Editor’s Note: An arrest or summons does not constitute a finding of guilt. An individual charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at criminal proceedings.
HOULTON, Maine — The Maine State Police Troop F barracks in Houlton responded to 101 calls for service during the period of March 4-18.
Saturday, March 18
– Tr. Desrosier assisted Fort Kent PD with an investigation regarding an underage drinking party. There were approximately 50-60 people at the party and about 20 of them were under the legal drinking age. Tr. Desrosier assisted the Fort Kent officers with identifying the party-goers and with determining who was responsible for the gathering. Enforcement action was taken by the officers from Fort Kent.
– Tr. Levesque responded to a civil property complaint in T11 R4. The two property owners were arguing about a driveway and its right-of-way. When Tr. Levesque arrived he learned that the two men had gotten into some type of altercation. The two men were intoxicated and were issued criminal summonses for disorderly conduct.
– Cpl. Quint responded to a residence in Patten after a man called 9-1-1 demanding his son be removed from his apartment. Before he arrived the man called back stating everything was okay and he did not need an officer. When Cpl. Quint arrived he spoke with the son and learned the argument was over the amount of rent he was paying (and not paying) to his father. The man had a warrant for his arrest from 2001 when he was a juvenile. The man was arrested without incident and bailed from the Troop F Barracks in Houlton.
Friday, March 17
– Tr. Casavant spoke with a total of 126 students at the Central Aroostook High School in Mars Hill. He was asked to speak with students in grades 9-12 about internet safety; specifically sexting and the consequences of such behavior. His presentation was well received by all involved.
– Tr. Kilcollins stopped a vehicle displaying an expired inspection certificate. During the stop Tr. Kilcollins discovered the 43-year-old female driver had a suspended driver’s license for not making required payment of fines and costs. Because of her driving history the violation was a criminal offense. Tr. Kilcollins issued the woman a criminal summons for OAS and helped her arrange to have a licensed driver come get her and the vehicle.
– Cpl. Hafford assisted the attorney general’s office as an ERT at a police-involved shooting incident that occurred in Presque Isle.
Thursday, March 16
– During a traffic stop of a speeding vehicle in Wallagrass, Tr. Desrosier discovered that the 58-year-old male driver had a suspended driver’s license. The man’s license was suspended in October 2016 for him failing to comply with a medical evaluation from his physician. Tr. Desrosier issued the man a criminal summons and helped him arrange to have a licensed driver come get him and the vehicle.
Wednesday, March 15
– Cpl. Michaud took a report from a local hotel owner that a couple stayed at the hotel and provided a credit card for payment. The card was ultimately declined, and the hotel owner’s attempts to contact the couple were fruitless. Cpl. Michaud reached out to Tr. Staci Carpenter from Troop J for assistance in the case since it appeared the man and woman lived Down East. Tr. Carpenter located the couple in East Machias and the hotel owner was paid what he was owed.
Monday, March 13
– Cpl. Quint investigated a harassing communications complaint. The 39-year-old female victim said she is continuously harassed by her ex-boyfriend, a 48-year-old male that moved to Wisconsin. The victim is working with Hope and Justice to seek a protective order against the man. Cpl. Quint contacted the man and warned him for harassing the victim. The man provided an email address to Cpl. Quint so he could send him a written harassment warning.
– Tr. Levesque is investigating a theft of medication from a mailbox in Washburn. The victim called reporting she has prescription medication mailed to her residence and it was stolen. The victim had called the drug company in Bangor to make sure her prescriptions were mailed and then confirmed with the post office that the package was delivered. The woman told Tr. Levesque that this is not the first time someone has stolen her medication and she has now told the post office to hold all packages and she will get them herself. The prescription that was stolen is a non-narcotic thyroid medication.
Sunday, March 12
– Cpl. Quint and Tr. Kilcollins responded to a crash on Interstate 95 (southbound) where a single vehicle rolled over. The driver, a 41-year-old male from Bangor, was driving south and several other drivers’ had reported him being all over the road and operating in an unsafe manner. Cpl. Quint was first alerted to his operation and was trying to get to the interstate to locate the vehicle. A few moments after receiving the traffic complaint, it was reported the man had crashed his vehicle on Interstate 95 in Ludlow. Tr. Kilcollins responded to the crash as well. The man was outside his vehicle speaking with Tr. Kilcollins when Cpl. Quint arrived. Tr. Kilcollins brought the man to the Aroostook County Jail so he could conduct field sobriety testing. The man failed the sobriety testing and did not show any indication of being impaired by alcohol. Tr. Saucier, a drug recognition expert, was contacted and it was shown the man was impaired by drugs. The man was arrested for OUI drugs.
