Maine State Police Briefs From Troop F (April 1 – 17)

Here are some of the incidents investigated by Troop F of the Maine State Police in the first part of April. Summaries are taken from the weekly police logs and may be minimally edited.

Two People Charged With Theft at Abandoned Home in Bancroft

On April 10, Trooper Barnard responded to a Bancroft residence for a report of a suspicious vehicle. A neighbor called to report there was a car parked near an abandoned home and there were people walking around with flashlights. Trooper Barnard located two people and found they had stolen items that were scattered around the property. Trooper Barnard contacted the homeowner and charged the two people with theft.

Saint Francis Woman with Suspended License Stopped for Speeding

On April 11, Trooper Martin stopped a Saint Francis woman for speeding.  Trooper Martin learned the woman’s license was suspended for failure to pay fines and she had a warrant for her arrest for failure to appear.  When Trooper Martin returned to address the suspension, she presented him with her driver’s license.  The woman was summonsed criminally for possession of a suspended license.  She also received traffic citations for operating after suspension and failure to provide proof of liability insurance.  The woman was told to take care of her warrant.

Driver with Two Different License Plates Stopped in Houlton

On April 14, Trooper Castonguay was conducting traffic enforcement and was driving through Houlton. He observed a vehicle displaying a 2017/2018 inspection certificate as well as two different registration plates on the front and rear (one being animal welfare and one being a normal passenger plate).  A traffic stop was initiated and after an investigation it was determined the man fraudulently attached the plates and had a suspended driver’s license.  He was issued a criminal summons for both violations.

Man Arrested After OUI Crash on I-95 in Dyer Brook

On April 14, Trooper Castonguay responded to a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 95 in Dyer Brook. After an investigation, the driver was arrested for OUI and later posted bail. The man was driving south, crossed into the far left lane, striking a guardrail. The man was not injured but his truck sustained disabling damage and was towed from the roadway.

State Police Investigating Criminal Mischief in Littleton

On April 12, Trooper Sylvia began investigating a criminal mischief in the town of Littleton after a resident came to the Barracks reporting damage to his vehicle.  The case remains under investigation.

State Police Recover Stolen Property in Van Buren

On April 13, Trooper Martin received a complaint from a Van Buren man of stolen catalytic converters being located on his newly purchased property. Trooper Martin recovered four catalytic converters and is working with Trooper Desrosier on trying to locate the victims.

Van Buren Woman Operating With Suspended License

On April 13, Trooper Martin received information of a Van Buren woman operating with a suspended license and had two warrants for her arrest.  The woman was last known to be in the Limestone area.  Trooper Martin gave the information to the Limestone Police Department.  Approximately an hour later, Trooper Martin located the vehicle in Limestone.  Trooper Martin stopped the vehicle, and the operator was the woman he received the information on.  The woman was issued a criminal summons for OAS and a traffic citation for failure to display a valid inspection certificate.

Hodgdon Man Arrested on Active Warrant

On April 13, Trooper Cotton was patrolling the Hodgdon Mills Road in Hodgdon when he observed a vehicle being driven by a man he believed had a warrant. Trooper Cotton turned on the car but was not able to catch up to it before losing sight of it. A few moments later, Trooper Cotton observed fresh skid marks on the Hodgdon Mills Road and then observed the same car parked in a driveway of a local residence. Trooper Cotton determined the man he thought was driving the car was currently in jail. Trooper Cotton spoke to the homeowner, who matched the general description of the male driving the car earlier. The man denied driving. Trooper Cotton found the man had an active warrant and placed him under arrest. Trooper Cotton read the man his Miranda rights and he confessed to driving the car and locking up his brakes before pulling in his driveway. The man was able to post bail at the Houlton State Police Barracks and was charged for OAR and VCR and released.

Woman and Mother Warned For Harassing Van Buren Woman

On April 13, a Van Buren woman made a complaint she was being followed around town by another woman and her mother. The pair were driving in front of the victim’s apartment complex and giving her the middle finger.  The daughter and mother were issued harassment warnings and told to stay away from the other party.

Driver Summonsed for Criminal Speed & Dangerous Driving in Bridgewater

On April 15, Corporal Quint was conducting traffic enforcement in Bridgewater when he observed a vehicle driving more than 90 mph in a posted 55 mph zone.  A traffic stop was conducted, and it was found that there were other passengers in the vehicle. The driver stated he was in a hurry to get home. Corporal Quint issued the man a criminal summons for exceeding the posted speed limit by 30 mph or more and a criminal summons for driving to endanger.

