-pubescent female. The next month, he was interviewed during the execution of a search warrant at his Westbrook home and admitted that he had sent the photograph and had pretended to be the woman.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”).  "Child predators are finding more and more that anonymity in their online activities is a false notion," said Bruce Foucart, special agent in charge for HSI Boston. "HSI will continue to use our unique authorities and expertise to find these predators despite their best efforts to hide their true identities."
     
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative, which is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that John Tapley, 58, of Sedgwick, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 10 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography.  He pleaded guilty to the charge on December 29, 2014.

Court records and proceedings reveal that in January of 2013, Tapley brought his laptop computer to a computer repair shop for service.  A service technician found sexually suggestive images of prepubescent girls on the computer and reported it to the police.  Law enforcement agents obtained a search warrant for the computer and found images and videos of child pornography.

Tapley faced an enhanced sentence because of two prior Maine Superior Court convictions for unlawful sexual contact with minors.

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

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

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Anthony Thea, 20, of Portland, Maine, was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to six years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release for transportation and possession of child pornography.  Thea was also ordered to pay $1,500 in restitution.  He pleaded guilty on January 20, 2015.

According to court records, in August 2014, an undercover federal agent identified a computer later traced to Thea making images of child pornography available for download via a peer-to-peer file sharing program.  On October 9, 2014, federal agents executed a search warrant at an apartment in South Portland where Thea occasionally stayed and seized a laptop.  Thea admitted owning the laptop and using a peer-to-peer file sharing program to download images of child pornography.  He also said that he had used his cellular telephone to make video recordings of minors in public restrooms and saved them on his computer. A forensic analysis of the laptop’s hard drive revealed 2,680 still images and 903 videos of child pornography and about 80 digital recordings of minor males urinating in restrooms that Thea recorded between June 2011 and May 2013 without the knowledge or consent of the victims.

“HSI investigations involving child exploitation fall under Operation Predator, and this case is a clear demonstration of why we use the term predator for those who seek to victimize the innocent,” said Bruce Foucart, special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners across the state of Maine, and at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to aggressively target criminals who prey on the most vulnerable members of society.”

U.S. Attorney Delahanty commended the work of HSI noting that: “These cases are very difficult because of the subject matter and the necessity to link the defendant to the disturbing images and on-line conduct.” 
     
The investigation was conducted by HSI, with the assistance of the South Portland Police Department. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Rana J. Clarizio, 46, of Oak Brook, Illinois, and formerly of Kittery, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to bankruptcy fraud.

According to court records, on March 21, 2014 the defendant filed for bankruptcy in Maine.  On April 4, 2014, she filed Schedules of Assets and Liabilities (“schedules”) and a Statement of Financial Affairs (“SOFA”) under the penalty of perjury in which she failed to disclose more than $70,000 worth of property of the bankruptcy estate.  On May 2, 2014, she testified under oath at a meeting of her creditors that her schedules and SOFA were true and correct.  In addition, in anticipation of the bankruptcy filing, she transferred and concealed over $125,000 worth of property of the estate that she failed to disclose in her April schedules and SOFA.
       
Clarizio faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each charge.  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.

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, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to making false statements to obtain Social Security Disability Insurance (“SSDI”) benefits.  SSDI benefits are paid by the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) to people with disabilities.

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 $17,000 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 defendant faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

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

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

Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that David Livingston Brown, 41, of Corinth, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to four years in prison to be followed by eight years of supervised release for possession of child pornography.  Brown pleaded guilty to the charge on July 28, 2014.

According to court records, in April 2013, Brown emailed a video containing child pornography to an undercover federal agent. On July 18, 2013, a search warrant was executed at the defendant’s residence in Corinth.  The defendant admitted sending and receiving images of child pornography by email and collecting hundreds of images and videos of child pornography over several years.  A forensic examination of computers and computer storage devices seized from the residence revealed hundreds of images and videos of child pornography.

The investigation was conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit.  This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Kevin Rockwell, 32, of Leduc, Alberta, Canada, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to 8½ years in prison and 10 years of supervised release for transporting child pornography. Rockwell pleaded guilty to the charge on October 29, 2014.

According to court records, in April 2013, Rockwell, who was in Canada, sent an email message to the undercover email account of a Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations in Maine. Attached to the email was a file containing 38 images of sexually explicit conduct involving young children. Rockwell was indicted in the District of Maine in May 2013, and his extradition from Canada was sought. The Canadian Minister of Justice ordered him surrendered to American law enforcement officials in May 2014.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. U.S. Attorney Thomas Delahanty said, “The internet has made the distribution of child pornography an international problem. The bi-national cooperation of American and Canadian law enforcement agencies, so crucial to tackling crimes spanning the two countries, was a key factor in bringing Mr. Rockwell to justice.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative, which is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Tonia Smith, 42, of Perry, Maine, was sentenced to four months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for fraudulently acquiring Hydrocodone and food stamp fraud. She was also ordered to pay $3,933.88 in restitution. She pled guilty to the charges on November 18, 2014.

According to court records, from July to November 2013, Smith used her position as a pharmacy technician at the Indian Health Service Center on Pleasant Point Reservation in Perry to steal the pain medication Hydrocodone from the pharmacy and then shredded records that the pharmacy was required to keep in order to conceal her thefts.  The investigation also revealed that from January to November 2013, Smith bought EBT cards from food stamp recipients for amounts less than the credit assigned to each card and then used the cards to make unauthorized purchases.

The investigation was conducted by the Offices of Inspector General of the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture and the Pleasant Point Police Department.