District of Maine

BANGOR, Maine: A Springfield man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to unlawfully possessing a firearm.

According to court records, in February 2024, a deputy from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report that a home inspector from an insurance company had been threatened with a firearm by James Elliott, 66. During a search of Elliott’s home in March 2024, deputies found six firearms, including a loaded .44 magnum lever action rifle. Elliott is precluded from possessing firearms due to two prior felony convictions in the state of Kansas.

Elliott faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 to be followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office, the Maine Warden Service, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency also assisted with the investigation.

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BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for her role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Shelby Loring, 29, to time served followed by three years of supervised release. Loring pleaded guilty on January 17, 2023, and was incarcerated for approximately 32 months.

According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Loring and others trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and elsewhere. Loring regularly obtained quantities of drugs from her source, paying for the drugs with the proceeds from the sale of prior deliveries. Loring would distribute drugs to customers in Penobscot County while keeping some for her own use. Loring’s participation in the conspiracy resulted in contacts with local law enforcement that led to the seizure of drugs, firearms, drug paraphernalia, and other items.

Twenty-one defendants have been charged in this and related cases for their part in a widespread northern Maine drug trafficking conspiracy. To date, 11 of the defendants have been sentenced while 10 await sentencing:

Sentenced:

• Andrew Adams (32, Aroostook County) – 10 years
• Matthew Catalano (38, Penobscot County) – 165 months
• Christopher Coty (44, Bangor) – 4 years
• Blaine Footman (38, Bangor) – 5 years
• Nicole Footman (41, Holden) – 3 years
• Dwight Gary, Jr. (54, Medway) – Time served
• Thomas Hammond (26, Charleston) – 84 months
• James King (55, Caribou) – 165 months
• Shelby Loring (29, Bangor) – Time served (32 months)
• Danielle McBreairty (34, Glenburn) – 20 years
• Wayne Smith (33, Bangor) – 85 months

Awaiting sentencing:

• Daquan Corbett (30, Brockton, Mass.)
• Jason Cunrod (42, Caribou) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
• Carol Gordon (53, Bangor) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
• Daviston Jackson (28, Boston, Mass.)
• Joshua Jerrell (30, Orrington) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25
• Sarah McBreairty (36, Dixmont) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25
• John Miller (24, Caribou) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
• Aaron Rodgers (43, Bangor) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25
• James Valiante, 42 (Linneus) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
• Joshua Young (48, Presque Isle) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the police departments in Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton. U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Maine State Attorney General’s Office and the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office.

Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. 

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Thomaston man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to unlawful possessing a machinegun and possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute.

According to court records, in April 2024, the Thomaston Police Department received a tip that Chandler Breen, 34, was selling drugs behind a local business. A search of Breen’s vehicle revealed a firearm modified with a machinegun conversion device, 9mm ammunition, a large amount of cash, approximately 62 grams of cocaine, approximately 5 grams of methamphetamine, and at least 6 grams of fentanyl.

Breen faces up to 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release on the firearms charge; and up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million and a minimum of three years of supervised release on the drug charge. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the Thomaston Police Department.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Sanford man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Nicholas Delahunt, 39, to 120 months in prison to be followed by eight years of supervised release.

According to court records, in October 2023, an officer from the Sanford Police Department noted a vehicle pulled over on the side of the road. The officer queried the vehicle and learned that the registered owner, Delahunt, had a suspended license. Police confirmed Delahunt was operating the vehicle. While speaking with him on the side of the road, the officer noted a large plastic baggie protruding from his sweatshirt front pocket that appeared to contain narcotics. Delahunt removed the bag, which was found to contain approximately 166 grams of fentanyl. A further search of Delahunt’s person revealed three additional grams of fentanyl. Just 2 grams of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose. Delahunt was previously convicted in Maine in 2021 for unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs.

The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Sanford Police Department.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A South Portland man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to possessing child sexual abuse material.

According to court records, in April 2023, agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a federal search warrant at the South Portland residence of Sheldon Rembert, 32, locating Rembert in the bedroom. An agent recovered a smartphone from the bedroom, and during an interview, Rembert admitted that child sexual abuse material would be found on the phone and that he had downloaded the images and videos. Forensic examination of the device found images and videos of children as young as eight years old being sexually abused. In 2020, Rembert was convicted in Cumberland County Superior Court of possessing explicit material of a minor.

Rembert faces 10-20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, followed by five years to life of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

HSI investigated the case.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.

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BANGOR, Maine: An Augusta man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Ryan Partridge, 35, to 204 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release.

According to court records, in July 2023, Partridge was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by officers from the Augusta Police Department. During a search of the vehicle, investigators recovered a backpack with approximately 125 grams of fentanyl and a 9mm pistol inside, and Partridge admitted to investigators that the backpack and its contents belonged to him. At the time of the stop, Partridge, a career criminal with 12 prior convictions including two drug felonies, was on probation for a 2019 conviction for aggravated trafficking of fentanyl. He also had a pending arrest warrant for failing to report a change of address.

The FBI and U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case with assistance from the Augusta Police Department.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Camden man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to wire fraud.

According to court records, in 2020 and 2021, Yani Stancioff, 29, exploited the COVID19 pandemic by submitting fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds. Stancioff submitted three fraudulent applications and obtained $51,666. On his EIDL application, he claimed to be the sole proprietor of a non-existent agricultural business. On his PPP applications, Stancioff falsely claimed to be the sole proprietor of a marketing business with gross income of approximately $107,000. As part of the false PPP applications, Stancioff filed falsified IRS documents.

Stancioff faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act: The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who suffered economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act made Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funding available to business owners negatively affected by the COVID19 pandemic. EIDL proceeds were funded by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and disbursed by the U.S. Treasury. EIDLs could only be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could have been paid had the COVID19 disaster not occurred.

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the SBA that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP permitted participating third-party lenders to approve and disburse SBA-backed PPP loans to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills incurred by qualifying businesses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the SBA.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Florida woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for committing wire fraud.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Alexis Hodges, 39, to 12 months and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay the victim $73,291.33 in restitution. Hodges pleaded guilty on June 28, 2024.

According to court records, from at least November 2019 through October 2021, Hodges fraudulently used the bank account of a Kennebunk business to pay expenses for herself, her family members, and her business. Hodges provided the bank account information to multiple vendors, causing or attempting to cause more than $90,000 to be electronically paid out of the account to pay her rent, insurance policies, and credit card bills, among others, without the victim’s consent or knowledge. In September 2021, the victim discovered that unauthorized payments were occurring and reported it to the Kennebunk Police Department, which referred the case to the U.S. Secret Service New England Cyber Fraud Task Force for investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office does not identify crime victims and is limiting identifying information, including the name and type of business, to protect the victim’s privacy.

In 2011, Hodges was convicted of identity theft, defrauding a financial institution, and scheming to defraud for unlawfully accessing the customer accounts of her then-employer.

The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case with assistance from the Kennebunk Police Department.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Kent, Washington man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for advertising child pornography.

Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Michael Posey, 50, to 180 months to be followed by seven years of supervised release. Posey pleaded guilty on August 29, 2024.