Saturday, March 11
– Troopers Casavant, Curtin and Sgt. Haines were called out to Stockholm for a report of a man who broke into his ex-girlfriend’s apartment and they were arguing. The man reportedly was armed with a handgun. The male caller was hiding in the bedroom listening to the argument and a short time later reported the man and woman left in a Jeep and left the handgun at the apartment. The male and female were located and interviewed. After investigation, no crime was committed and the male complainant had misunderstood the interaction he overheard. The male and female were not arguing and actually the handgun involved belonged to the caller not the ex-boyfriend. In the end the complainant was asked to leave the apartment.
Friday, March 10
– Maine State Police assisted the Maine Warden Service and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office in the search of missing 9-year-old boy. The boy had been missing from his school in Stacyville since shortly after noon time. Troopers Caleb Adams and Tim Saucier along with many other deputies and wardens patrolled the area hoping the boy would come out onto a road. At approximately 10 p.m., Trooper Jared Sylvia and K9 Merry were put to work after Warden Scott Martin located small footprints in the woods near the school. Tr. Sylvia and K9 Merry along with Sgt. Joshua Haines were led to Warden Martin’s location in a heavily wooded area where the K9 track was started. A team consisting of Maine Warden Scott Martin, Baxter State Park Ranger Mike Martin, Sgt. Haines, Tr. Sylvia and K9 Merry tracked through the thick woods, bogs, ice and cold before locating him deep into the woods at approximately 10:30 p.m. It’s difficult to tell the exact distance the track went into the woods due to the GPS devices freezing up on the trail with a temperature of 3 degrees and wind chill values well below zero. It’s safe to say the distance was well over a mile. Once the boy was located they brought him out of the woods to a snowmobile trail where he was picked up by a Game Warden and taken to an awaiting ambulance.
– Tr. Pescitelli received information of a fugitive wanted for failing to appear in court in Virginia on heroin distribution charges that was currently in Houlton. Tr. Pescitelli and Tr. Adams responded to the area and after conducting surveillance with the assistance of MDEA Agents, located the subject in a vehicle. Male subject was arrested for being a fugitive from justice and transported to the Aroostook County Jail where he awaits extradition.
Thursday, March 9
– Tr. Pescitelli conducted a traffic stop on Rt. 1 in Blaine for a traffic violation. During the subsequent roadside investigation with the operator, Tr. Pescitelli located a quantity of drugs in the vehicle along with drug paraphernalia and packaging materials. The female operator was arrested and charged with Possession of Schedule W (Methamphetamine) and possession of drug paraphernalia and transported to the Aroostook County Jail.
Wednesday, March 8
– Tr. Adams was on routine patrol and met a vehicle and knew the operator to be suspended. Tr. Adams stopped the vehicle and summonsed the driver for operating after suspension.
Tuesday, March 7
– Tr. Levesque stopped a vehicle in Caribou for a traffic infraction. During the stop he found that the 25-year-old male driver had a suspended driver’s license and had attached false registration plates to the vehicle. Tr. Levesque issued the man two criminal summonses for the violations and had the vehicle towed.
Monday, March 6
– Tr. Desrosier stopped a vehicle in Fort Kent for having a loud/defective exhaust system. The 34-year-old female driver could not produce a current and valid driver’s license. Tr. Desrosier discovered her license expired in August, 2015. Tr. Desrosier issued the woman a criminal summons for the violation.
– Tr. Kilcollins stopped a vehicle in Monticello for displaying an expired inspection certificate. During the traffic stop Tr. Kilcollins discovered the 20-year-old female driver had a suspended license. Her license was suspended due to physician’s report and/or recommended. Tr. Kilcollins issued the woman a criminal summons for the violation and helped her make arrangements to have a licensed driver come get her vehicle.
Saturday, March 4
– During the week of February 26 through March 4th the State Police began investigating five separate burglaries in Patten. Through the course of the investigations Troopers Saucier, Sylvia and Adams identified multiple suspects. As a result an 18-year-old of Hersey and a 16-year-old juvenile from Patten are facing felony charges of burglary and theft to include firearms. Other people of interest have been interviewed and ruled out, but were able to provide knowledge of the crimes and people involved. Additional suspects have been identified and the investigation is ongoing. Evidence collected at the scenes is still being processed. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Maine State Police in Houlton at 532-5400.
