LEWISTON — An 18-year-old Fairfield man was arrested early Saturday morning and charged with robbing a Main Street gas station and mini-mart.

Police charged Isaac Howard Sterling with Class B robbery and theft, Lt. David St. Pierre said. According to state law, Class B robbery is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The robbery occurred at the Irving Mainway at 674 Main St. at 1 a.m.

He was taken to Androscoggin County Jail, where he was held through the weekend and Monday in lieu of $15,000 cash bail.

He is likely to have his first court appearance Wednesday at 8th District Court.

Because the charges are felonies, he won’t enter a plea unless an Androscoggin County grand jury hands up an indictment on those charges.

This story will be updated.

A 71-year-old Camden man who led police on a chase and nearly hit a police officer with his vehicle has been struggling with brain cancer that likely contributed to the events, his family has said.

James Thomas was issued a summons Saturday and taken to a hospital for evaluation after leading police on a chase that ended in Blue Hill.

Thomas is well-known in the community, having served on the Pathways Committee and working as a social worker at the Maine State Prison.

During the chase, the car nearly struck a Belfast police officer. A Searsport police officer fired several rounds from his duty weapon at the tires of Thomas’ vehicle, disabling it, and police were able to get Thomas out of the vehicle.

Thomas was issued summonses for felony eluding an officer and misdemeanor reckless conduct, according to a news release from the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident began at about 8 a.m. when the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office was notified that Knox County law enforcement personnel were searching for Thomas, who was believed to be experiencing a severe medical issue. A vehicle description was provided and deputies were told that a family member claimed Thomas was making irrational and threatening comments before driving away.

At 8:12 a.m., a Waldo County deputy located Thomas traveling north on Route 1 in Northport and tried to stop the vehicle. Thomas refused to stop and continued north on Route 1 into Belfast. Officers from the Belfast Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office were able to momentarily stop the vehicle on two occasions, but each time the driver made reckless maneuvers to evade the officers. In the second incident, the vehicle nearly struck a Belfast police officer.

The pursuit continued to Searsport, where a Searsport officer unsuccessfully attempted to deploy a tire deflation device. The pursuit continued into Hancock County, where a second tire deflation device was successfully deployed on the vehicle by Bucksport Police, but Thomas continued to drive the vehicle with a flat tire.

The pursuit continued into Blue Hill, where the Maine State Police assumed the primary pursuit vehicle role.

Law enforcement personnel were able to get the vehicle stopped momentarily in Blue Hill, but Thomas again attempted to elude officers. That is when the Searsport officer fired to disable the vehicle.

Thomas was diagnosed last summer with brain cancer and had surgery to remove a tumor, according to his daughter, Maria Thomas. She said that while the disease has affected his mental state, there was no way the family could have predicted this incident. She said she has learned since the incident from his doctor that the disease affects the part of his brain responsible for flight or fight. He was under doctor’s orders not to drive, which he had been following up until this incident, she said.

He worked at the Maine State Prison as a social worker for 15 years, and prior to that, worked as a private practice social worker.

PRESQUE ISLE – Maine State Police are describing the death of a man in Presque Isle as suspicious.

Police were called to the home, where the man’s body was discovered, on Sunday afternoon. Police say detectives were collecting evidence from the home and planned to remove the body on Monday.

The state medical examiner’s office will perform an autopsy.

Investigators are encouraging anyone with information about the case to contact the state police barracks in Houlton or to visit the Presque Isle Police Department.

Thomas Bard, who owned the Zapoteca restaurant in Portland with his wife, Shannon Bard, pleaded guilty Monday in Cumberland County Superior Court to a misdemeanor charge of negotiating a worthless instrument.

A former Portland restaurateur who was accused of writing bad checks pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge Monday.

Shannon Bard

The hearing marked the end of the criminal case against Thomas Bard, who once owned Zapoteca on Fore Street with his wife, well-known Maine chef Shannon Bard. She was also charged, but court documents show her case is likely to be dismissed this fall.

A Cumberland County grand jury indicted the pair in March. Thomas Bard was charged with writing 21 bad checks worth $10,376 between March and June 2017. Shannon Bard, who appeared on Food Network shows and wrote cookbooks, was charged with writing $8,882 in bad checks during the same time. All of the checks were written to Bow Street Distributing, a Freeport company that sells liquor to restaurants and operates retail stores.