In sentencing Posey, the judge noted that communities such as the one in which Posey participated “create a supply chain to satisfy the demand for this poison” and inflict “generational emotional destruction on vulnerable members of our communities” with untold lasting impact on the young victims.

According to court records, in early 2024, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Portland, Maine were investigating a site on the dark web dedicated to the sexual abuse of children. During the investigation, HSI agents observed a profile, later identified as belonging to Michael Posey, 49, that held a moderator position and was responsible for approving posts submitted by others. The profile included a password that individuals could use for any files/links provided by the user. A review of the profile’s history revealed a history of postings that dated back to December 2021. Agents logged into the site, reviewed a post made by Posey regarding a collection of 70 videos of child sexual abuse, and accessed a zipped file containing numerous videos including young children. In April 2024, HSI agents executed a search warrant at Posey’s residence in Kent, Washington. During the interview, Posey confirmed he used the profile on the dark web site and provided agents with his login information.

HSI investigated the case.

“Mr. Posey helped to create and benefited from a marketplace predicated on vulnerable victims being abused,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee. “Peddling child pornography is not a victimless crime – child sexual abuse material captures the very real, traumatizing, and abhorrent sexual abuse of children, and those children are revictimized every single time that material is shared, by every single person who views it.”

“Posey used the dark web to advertise abhorrent images capturing the sexual abuse of children who were irreparably harmed in the productions. Now he will remain in prison for a considerable period of time where he cannot be a threat to the public,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “Today's sentence shows the gravity of Posey’s crime and HSI’s commitment to seeking justice for children traumatized by online child sexual exploitation.”

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – in legal terms, "child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are shared or viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.

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BANGOR, Maine: A Canadian national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to unlawfully entering into the United States from Canada and importing a controlled substance.

According to court records, in September 2024, U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Van Buren station stopped Nathan Paul Curran-McQuade, 31, in Caswell for illegally entering the United States from Canada. Agents encountered Curran-McQuade while he was operating an ATV on a trail bordering Canada that was marked with international boundary signs. When stopped by the agents, Curran-McQuade had approximately 14 grams of methamphetamine on his person as well as marijuana in a mason jar in his backpack. He claimed to be traveling to a store in Caswell to get gas and that the drugs were for personal use.   

Curran-McQuade faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million for the controlled substance charge and up to 180 days in jail and up to a $5,000 fine for crossing the border illegally. Any sentence would be followed up three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.

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BANGOR, Maine: Two Massachusetts men were found guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for their role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl following a 10-day bench trial last month before U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann.

According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Daquan Corbett, 30, Daviston Jackson, 28, and others trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and elsewhere.

Both Jackson and Corbett face 10 years to life in prison and up to a $10 million fine to be followed by five years to life of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Twenty-one defendants have been charged in this and related cases for their part in a widespread northern Maine drug trafficking conspiracy. To date, 10 of the defendants have been sentenced while 11 await sentencing:

Sentenced:

• Andrew Adams (32, Aroostook County) – 10 years
• Wayne Smith (33, Bangor) – 85 months
• Danielle McBreairty (34, Glenburn) – 20 years
• Blaine Footman (38, Bangor) – 5 years
• Nicole Footman (41, Holden) – 3 years
• Dwight Gary, Jr. (54, Medway) – Time served
• Matthew Catalano (38, Penobscot County) – 165 months
• Thomas Hammond (26, Charleston) – 84 months
• Christopher Coty (44, Bangor) – 4 years
• James King (55, Caribou) – 165 months 

Awaiting sentencing:

• Daquan Corbett (30, Brockton, Mass.)
• Daviston Jackson (28, Boston, Mass.)
• Sarah McBreairty (36, Dixmont) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25
• John Miller (24, Caribou) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
• Shelby Loring (29, Bangor) – sentencing scheduled 02/03/25
• Joshua Young (48, Presque Isle) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
• Joshua Jerrell (30, Orrington) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25
• Carol Gordon (53, Bangor) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
• Jason Cunrod (42, Caribou) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25
• Aaron Rodgers (43, Bangor) – sentencing scheduled 02/11/25
• James Valiante, 42 (Linneus) – sentencing scheduled 02/20/25

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the police departments in Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton. U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Maine State Attorney General’s Office and the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office.

Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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BANGOR, Maine: A Maine man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for making repeated phone calls with the intent to harass and transmitting a threatening interstate communication.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Angelo Castigliola, 44, formerly of Biddeford, to 18 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. For the first year of his supervised release, he will be subject to stand-alone monitoring. He was also ordered to pay the victim restitution. Castigliola pleaded guilty on August 26, 2024.

According to court records, from mid-July to early August 2023, Castigliola repeatedly called and texted the victim, including calling 57 times and leaving nine voicemails. He also sent the victim 40 text messages on one day alone. These repeated communications were harassing in nature. In the communications, Castigliola repeatedly threatened to harm an unidentified police officer with whom he believed the victim had a relationship, and repeatedly referenced the victim’s minor child. On July 28, 2023, Castigliola also made several telephone calls to the victim’s mother, often disguising his phone number, leaving two voicemails. In one voicemail, Castigliola threatened to kill three of her family members including the victim, and to rape two minor children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is limiting identifying information to protect the victims’ privacy.

The FBI investigated the case. 

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for interference with commerce by robbery.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Max Gbetibouo, 51, to 51 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. While sentencing Gbetibouo, the judge noted that as an Ivory Coast National, he would likely face deportation following incarceration. Gbetibouo was also ordered to pay restitution to the victim. He pleaded guilty on August 13, 2024.

According to court records, in September 2021, Gbetibouo entered a Saco convenience store brandishing a weapon and demanded money from the register. The store clerk complied, and Gbetibouo fled the store on foot. The robbery was captured on surveillance video.

The Saco Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Portland Police Department investigated the case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods: This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn.

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A Texas man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to four counts of wire fraud.

According to court records, in October 2022, the FBI began an investigation after a Maine couple reported a loss of nearly $400,000 via unauthorized wire transfers and purchases from their bank account. The couple stated that after returning from a vacation, they unsuccessfully attempted to log into their bank account and called the bank to request their username and password be reset. Once able to view the account, they found multiple wire transfers on the statement.

The investigation showed that in August 2022, an unknown person called the bank pretending to be the account holder, requesting the account balance and updating the contact phone number. Shortly after, they also changed the contact email address. Over a two-week period, several transfers were made between the victims’ home equity line of credit account to their savings account. Multiple wire transfers were then made to a Texas bank account held by Kyle Lawless Pollar, 27. The four wire transfers totaled $360,880. $66,000 from one wire transfer was transferred to a jeweler also located in Texas. Pollar withdrew funds from his account in cash and cashier’s checks, and the cashier’s checks were deposited in other Texas bank accounts in his name. Security cameras captured him making deposits and withdrawing funds.

Pollar faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 for each of the four counts, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release. He will also be ordered to pay restitution to the victims.

The FBI investigated the case.  

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Portsmouth, New Hampshire man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland today for distributing fentanyl.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Jerome Hovey Leclair, 39, to 38 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Leclair pleaded guilty on July 11, 2024.