Man Cited in Fort Kent for Several Violations

On April 16, Trooper Martin observed a vehicle displaying an expired inspection certificate in Fort Kent.  Trooper Martin stopped the vehicle and spoke with the operator.  The operator said he bought the vehicle from his employer and hadn’t fixed any of the defects or registered it.  The previous owner’s license plates were still on the vehicle.  Trooper Martin conducted a license check on the operator and learned his license was suspended and he was on bail.  The operator was summonsed for violation of conditional release, operating after suspension, and attaching false plates.

Hodgdon Man Charged with Providing Cigarettes to Minor

In March, Trooper Cotton initiated a traffic stop with a 16-year-old boy who was in possession of and actively smoking cigarettes. Trooper Cotton learned that the boy was given the cigarettes by a co-worker at a local farm. On April 16, Trooper Cotton located the 38-year-old Hodgdon man to speak with him. The man initially denied giving the boy cigarettes. After a short interview, the man confessed to giving the 16-year-old cigarettes and told him he knew it was the wrong thing to do. Trooper Cotton charged the man with furnishing tobacco to a minor.

All I Have is This Photograph

On April 17, Corporal Quint was driving through Patten when he observed a vehicle with what appeared to be a fictitious inspection certificate displayed and had a defective exhaust.  A traffic stop was conducted and after an investigation it was found that a photograph of a 2021/2022 inspection sticker was taped to the windshield.  The driver was issued a criminal summons for displaying a fictitious inspection sticker.

Police Search for Suspect in Burglary at Former Loring Air Force Base

On April 17 (Easter Sunday), Trooper Levesque and K-9 Rocco were called to Limestone to assist the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office in clearing a building for a suspect wanted in a burglary.  Deputies had arrested one male who was burglarizing a building on the former Loring Air Force Base and believed that there was another suspect inside the building.  Additional units were called and set up a perimeter around the building. Rocco searched the building that was over 106,000 square feet (2.5 acres) and did not locate the other person.  Evidence was found that led Trooper Levesque to believe that the other party had exited while the Deputies were arresting the first suspect.

Earlier this month. . .

Arrest of Driver in Fort Kent Leads to Four More Suspects in a Theft Investigation

On April 4, Trooper Martin was conducting traffic enforcement when he stopped a vehicle for speeding.  Trooper Martin recognized the male driver and knew he had warrants for theft by unauthorized taking or transfer (Class C) and aggravated criminal mischief (Class C) from a case Trooper Martin investigated.  The operator was arrested and transported to the Fort Kent Police Department.  The offender met with ACCCP as part of his bail conditions.  In the days following, Trooper Martin summonsed two juveniles for theft by unauthorized taking or transfer (Class C), an adult male for receiving stolen property (Class E) and another adult male for theft by unauthorized taking or transfer (Class E) as part of the same investigation.

Vehicle Stolen in Van Buren Driven Out-of-State

On April 5, Trooper Martin received a complaint for a stolen vehicle in Van Buren.  The offender had left Maine and his last known location was somewhere in North Carolina.  Trooper Martin learned the vehicle had been in the possession of the offender since October 2021.  The complainant offered to sell the vehicle to the offender rather than reporting it stolen.  The offender was still using the registration plates belonging to the complainant and collecting unpaid toll fines in several states.  Trooper Martin asked that the license plate be entered into NCIC and will seek an arrest warrant for the offender.

Tractor-Trailer with Canadian Plates Causes Property Damage in Van Buren

On April 7, Trooper Curtin received a criminal mischief complaint in Van Buren.  A tractor trailer truck from Canada had driven over road signs, private lawns as well as damaged the town wastewater area while trying to navigate side streets.  The truck went back into Canada before it could be intercepted.  Trooper Curtin will be following up with Customs for more information and the investigation is ongoing.

Smyrna Man Arrested For Driving 95 MPH Through Amish Community

On March 30, Trooper Saucier was monitoring traffic in Amish Community in Smyrna when he stopped a vehicle traveling 95 MPH in the posted 50 MPH zone.  As a result of the stop, Trooper Saucier arrested the male operator for OUI after he failed field sobriety.  The Smyrna man was transported to East Millinocket PD where he was processed for OUI.  Trooper Saucier also charged the man with Criminal Speed.

Troop F is responsible for Maine State Police coverage for all of Aroostook County and the northern parts of Penobscot, Piscataquis and Somerset Counties. The Commanding Officer is Lt. Brian L. Harris.