The original charges were felonies, but Thomas Bard pleaded guilty Monday to a misdemeanor count of negotiating a worthless instrument. He spoke only to answer the judge during the brief hearing at the Cumberland County Courthouse in Portland. When it ended, he shook his attorney’s hand and quickly left the courthouse alone.

Just before the hearing Monday, Thomas Bard paid more than $10,500 in restitution, which included bank fees Bow Street incurred when the checks bounced. He will also pay a $1,000 fine, and he served 48 hours in jail this month. He and his attorney, Randall Bates, agreed to a bail revocation that would have him serve his sentence before the plea hearing to avoid any effect on his employment in Massachusetts.

Both Thomas Bard and his lawyer declined to comment Monday. Messages left at Bow Street Distributing and Bow Street Market in Freeport were not returned Monday.

Shannon Bard was not at Monday’s hearing. Court documents show she will not have to pay restitution. Her charges will remain on file for three months, and if she does nothing wrong during that time, they will be dismissed. She also will pay court costs of $200 and perform 15 hours of community service.

Stephen Schwartz, her attorney, said she “did nothing wrong.”

“The record speaks for itself,” Schwartz said. “Shannon Bard did not plead guilty to anything, and her case is being dismissed.”

Shannon Bard had made a name for herself on chef competition shows, and she hosted a dinner at the James Beard House in New York City, a high honor.

But the Bards closed Zapoteca abruptly in June, saying they wanted to spend more time with their family. Soon thereafter, they also closed their restaurant in Kennebunk, called Toroso. But the couple and their business were facing at least a dozen lawsuits from former vendors and employees who claimed they were owed thousands of dollars in unpaid bills. It is not clear whether all of those cases have been resolved.

Staff Writer Edward D. Murphy contributed to this report.

Megan Doyle can be contacted at 791-6327 or at:

mdoyle@pressherald.com

Twitter: megan_e_doyle

FARMINGTON — A Wilton woman told a state fire investigator that she set trash on fire on a bed at her boyfriend’s house at 732 Industry Road on Aug. 6, according to an affidavit filed with a court.

Angie E. Clark, 38, and her boyfriend, Robert Nadeau, 47, of Farmington, had an argument before he left the house to spend the night with friends Aug. 6, according to state investigator Jeremy Damren’s affidavit.

Damren interviewed Clark on Aug. 7. She said she started the fire and gave him a lighter that was used to start it, according to the document.

Damren wrote that he took Clark to a Farmington hospital for an evaluation.

She was arrested after her release Friday on felony charges of arson and aggravated criminal mischief. A conviction on the arson charge is punishable by up to 30 years in prison; a conviction for aggravated criminal mischief carries a penalty of up to five years in prison.

Clark appeared before Judge Tammy Ham-Thompson on Monday via a tele-video conference from the Franklin County Detention Center to a Farmington court.

Defense attorney Heidi Pushard and state Assistant District Attorney Kayla Palestini agreed to personal recognizance with a supervised release agreement. She is forbidden to have contact with Nadeau and a witness.

Pushard said Clark has no criminal record.

Ham-Thompson appointed attorney Jeffrey Wilson in South Paris to represent Clark.

According to Damren’s affidavit, Nadeau received a text from a person who was staying in a camper on the property before the fire that notified him Clark had left the house, according to Damren’s affidavit. The person texted Nadeau again that she was back and left again. A few minutes later the person notified Nadeau his house was on fire.

The last text message Nadeau received from Clark on Aug. 6 was at 9:28 p.m. It read, ‘You are going to have nothing just like me,’ according to Damren.

The fire was reported 2 minutes later.

Nadeau told Damren that he owns the house with his mother, Pamela Love. Farmington tax records has Love owning the property, which is valued at $34,000 for both land and building.

There was no insurance on the property, Farmington Fire Rescue Chief Terry Bell said previously.

dperry@sunjournal.com

BANGOR — A defense lawyer says a Connecticut man was acting in self-defense when a man was shot to death in Bangor in April 2017.