According to court records, in April 2023, under the direction of the Berwick Police Department, a cooperating source met with Leclair at his Portsmouth residence to discuss a future purchase of counterfeit Oxycodone pills. While in the apartment, the informant noted multiple plastic bags filled with small, blue pills, and Leclair gave the informant one pill as a sample. In June 2023, Leclair agreed to sell the informant 100 pills, offering to add 25 for free so that they could make more money selling them. The phone call was recorded, and investigators established surveillance in advance of the controlled purchase at Leclair’s residence and near the agreed-upon meeting location. An undercover officer drove the informant to the buy.

In July 2023, an undercover officer contacted Leclair by text and negotiated the purchase of pills, meeting in Kittery to complete the transaction. The meeting was captured on video and audio. On July 7, 2023, the New Hampshire State Police stopped Leclair’s vehicle in Seabrook, N.H. Investigators recovered 500 blue circular pills from the vehicle along with approximately 30 grams of methamphetamine. In August 2023, the informant again contacted Leclair, negotiating and completing two more buys in New Hampshire.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Berwick Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the New Hampshire State Police.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Kennebunk woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to wire fraud.

According to court records, in April 2021, Meghan Martell, 33, submitted an application to a California lender for a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Martell falsely stated on the application that she was the sole proprietor of a beauty salon with gross income in 2019 of $99,870. She also submitted fraudulent documentation in support of the application, including a false tax form. The California lender transferred $20,806 in PPP funds to Martell’s bank account in Maine.

Martell faces up to 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000, followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP permitted participating third-party lenders to approve and disburse SBA-backed PPP loans to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills incurred by qualifying businesses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the SBA.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Plymouth, New Hampshire man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to conspiring to commit wire fraud.

According to court records, in 2020 and 2021, Tyree Jones, 32, conspired with others to exploit the COVID19 pandemic by submitting fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds. Jones submitted three fraudulent applications for himself and obtained $51,666. On his applications, Jones claimed to be the sole proprietor of non-existent businesses in the agricultural and trucking industries. In addition to filing fraudulent applications for himself, Jones offered to help others obtain PPP and EIDL funds in exchange for “kickbacks” from any funds they received. Jones and coconspirators caused fraudulent applications to be filed for at least 12 other people. As part of the false applications, Jones and his coconspirators filed falsified IRS and bank documents.

Jones faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act: The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who suffered economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act made Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funding available to business owners negatively affected by the COVID19 pandemic. EIDL proceeds were funded by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and disbursed by the U.S. Treasury. EIDLs could only be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could have been paid had the COVID19 disaster not occurred.

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the SBA that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP permitted participating third-party lenders to approve and disburse SBA-backed PPP loans to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills incurred by qualifying businesses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the SBA.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  An Auburn man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland today for distributing cocaine base.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Devonne Scott, 31, to 35 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Scott pleaded guilty on September 19, 2024.

According to court records, in July 2023, a confidential informant reported to the FBI that a man they knew agreed to sell the informant crack cocaine. In August 2023, the informant conducted two controlled buys of suspected cocaine base from Scott with the exchanges monitored and videotaped by the FBI and law enforcement partners. Laboratory tests confirmed the substances purchased contained cocaine base.

The FBI investigated the case, together with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lewiston Police Department.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  A Windham man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Cote Noonan, 33, to 180 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $108,000 in restitution to victims. Noonan pleaded guilty on June 5, 2024.

According to court records, in October 2023, Noonan, using the username “Femboy Cassidy,” sent an undercover FBI agent three child sexual abuse material videos using the instant messaging application TeleGuard. The videos showed the sexual abuse of young victims, including an infant. The agent also observed “Femboy Cassidy” share similar photos and videos on two other occasions in a trading room for child sexual abuse material. During the investigation, Noonan admitted to operating the “Femboy Cassidy” account and informed investigators that they would find child sexual abuse material on his electronic devices. He also admitted to sexually abusing a child on multiple occasions and recording that abuse. The FBI seized several devices from Noonan’s residence, four of which contained thousands of known child sexual abuse material images and videos. Many of these images and videos showed the sexual abuse of toddlers and infants. The FBI did not locate any photos or videos documenting the hands-on sexual abuse described by Noonan.

The FBI investigated the case.

“Mr. Noonan admitted to a long and disturbing history which includes viewing and downloading child sexual abuse materials for more than two decades, in addition to engaging in illicit sexual contact with children,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee. “This sentence will protect children from being victimized and hopefully offer some measure of justice to those he exploited.”

“Simply put, Cote Noonan is a predator,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “He amassed tens of thousands of images of young children being sexually abused and shared them online. During our investigation, he also admitted to sexually abusing a child. It’s vital that he’s locked away where he can’t hurt any more kids. The FBI and our partners won’t ever stop fighting to protect children from being so horrifically exploited.”

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Maine veterinarian, Dr. Alan Toothaker, DVM, agreed to pay $145,360 to resolve claims he violated the Controlled Substances Act through improper storage of controlled substances and recordkeeping violations.

The settlement announced today resolves allegations that Dr. Toothaker improperly stored controlled substances; failed to keep appropriate records of controlled substances stored, dispensed, or distributed by the veterinary practice; and did not conduct regular inventories.

As alleged, in May 2023 and July 2023, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was unable to conduct an audit at Dr. Toothaker’s registered location due to record keeping deficiencies. Among the issues the resulting inspection revealed:

• Minimal oversight of the ordering, receiving, and handling of controlled substances, creating an opportunity for significant diversion of controlled substances, particularly Tramadol.
• Controlled substances stored in safes with non-controlled substances with employees having unsupervised access.
• Incomplete recordkeeping resulting in unaccounted-for controlled substances purchased, dispensed, or administered.
• Continual refills of prescriptions.
• Transferring of controlled substances to a second practice location for which Dr. Toothaker did not maintain a registration.

“The DEA investigation revealed a practice that lacked adequate security and oversight, making it difficult, if not impossible, to determine whether controlled substances were missing, who took them or even when they went missing,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee. “Particularly amid an opioid crisis, that is concerning. All DEA registrants have an obligation to maintain complete records, and it is an essential practice to prevent potentially addictive medications from being diverted from the legitimate drug supply.”

“The DEA is committed to ensuring that veterinarians, like all registrants, are in compliance with the required regulations, which are enforceable through the Controlled Substances Act, handle controlled substances in a lawful manner, and provide effective controls to prevent diversion,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belleau, New England Field Division. “Failure to do so increases the diversion potential and jeopardizes public health and safety.”

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  A Lisbon Falls man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing child sexual abuse material.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Joseph Gibson, 36, to 10 years in prison followed by eight years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution.

According to court records, an IP address registered to Gibson’s residence was identified as downloading child sexual abuse material in September and October of 2023 via BitTorrent. In December 2023, the Maine State Police executed a search warrant at the residence, and during an interview, Gibson admitted to viewing child sexual abuse material online. Investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) analyzed two devices seized from the residence and recovered five video files of children younger than 12 being sexually abused. Gibson has two prior state convictions, in January 2010 and December 2011, relating to possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material. 

