HOULTON, Maine — A Houlton man faces up to 40 years in jail if convicted on 24 counts of burglary and aggravated criminal mischief charges.
The Houlton Police Department arrested Dylan James Raymond, 18, at the Cary Library in downtown Houlton after officers spotted him fleeing an alleged burglary in progress Tuesday night at the Cole’s Shoe Store about two blocks from the library, police said.
Raymond was taken into custody at the scene, Houlton Police Chief Tim DeLuca said.
The department received multiple vandalism and burglary calls over the past two days, which led to increased overnight patrols. A call came in to the police department about a burglary in progress at Cole’s Shoes on Kendall Street, and officers arrived as Raymond was fleeing, police said.
According to DeLuca, officers tracked the suspect with the assistance of callers and discovered some of the damaged property. Residents reported damage to residential and business property, stolen items, destruction of property and burglary of a local business, he said.
Raymond was charged with 24 counts, including five felony counts of Class C motor vehicle burglary, five counts of Class E theft, 12 misdemeanor counts of Class D criminal mischief, one felony count of Class B burglary of a building, one felony count of Class C aggravated criminal mischief, according to police reports.
If convicted, he faces up to five years in jail and a $5,000 fine for each Class C count, and up to 10 years in jail and up to a $20,000 fine for a Class B charge.
He was transported to the Aroostook County Jail, where he remains. Bail is set at $5,000 cash, DeLuca said.
Additional charges are expected, he said.
“The success of this investigation and many others is dependent on our community partnership and information received from the public,” DeLuca said.