Antoinne “Prince” Bethea of New Haven, whose trial began Monday, is charged with murder in the death of a New Orleans man, Terrance Durel Sr., who was shot outside a home that Bethea shared with Durel’s estranged girlfriend.

The Bangor Daily News reported that Assistant Attorney Donald Macomber told jurors Monday that Bethea didn’t summon help but instead shaved his dreadlocks, ditched the gun and fled the state.

Defense attorney Hunter Tzovarras said Bethea was defending himself and his girlfriend. He said Bethea fled because he panicked.

Last week, Bethea rejected a deal calling for him to plead guilty to manslaughter. The trial is expected to last two weeks.

Westbrook police say the motor vehicle that struck a minivan head-on before its driver fled Friday night has been located.

Though the vehicle is being processed for evidence, no one had been charged as of Monday night, according to police.

A brief statement posted Monday on the Westbrook Police Department’s Facebook page said the vehicle was found by Windham police.

“Also, we can report that the victim is Okay and she was treated at the scene. She did not need to go to the hospital,” the Facebook post said.

Westbrook police Capt. Sean Lally said in a separate email that Windham police located the vehicle, which was missing a grille, on Sunday evening after it became disabled along a road. Lally said a tire had fallen off the vehicle.

“The owner gave a statement and we’re still investigating,” Lally said. “There haven’t been any charges filed to date.”

Police did not say Monday what type of vehicle it is.

Westbrook police had called on the public for its help in locating the vehicle, described by witnesses as a blue SUV or pickup truck that suffered extensive damage to its front end. The license plate may have included the letters MEP or WEP.

The vehicle collided head-on with a minivan at the intersection of Main and Bridge streets around 11:25 p.m. Friday before heading in the direction of Portland.

No other details concerning the driver or owner of the vehicle were released Monday night.

A New Hampshire man has been accused by Maine forest rangers of dumping a large load of trash on a camp road in Fryeburg last week.

Forest Ranger Erik Ahlquist tweeted Monday that the man, whose name was not made public, was issued a summons and will appear in October in Bridgton District Court.

Ahlquist said the mess on Clay Road has been cleaned up, but the original photograph of the dump pile stirred up strong emotions. He posted before-and-after photographs on Twitter and Facebook.

In the Maine Forest Rangers’ original post, one commenter wrote, “When we find the culprit we should make them pick up the trash and put it in their bedroom.”

A man who was wanted on several warrants, including one for fleeing from the Maine State Police, was shot and killed by police officers in Rochester, New Hampshire, on Monday.

News Center Maine (WCSH/WLBZ TV) reported that New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald confirmed that Douglas Heath, 38, was killed in a police shootout around 3:15 p.m. at the intersection of Oak Street and Route 125 in Rochester.

The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office said Heath was wanted on several outstanding arrest warrants, including one for trafficking narcotics and one for fleeing from Maine State Police.

Contacted Monday night, Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety, said he was unaware of the case involving Heath and Maine State Police.

News Center Maine said Rochester police obtained “credible information” earlier this month that Heath had been living in Rochester and had three firearms. Information given to police indicated that Heath had no intention of going to jail.

On Monday, Heath was pursued by officers before crashing his vehicle. He got out of the passenger side of the vehicle and exchanged gunfire with officers before he was fatally shot. The Attorney General’s Office said a gun was found near Heath’s body.

FARMINGTON — A convicted felon from Carthage is accused of terrorizing people with a handgun after an argument at a social gathering Friday afternoon in Wilton.

Wilton police arrested Michael C. Ringer, 49, on Saturday morning at his residence on Coyote Lane. He was charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and threatening with a dangerous weapon. He was also placed on a probation hold.

On Monday, state prosecutors changed the threatening charge to felony terrorizing with a dangerous weapon.

Franklin County dispatchers received a complaint Friday afternoon that Ringer was brandishing a firearm at a social gathering and threatening people at a Route 133 residence, Wilton Police Chief Heidi Wilcox wrote in an email.

A witness told police that she, Ringer and some friends had been drinking at her residence all day, according to Wilton officer Efra Becerra’s affidavit filed with the court. There was a verbal argument between Ringer and two other people, the witness told police, according to the court document.