The Maine State Police and HSI investigated the case.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A New York man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to distributing controlled substances and possessing them with intent to distribute.

According to court records, based in part on information received from a confidential informant, investigators learned that Kenneth Adams, 40, trafficked a substantial amount of fentanyl and cocaine from the Bronx, New York into Maine where he sold them to drug dealers for distribution. In January 2024, Adams sold a confidential informant approximately 250 grams of fentanyl in a controlled buy captured on video and audio and physically surveilled by investigators. In June 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at a Bronx residence used by Adams. During the search, investigators recovered a loaded 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun, approximately 260 grams of fentanyl, and approximately 780 grams of cocaine. Adams was previously convicted in 2016 in Aroostook County Superior Court for unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs. 

Adams faces 10 years to life imprisonment and a fine up to $8 million to be followed by four years to life of supervised release.

Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee today announced the filing of lawsuits against three individuals alleging they fraudulently applied for and received CARES Act pandemic relief funds:

•    Jazmyn Paduani (Manchester, New Hampshire) is alleged to have fraudulently applied for, received, and received forgiveness for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan.

•    Devin Vangel (Colorado Springs, Colorado) is alleged to have fraudulently applied for and received a COVID-19 Economic Injury and Disaster Loan Emergency Advance.

•    Antoinette Avery (Holden, Maine) is alleged to have fraudulently applied for, received, and received forgiveness for a PPP loan.

As alleged in each of the complaints, the defendants either misrepresented the annual income and payroll costs of their businesses or misrepresented that they operated any business at all. Two defendants who received PPP loans also each received forgiveness for the loans by allegedly misrepresenting how the loan funds were used.

The complaints against Paduani, Vangel, and Avery were brought by the United States under the False Claims Act (FCA) and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA). The FCA provides that any person who “knowingly presents, or causes to be presented, a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval” or “knowingly makes, uses, or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim” is liable to the United States for three times the amount of damages which the United States sustains, plus a civil penalty for each FCA violation. For FCA violations assessed after February 12, 2024, the minimum penalty per violation is $13,946.

Section 951 of FIRREA provides that the Attorney General may recover civil penalties against persons who knowingly make a false statement for the purpose of influencing a decision by the Administrator of the SBA or to obtain a loan, money, or anything of value under the SBA’s business loan program, including the PPP. For FIRREA violations assessed after February 12, 2024, the maximum penalty per violation is $2,449,575.

The complaints filed by the United States are a result of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s ongoing efforts to identify and investigate fraudulently obtained pandemic relief funds. Recent amendments to federal law have extended the statute of limitations for civil and criminal fraud enforcement actions concerning PPP and EIDL loans from six to ten years. 

The civil actions are docketed United States v. Paduani, 24-cv-00439-JCN (D. Me.); United States v. Vangel, 24-cv-00440-JCN (D. Me.); and United States v. Avery, 24-cv-00441-KFW (D. Me.).

The claims asserted against the defendants are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

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BANGOR, Maine: An Augusta man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material.

According to court records, in April 2023, law enforcement officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Augusta Police Department began investigating the possible livestreaming of child sexual abuse material. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) had notified the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit (MSP CCU) that it had received a report through its CyberTipline that an Omegle user—later identified as Nathaniel Gagne, 35—had uploaded a video file containing suspected child sexual abuse material. Omegle is an anonymous chat site where users are matched at random within topics and can communicate by text or video. The file reported by Omegle contained four images of a three- to four-year-old child being sexually abused.

During the execution of a search warrant at his Augusta home, Gagne admitted to viewing child sexual abuse material and sharing it on Omegle. Investigators seized two cell phones and an SD card during the investigation, recovering hundreds of images and videos.

Gagne faces 5–20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, to be followed by five years to life of supervised release on each count. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

HSI investigated the case with assistance from MSP CCU and the Augusta Police Department.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Falmouth man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to tax evasion.

According to court records, Jeffrey Riddle, 58, filed federal income tax returns for 2006 through 2014, reporting that he owed substantial federal tax. Despite reporting that he owed taxes, Riddle did not pay.

The IRS began trying to collect Riddle’s back taxes in 2010, filing notices of federal tax liens on property and levies on his bank account. In 2015, while still owing substantial back taxes, Riddle created a new business, Silica Marketing LLC, and entered into a lucrative consulting agreement with a large tire retailer. Riddle put the ownership of the company under his then-wife’s name despite the company’s sole revenue coming from his consulting work and using the proceeds to pay personal expenses. When meeting with the IRS revenue officer assigned to collect his back taxes, Riddle stated that he earned $6,000 a month in wages from Silica and provided the IRS with a falsified letter showing he would be paid a $3,000 bi-monthly salary. He failed to disclose that he had signed a consulting agreement as Silica’s president and CEO and that Silica was receiving substantial income from that contract. Riddle also failed to disclose that money paid to Silica was being used to pay his personal expenses. Among the expenses paid for with Silica funds was the down payment on a home on Great Diamond Island in 2016, purchased in Silica’s name. 

In 2017, Riddle created a new company to replace Silica, continuing to consult with the same tire retailer. In 2020, Riddle sold part of the company for $400,000, and $250,000 was placed in escrow for the purpose of satisfying Riddle’s tax debt. None of the funds were paid to the IRS. On the day the partial sale of his company closed, Riddle purchased a Corvette, titling it in his company’s name.

Riddle faces up to five years imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000 to be followed by up to three years of supervised release.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Topsham man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to four counts of sexually exploiting a child.

According to court records, in August 2022, a worker from a Brunswick landscaping company found two laptops and several hard drives hidden under a kayak on the company’s property. The employee opened the devices and discovered that they contained child sexual abuse material. They also recognized a former employee, Henry Eichman, 64, in some of the files. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) forensically examined the devices and recovered over 500 images and videos containing child sexual abuse material, including videos showing Eichman setting up a recording device and/or participating in the sexual abuse of four minor victims from 2014 to 2016. Eichman entered an Alford plea in state court in 2018 to the sexual abuse of children and is currently serving a 10-year sentence.

Eichman faces 15–30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, to be followed by five years to life of supervised release on each count. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

HSI investigated the case with assistance from the Topsham Police Department.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc. 

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PORTLAND, Maine: A North Berwick man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for filing fraudulent applications for loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Frederick Avery, 50, to five months in prison followed by five years of supervised release including five months of home detention. He was also ordered to pay $227,667 in restitution. Avery pleaded guilty on July 15, 2024.

According to court records, between April 2020 and September 2021, Avery submitted two applications for PPP loans that claimed he was the 100% owner of Superior Cruise and Travel LLC. Avery had sold the agency to a limited liability company in Pennsylvania in November 2019. He claimed on the applications that the loans, which totaled more than $215,000, were for payroll, lease/mortgage interest, utilities, and other items. Avery submitted falsified bank statements from a non-existent account to support one of the applications.

The FBI investigated the case.

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP permitted participating third-party lenders to approve and disburse SBA-backed PPP loans to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills incurred by qualifying businesses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the SBA.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to possessing cocaine with intent to distribute.

According to court records, in September 2024, a Biddeford police officer encountered Gage Barton, 26, walking in the early morning hours. Barton was on probation for unlawful possession of cocaine, and was also on bail conditions in the State of Maine District Court in York County. The officer searched Barton under his bail conditions. Barton was wearing a sling bag under his coat, and when the officer felt the bag he discerned something hard that he believed to be a weapon. When the officer looked inside the bag, he discovered a small digital scale and several clear plastic bags containing cocaine.

Barton faces up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine up to $1 million to be followed by three years to life of supervised release.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case with assistance from the Biddeford Police Department.

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BANGOR, Maine:  An Ohio man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possessing child pornography.

Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Andrew Ladich-McGrew, 28, to 72 months in prison followed by six years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $28,000 in restitution.

According to court records, in June 2020, investigators with Maine State Police and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at an apartment Ladich-McGrew was renting in Presque Isle. The search warrant was based on a report by electronic service provider Discord that Ladich-McGrew’s account was involved in the possession of sexually explicit images of children under the age of 16. Discord is an online communication platform that, among other functions, allows users to communicate with text-based chats and to send and receive media files. During the initial investigation, images and videos were found on an online storage drive connected to Ladich-McGrew’s computer. In November 2020, a second investigation was launched, leading investigators to a computer that contained multiple files of child sexual abuse material. As with the external hard drive, the images included children as young as three years old being sexually abused. At the time of his arrest, Ladich-McGrew was living in Ohio.

HSI and the Maine State Police investigated the case.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  A Texas man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for coercion and enticement of a minor.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Juan Jose Torres, 27, to 132 months in prison followed by seven years of supervised release.

According to court records, in December 2021, the father of one of the victims contacted law enforcement after discovering that the child had sent sexually explicit photos and videos to someone who had befriended the child on Instagram. The investigation showed that the victim and another child, both in their early teens, were coaxed and coerced into creating and sending graphic and sexually explicit material of themselves to Torres. If the victims hesitated, Torres threatened to harm himself or post the images online if they did not comply. When he was arrested in February 2023, Torres told investigators that he was “just having fun” and that he threatened the young victims because he “liked the attention from them.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office is limiting identifying information, including gender, location and ages, to protect the minor victims’ privacy.

“Mr. Torres pretended to be something he wasn’t to befriend these young victims, then manipulated and exploited them into a situation they were too young to handle. The crime of sextortion is increasing alarmingly, and these cases so often end tragically with young victims feeling they have no way out,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee. “Thankfully, a vigilant parent realized what was happening and immediately contacted police, averting what could have been a tragedy and likely preventing additional victims. It is so important to talk to children about why it is never safe to share intimate images, videos or livestreams with anyone – even someone they know, love or trust.”

“Torres manipulated children into providing explicit photos to him, using fear and threats to coerce them after they realized they wanted to stop,” said HSI New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol. “This crime happens all too often, and victims often feel trapped and that there’s nowhere for them to turn. We want victims and families to know that they are not alone, and there is always help available through HSI and our partners.”

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.

Online enticement is increasing: The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) reported an alarming 300% increase in online enticement reports between 2020 and 2023. “Online enticement” involves an individual communicating with someone believed to be a child via the internet with the intent to commit a sexual offense or abduction. This type of victimization takes place across every platform, including social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, etc. Learn more about online enticement, including red flags and risk factors, at https://www.missingkids.org/theissues/onlineenticement. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

Project iGuardian program available to Maine communities, schools: The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) program Project iGuardian is focused on keeping children and teens safe from online predators through education and awareness. The in-person educational outreach effort was created to share information about the dangers of online environments, how to stay safe online, and how to report abuse and suspicious activity. Schools, parent groups, and other community groups interested in bringing the program to their community can find more information at: https://www.dhs.gov/know2protect/training.

Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.

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PORTLAND, Maine: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine has reached a settlement agreement with Lowe’s Companies, Inc. to resolve allegations that the retailer did not provide compliant access for customers with disabilities at many of its Maine locations.

The settlement agreement resolves an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) complaint filed by a Lowe’s customer with a mobility impairment who alleged that a Lowe’s location in Brewer did not provide accessible parking located on the shortest accessible route from the parking to an accessible entrance. The complaint also indicated that the same allegation may be applicable to other Lowe’s locations. As a result of its investigation, the United States contended that several Lowe’s locations in Maine, including in Brewer, Brunswick, Portland and Windham, failed to provide accessible parking spaces located on the shortest accessible route from the parking to an accessible entrance. 

Title III of the ADA mandates that “[n]o individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of any place of public accommodation by any person who owns, leases (or leases to), or operates a place of public accommodation.” 

Under the settlement agreement, Lowe’s has agreed to make certain modifications to improve accessibility at its retail locations for persons with mobility impairments. These include providing accessible parking spaces located on the shortest accessible route to the main customer entrance, providing groups of accessible parking spaces near all accessible entrances, keeping accessible parking spots operational and clear of obstructions, and providing improved and proper signage. In addition, Lowe’s agreed to designate at least one employee to serve as ADA Compliance Manager who will have a working knowledge and understanding of Title III of the ADA and to train current and future employees responsible for parking about ADA requirements. Lowe’s will compensate the complainant $5,000. In addition to making the improvements at the identified locations in Maine, Lowe’s has agreed that, within six months, it will provide the Department a plan on surveying the remainder of its locations nationwide for compliance regarding ADA accessible parking.

“No one living with a disability should be unlawfully denied safe and unencumbered access to a retail location,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee. “Ensuring that commercial retail locations do not discriminate against persons with disabilities is a priority for the Department of Justice and for my office. The remedial measures agreed to by Lowe’s, which will have nationwide effect, will give individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to shop, as required by the ADA. I hope that other retailers will proactively comply with this important civil rights law.”

Lowe’s cooperated fully with the U.S. Attorney’s Office during its investigation.

Individuals who believe their civil rights may have been violated: Submit complaints by accessing https://civilrights.justice.gov/. For more information on the ADA, or to access publications available to assist entities in complying with the ADA, visit ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 1-800-514-0301 or 1-800-514-0383 (TDD).

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Westbrook man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possession of a firearm by a felon.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Corey Faulkner, 39, to 64 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

According to court records, in October 2023, officers from the Westbrook Police Department responded to Faulkner’s residence following a 911 call reporting domestic violence. The victim reported that Faulkner had assaulted her, including by strangling her. After fleeing the apartment, the victim called 911 and reported to officers that Faulkner possessed firearms and had made suicidal statements. After Faulkner ceased communications with law enforcement, officers cleared a perimeter around the residence and ordered a shelter-in-place for the nearby buildings. Officers obtained a state arrest warrant for Faulkner and breached the building’s basement, using unmanned drones and a robot to locate him in a bathroom. Faulkner surrendered when the bathroom window was breached. The incident lasted more than eight hours.

Officers recovered a 12-gauge shotgun, 12-gauge ammunition, a 9mm pistol case, and 9mm ammunition during an initial search of the residence. A 9mm pistol was recovered from a kitchen cabinet during a second search. Faulkner was precluded from possessing any firearms due to his conviction history. In 2013, Faulkner was convicted on state charges of operating under the influence, endangering the welfare of a child, and domestic violence assault. In 2018, Faulkner was convicted of aggravated assault after punching a woman, dousing her with rubbing alcohol and threatening to set her on fire, and strangling her.

The Westbrook Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.

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The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement to resolve its lawsuit alleging that Maine violates Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C. by unnecessarily segregating children with behavioral health disabilities in psychiatric hospitals, residential facilities and a state-operated juvenile detention facility. 

“This agreement reflects the Civil Rights Division’s commitment to ensuring that children with disabilities can live at home surrounded by the love and support of their families rather than isolated away in facilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We know that too many children with behavioral health disabilities end up in juvenile justice settings or in out-of-home placements, often in different states far from their families, disrupting their lives in ways that can cause permanent harm. Under this agreement, more children will have access to community-based services and in-home behavioral health services so that they can grow up surrounded by family and loved ones.”

“Mainers with disabilities, particularly children, must be able to access the critical services they need in their homes and within their communities,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee for the District of Maine. “Maine’s geographical expanse is a treasure, but children with behavioral health disabilities cannot be needlessly limited to accessing necessary services and supports in facilities away from their families. This agreement prioritizes Maine’s children and ensures the availability of crucial services to allow them to pursue their greatest potential and ease the emotional toll on their caregivers.”

The department sued Maine in September, following a thorough investigation and a public letter of findings notifying Maine of the violation. The lawsuit alleged that Maine limited families’ access to needed behavioral health services for their children to live in the community. These services can include assistance with daily activities, behavior management and individual or family counseling. Community-based behavioral health services also include crisis services that can help prevent a child from being institutionalized during a mental health crisis. Absent these services, Maine children with disabilities would enter emergency rooms, come into contact with law enforcement and remain in institutions.

The agreement resolves the department’s allegations and requires Maine to make significant improvements to ensure children with behavioral health disabilities can receive the services they need in the community, including:

• Help hundreds of children remain with their families or foster families with the services they need to avoid emergency department stays and institutions;
• Help children move out of institutions, including the Long Creek juvenile detention facility, and instead receive services at home, if their needs can be met there and they and their families want them to be at home;
• Identify children with behavioral health disabilities and timely furnish them the full range of services they are eligible for at home;
• Provide children with care coordination designed so that children with the most intense behavioral health disabilities can be successful at home;
• Address any current or future workforce shortages of community-service providers. This includes providing payment rates and support for community providers to enable children they serve to return to or remain at home long-term;
• Improve oversight of community providers and monitor desired outcomes and timeliness of services; and
• Provide prompt mobile crisis interventions to help children avoid entering emergency departments or law enforcement contact.

The parties have agreed that the federal district court will retain jurisdiction to enforce the agreement and that an independent reviewer will evaluate the state’s compliance.

Enforcement of the ADA’s Integration Mandate Nationwide

This agreement is the most recent example of the Civil Rights Division’s enforcement of the ADA’s “integration mandate”—that is, the right to receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate. The Division has worked to enforce the integration mandate to address the segregation of people with disabilities in all its varied forms. For example, a 2023 agreement with Alameda County, California, provides relief to adults with mental health disabilities facing a similar dearth of services that resulted in their admission to emergency departments and jails. The Division has also won court-ordered relief for children with physical disabilities who were unnecessarily segregated in nursing homes in Florida. Florida is now required to provide those children the services they need to move out of nursing facilities. And last month, the Division secured an agreement with Colorado to ensure adults unnecessarily segregated in its nursing facilities have meaningful opportunities to live at home. The Civil Rights Division’s enforcement of the integration mandate has brought change across the country for people with disabilities of all ages and those who have been segregated from their communities.

Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt. Those interested in finding out more about the ADA may visit www.ada.gov.

Members of the public may report possible civil right violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov.

View the settlement agreement here.

PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for illegally possessing a firearm.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Bret Binette, 19, to time served followed by three years of supervised release. Binette had been incarcerated since May 9, 2024 and pleaded guilty on August 13, 2024.

According to court records, in May 2024, law enforcement conducted a probation check and interview with Binette at his residence in Lewiston. Prior to the probation check, he was observed operating a vehicle with a passenger in the front seat. A search of the vehicle revealed a Glock model 45, 9 mm pistol. Binette denied owning or possessing the firearm, but the passenger stated that Binette had handed him the weapon as the officers were approaching the vehicle, and he had stashed it under the seat. The investigation revealed that Binette had purchased the firearm in March 2024, and he admitted possessing the Glock in numerous recorded phone calls from Androscoggin County Jail. Binette was precluded from possessing a firearm due to an October 2023 felony conviction for criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Lewiston Police Department. 

Project Safe Neighborhoods: This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn.

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PORTLAND, Maine – A Windham man pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Portland to conspiring to tamper with Clean Air Act monitoring devices and obstructing an agency proceeding.

According to court records, between January 2017 and September 2020, Isaac Allen, 34, the owner of Red Barn Diesel Performance, conspired with a local truck sales business to download software, known as “tunes,” that reprograms a vehicle’s on-board diagnostic (OBD) system, thereby tampering with the OBD system’s monitoring function so that it would not detect malfunctions in emissions control components. Such downloading is known as “tuning.”

Disabling emissions controls or tampering with the OBD system of a diesel truck causes its emissions to increase significantly. Diesel exhaust contains nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and non-methane hydrocarbons, posing cancer and noncancer health risks.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent Allen an Information Request under the Clean Air Act for information about the vehicles serviced by Red Barn, including identification of all engine tunes installed and a description of whether the tunes affected various components of each vehicle’s emissions control system or interfered with each vehicle’s OBD system. Allen underreported the number.

Allen faces up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

“The defendant in this case illegally tampered with the vehicle diagnostic systems from diesel trucks and then impeded EPA’s investigation by intentionally misrepresenting the scope of his illegal conduct,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Amon of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA CID) in Maine. “The pollution that results from excess vehicle emissions can lead to serious health conditions and has been linked to increased respiratory disease and childhood asthma. This guilty plea demonstrates that EPA will vigorously prosecute those who violate laws designed to protect our communities from harmful air pollution.”

The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated this case with support from the Maine State Police.

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11/21/24: Spelling of defendant's name corrected

PORTLAND, Maine: A Berwick woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for Social Security fraud.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Suzanne Hercock, 47, to four years of probation and ordered her to pay $118,251 in restitution. Hercock pleaded guilty on May 24, 2024.

According to court records, from about December 2008 to February 2020, Hercock lied to the Social Security Administration (SSA) about the presence of her husband, her children’s father, in the household, to fraudulently collect Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments on behalf of the children. In multiple benefit eligibility reviews, Hercock falsely represented to the SSA that she and her husband lived separately. She failed to disclose her husband’s presence and income despite knowing that she was required to and that it would affect her eligibility to receive benefits.

SSA’s Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.

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BANGOR, Maine: A Winslow woman was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor for a wire fraud scheme.

U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Sarah Nale, 49, to nine months in prison followed by nine months of home confinement and two years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay over $816,000 in restitution. Nale pleaded guilty on August 5, 2024.

According to court records, between March 2012 and September 2022, Nale stole $816,584.74 from two local businesses—a realty trust and a professional services firm—where she was the bookkeeper and sole employee. A large portion of the funds were stolen by writing checks from the realty trust to the professional firm, and then writing checks to herself from the professional firm. She would write large checks to herself for money she was not owed, but prepared a checkbook ledger that made the checks appear to have been made to legitimate vendors or for her usual salary.

The FBI and the Waterville Police Department investigated the case.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  A Portland man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland for enticing a minor and possessing child sexual abuse material.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Joshua Decker, 36, to 144 months in prison followed by supervised release for life. Decker pleaded guilty on July 3, 2024.

According to court records, in December 2022, Decker encountered the out-of-state 16-year-old victim in an online chat forum and began regularly communicating with them despite knowing the victim was a minor. In April 2023, the conversations became graphic and sexual, and Decker discussed traveling to meet the victim. The U.S. Attorney’s Office does not identify minor victims of crime and is limiting identifying information, including gender and location, to protect the minor victim’s privacy. In July 2023, the Portland Police Department executed a search warrant on Decker’s vehicle and person, recovering a tablet. Examination of the tablet revealed child sexual abuse material. Decker was previously convicted in Androscoggin County Criminal Court in 2018 for possessing sexually explicit material of a minor under 12.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case with assistance from the Portland Police Department.

Online enticement is increasing: The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) reported an alarming 300% increase in online enticement reports between 2020 and 2023. “Online enticement” involves an individual communicating with someone believed to be a child via the internet with the intent to commit a sexual offense or abduction. This type of victimization takes place across every platform, including social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, etc. Learn more about online enticement, including red flags and risk factors, at https://www.missingkids.org/theissues/onlineenticement. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

Free Project iGuardian program available to Maine schools & communities: The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) program Project iGuardian is focused on keeping children and teens safe from online predators through education and awareness. The in-person educational outreach effort was created to share information about the dangers of online environments, how to stay safe online, and how to report abuse and suspicious activity. Schools, parent groups, and other community groups interested in bringing the program to their community can find more information at: https://www.dhs.gov/know2protect/training.

Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  An Auburn man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances.

According to court records, in May and June 2024, agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) directed a confidential source to conduct two controlled buys from Pierre Calhoun, 39, with both transactions captured on video and audio recordings. The DEA lab later tested the seized drugs and confirmed them to be approximately 24.7 grams of crack cocaine.

Calhoun faces up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine up to $1 million. Any sentence would be followed by no less than three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The DEA investigated the case.

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BANGOR, Maine: An Albion man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor today for knowingly making false statements to a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) while purchasing firearms.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Jason Palmer, 43, to 12 months and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Palmer pleaded guilty on October 24, 2023.

According to court records, between June and August 2022, Palmer obtained five pistols in five separate transactions with an FFL located in Fairfield. In each of those transactions, Palmer completed the required Form 4473 and misrepresented that he was the actual buyer of the firearm when he was in fact purchasing it for another individual. He also falsely indicated on the form that he was not an unlawful user of any controlled substances. In an interview with law enforcement, Palmer admitted that he had been offered heroin/fentanyl in exchange for purchasing the firearms.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Waterville Police Department investigated the case.

STRAW PURCHASING: A straw purchase is an illegal firearm purchase where the actual buyer of the gun, being unable to pass the required federal background check or desiring to not have his or her name associated with the transaction, uses a proxy buyer who can pass the required background check to purchase the firearm for him/her.

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PORTLAND, Maine:  An Orange, New Jersey man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for burglarizing two Maine post offices and robbing at knifepoint two U.S. Postal Service letter carriers.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Winston McLeod, 31, to 57 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. McLeod pleaded guilty on July 23, 2024.

According to court records, during a one-week period in January 2024, McLeod and Lance Funderburk, 31, also from Orange, New Jersey, broke into the Paris and North Monmouth post offices and stole money order printers, mail, computers, post office box keys, and other items. The two men then robbed two Lewiston postal carriers in quick succession on January 20, 2024, threatening to stab each of them with a knife unless they turned over their postal keys.

McLeod and Funderburk were arrested by law enforcement following a traffic stop. A search of the occupants and the vehicle, a white Jeep that matched a vehicle seen in videos from each crime scene, revealed a black butterfly knife, black ski mask, large sums of cash, and several checks determined to have been stolen from the Paris post office. When responding to the Paris location, Postal Inspectors also found two iPhones in the snow directly beneath the broken window used to access the post office. Investigators were able to identify McLeod through a photo of him on the lock screen of one of the phones. Investigators recovered additional stolen items at and near the address where the two men had been staying.

Lance Funderburk pleaded guilty to his role in the crime spree on October 29, 2024, and awaits sentencing. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case, with assistance from FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Rumford, Lewiston, Paris, and Monmouth police departments. 

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BANGOR, Maine: A Troy woman was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor for Social Security fraud, health care fraud, and theft of public money.

U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Christie Mitchell, 49, to three years of probation, including five months of home detention. She was also ordered to pay $82,940 in restitution. Mitchell pleaded guilty on April 26, 2024.

According to court records, from about October 2013 to February 2020, Mitchell lied to the Social Security Administration (SSA) about her husband’s presence in her household and his income to fraudulently appear eligible for Supplemental Security Income payments. Mitchell also concealed her husband’s presence and income from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (ME/DHHS) from about October 2013 to December 2019, during which time she received MaineCare benefits and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

In multiple benefit eligibility reviews, Mitchell falsely represented to the SSA and ME/DHHS that she and her husband lived separately. She failed to disclose her husband’s presence and income despite knowing that she was required to and that it would affect her eligibility to receive benefits.

SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and ME/DHHS’s Fraud Investigation and Recovery Unit investigated the case.

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BANGOR Maine: An Etna man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for identity theft, passport fraud, Social Security fraud and mail fraud. Napoleon Gonzalez, 87, had been found guilty of six federal charges on August 18, 2023, following a two-day trial in U.S. District Court in Bangor.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. ordered Gonzalez to pay $175,757 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, citing Gonzalez’s age and health, sentenced him to five years of probation.

According to court records, beginning in the mid-1960s, Gonzalez took on the identity of his brother, Guillermo, who had died as an infant in 1939. In 1981, Gonzalez applied for a Social Security number in his deceased brother’s name and filed applications for Social Security retirement benefits in his own name in 1999 and in his brother’s name in 2001. Over the years, Napoleon Gonzalez obtained multiple passports bearing Guillermo Gonzalez’s name, most recently in October 2017, a passport he used to travel to Canada in July 2018.

Gonzalez collected retirement benefits under both identities until March 2020, when investigators requested the suspension of benefits being paid to Guillermo Gonzalez pending investigation. Gonzalez mailed a letter to the Social Security Administration, signing the name Guillermo Gonzalez and the Social Security number assigned to that identity, asking for an explanation for the suspension. In the letter, he requested a prompt reply, claiming that due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, he was locked in his apartment, unable to drive and dependent on neighbors to obtain food and other items. Gonzalez also obtained Maine state identification cards under both his own identity and his brother’s. In January 2020, the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles uncovered the decades-long ruse and alerted federal authorities.

“The jury conviction and this sentence holds Napoleon Gonzalez accountable for his intolerable crimes. Using a Social Security number (SSN) not assigned to him, Gonzalez furnished false information and concealed information to fraudulently obtain Social Security benefits,” said Hannibal “Mike” Ware, Acting Inspector General for the Social Security Administration (SSA). “My office will continue to investigate those who defraud SSA benefit programs and compromise the integrity of SSNs for their selfish gain. I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeanne Semivan for their efforts in prosecuting this case.”

The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles Division of Enforcement, Anti-Theft and Regulations investigated this case.

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11/12/24: Sentence corrected to include probation amount

PORTLAND, Maine:  A Westbrook man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Portland for bank robbery.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Jason Arsenault, 41, to 36 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $1,700 in restitution. Arsenault pleaded guilty on July 29, 2024.

According to court records, on January 26, 2024, Arsenault pulled up to the drive‑through window of a South Portland bank wearing a black winter hat, sunglasses and a black mask covering his face. Using the pneumatic tube, he passed a note to the teller that read, “CAR BOMB No Cops Alarms or WE ALL DIE $50,000 in 20’s.” The teller placed some cash into the pneumatic tube, and Arsenault took the funds and drove away. Using multiple surveillance cameras, investigators were able to trace the vehicle’s movements and capture an image of Arsenault’s face, leading to his identification. Six days following the robbery, Arsenault was arrested in Portland, and he confessed to the robbery and directed investigators to the money hidden in a backpack in Baxter Woods in Portland. The backpack and all but $1,700 in stolen funds were recovered.

The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the South Portland and Portland police departments.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Damariscotta man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Trey Knof, 28, to 216 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $20,250 in restitution. Knof pleaded guilty on February 13, 2024.

According to court records, in August 2022, Knof used an internet-based mobile application to transfer an internet hyperlink containing child pornography to an online covert FBI employee. As part of its review of the material that Knof distributed, the FBI located numerous image and video files of child sexual abuse material, including victims as young as infants. In May 2023, the FBI executed a warrant for Knof’s residence, vehicle, and person, and child sexual abuse material was recovered from his mobile phone.

Knof was a registered sex offender in Maine with prior state convictions for gross sexual assault, sexual abuse of a minor, dissemination of sexually explicit material, and possession of sexually explicit material of a minor under 12.

The FBI investigated this case.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.

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BANGOR, Maine: A West Gardiner man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for transporting, receiving, distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material, as well as failing to register as a sex offender.

Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Jon A. Hall (aka L.J. (Little Jon) Hall), 30, to a total of 600 months in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $8,000 in restitution. Hall pleaded guilty on April 26, 2024.

According to court records, on August 29, 2022, Maine State Police investigators executed a search warrant in West Gardiner on Hall’s person. In the search, they seized an iPhone belonging to Hall, and child sexual abuse material was recovered from that phone. Some of the images and video files depicted Hall sexually abusing a young child while earlier living in another state. The phone also included messages with a person in Maine while Hall was out of state. In many of those messages, Hall inquired about obtaining nude images of underage children and sent the user child sexual abuse material. There was also evidence of Hall receiving payments for the images via Cash App. The images were of victims under the age of 12 and included images Hall had solicited and received from boys he knew or met online.

In April 2015, Hall pleaded guilty to and was convicted of two counts of possessing sexually explicit material depicting a child under 12 and was notified of the requirement as a Tier III lifetime registrant of the sex offender registry to maintain current registration information.

“Mr. Hall has a lengthy and troubling history that makes it clear that children are in danger as long as he is free,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee. “Any sentence, no matter how lengthy, can only go so far in providing justice for such heinous acts inflicted upon children, but I hope it provides comfort to all he victimized. My office will continue to prioritize child exploitation prosecutions to protect Maine children from predators like Mr. Hall.”

“Hall was a repeat offender who not only possessed and traded in child sexual abuse material, but directly abused and exploited children. His previous conviction shows he is clearly a danger to the community and today’s significant sentence will keep him away from children for a very long time,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “With the conclusion of this case, we hope those he victimized can find some amount of closure and peace as they move forward.”

Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police investigated the case.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.

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PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man and woman were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for their roles in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy in southern Maine.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Michael Bolster, 49, to a total of 72 months in prison on one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and two counts of distributing fentanyl, followed by five years of supervised release. Michael Bolster pleaded guilty on January 18, 2024.

Jessica Bolster, 42, was sentenced to a total of 60 months in prison on one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and one count of distributing fentanyl, followed by four years of supervised release. Jessica Bolster pleaded guilty on February 21, 2024.

According to court records, the Bolsters conspired together and with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. In July 2023, the Bolsters sold fentanyl to a confidential source on three separate occasions. The sales were for approximately 9 grams, 30 grams and 29 grams of fentanyl, respectively. In August 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at the Bolsters’ residence and seized two large bundles of suspected fentanyl made up of small baggies wrapped for individual sale totaling approximately 542 grams. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) lab tested a sample of the substance and confirmed the presence of fentanyl. Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose.

Darwin Mateo, 25, is currently serving a 36-month sentence.

The DEA investigated the case. 

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BANGOR, Maine: A Waterville woman pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to aiding and abetting another individual in making false statements during the purchase of a firearm.

According to court records, after a Glock pistol was recovered following a July 2022 arrest in Salem, Massachusetts, an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) revealed the firearm had been purchased at a federally licensed firearms dealer (FFL) in Fairfield, Maine the prior month. ATF contacted the dealer who provided a copy of the ATF Form 4473 associated with the purchase. The FFL also provided ATF with a 4473 associated with another firearm purchase on June 16, 2022. Further investigation revealed that a second individual, Nikeshia Knight, 25, was involved in this purchase. When interviewed, Knight admitted that she had used a straw purchaser to acquire the firearm because she would not pass a background check, providing the individual with money for the purchase and with fentanyl after it was successfully made. Text messages between Knight and the proxy purchaser confirmed that Knight directed the purchase. 

Knight faces a maximum of five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine to be followed by up to three years of supervised release. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The ATF investigated the case.

STRAW PURCHASING: A straw purchase is an illegal firearm purchase where the actual buyer of the gun, being unable to pass the required federal background check or desiring to not have his or her name associated with the transaction, uses a proxy buyer who can pass the required background check to purchase the firearm for him/her.

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BANGOR, Maine: A Hampden man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to possessing child pornography involving a child under 12.

According to court records, in May 2023, investigators from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Maine State Police executed a search warrant at the residence of Michael King, 66. In an interview with agents, King admitted to possessing child sexual abuse material and advised the agents they would find his computer under the couch. The laptop was seized, and hundreds of images were recovered.

King faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, followed by five years to life of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. King had previously been convicted in state court in March 2017 of possessing sexually explicit material of a child under 12. The prior conviction may enhance King’s sentence in this case.

HSI and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigated the case.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – in legal terms, "child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are shared or viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.

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Corrected 10/30/24: Prior conviction corrected to Penobscot County Superior Court.