The witness and some friends were standing behind some trucks at the residence and a witness saw Ringer point a gun toward people at the house, Becerra wrote.

Another witness told police there was a “big verbal fight” and Ringer pointed a .38-caliber handgun at people and she pushed Ringer’s hand to get him to stop. The witness said “Michael told her that if he went to jail, he could ‘put someone way down under, where no one would find them,’” according to the affidavit.

He left the residence on foot before police arrived.

Ringer’s probation officer authorized a search for alcohol at Ringer’s residence in Carthage because he is barred from having it. Police found several empty alcohol containers and two unopened ones, according to Becerra’s affidavit.

Ringer appeared Monday before a Franklin County judge via tele-video conference from the Franklin County jail. His bail was set at $25,000 cash. Judge Tammy Ham-Thompson appointed attorney Thomas J. Carey of Farmington to represent him.

A conviction on the charges is punishable by up to five years in prison.

IN AUGUSTA, Monday at 7:29 a.m., a North Street caller reported criminal mischief.

7:52 a.m, a Leighton Road caller reported criminal mischief.

8:47 a.m., a Bond Brook Road caller reported a disturbance/disorderly conduct.

8:55 a.m., a Riverside Drive caller reported a burglary.

12:54 p.m., one person was taken to MaineGeneral Medical Center following a report of a motor vehicle accident from a Civic Center Drive caller.

2:14 p.m., a Green Street caller reported criminal mischief.

3:18 p.m., an unnamed person was arrested following a motor vehicle stop at State and Hichborn streets.

4:22 p.m., a caller from Winthrop Street reported a sex offense/gross sexual assault.

9:03 p.m., a Capitol Street caller reported a violation of conditions of release.

9:16 p.m., a Bangor Street caller reported a disturbance/disorderly conduct.

10:25 p.m., a caller from Capitol and Sewall streets reported an assault.

Tuesday at 7:41 a.m., a Stone Street caller reported a counterfeiting incident.

8:16 a.m., one person was taken to the hospital following a report of an attempted suicide made by a Winthrop Street caller.

IN GARDINER, Monday at 5:54 p.m., a Main Avenue caller reported criminal mischief.

IN HALLOWELL, Monday at 2:38 p.m., a North Street caller reported recovered property.

4:34 p.m., a Water Street caller reported an assault.

IN RANDOLPH, Tueday at 12:06 a.m., a Windsor Street caller reported her wallet was stolen.

IN WINTHROP, Monday at 5:34 p.m., a Pondview Road caller reported an animal problem.

ARRESTS

IN AUGUSTA, Monday at 10:13 a.m., Rena Rhannon Whitney, 32, of Augusta, was arrested on a warrant at Medical Center Parkway.

5:42 p.m., Joshua Waldeck, 32, of Augusta was arrested on Bangor Street on two warrants from Kennebec County following a report of suspicious activity.

9:50 p.m., Michael Smith, 40, of Augusta, was arrested on a charge of domestic violence assault following a report of a domestic disturbance made by a Franklin Street caller.

SKOWHEGAN — The men and women who approached Superior Court Justice Robert Mullen’s bench Tuesday cited all sorts of reasons for why they had not shown up for jury duty.

They were sick, had no transportation, were required to be at their jobs — or never received a letter informing them they were chosen.

Mullen had called the dozen or so residents to Somerset County Superior Court Tuesday morning, not to threaten or berate them, he said, but to find out why they did not show or let the court know why. He was cordial, thanked them for coming and said he appreciated their input.

He also did not reveal their names and instead called them by number, explaining beforehand how critical it is for people to serve as jurors, that it is an obligation and that they need to be part of the system to make a difference. Justice, he said, depends on the quality of the jurors who serve.

“If jury duty was not mandatory, I’m very concerned if we have enough jurors at all,” he said.

Some of those who showed up Tuesday had not responded to more than one request to appear for jury duty.

When Mullen called “number 28” to the podium, an older man whose head was wrapped in gauze bandages approached. Mullen asked why he had not come to court the first time he was called for jury duty. The man later identified himself to the Morning Sentinel as Urban Clukey of Cambridge.

“I had no way to get to the court,” Clukey told Mullen. “This month, I have health issues. I have cancer.”

Mullen said he was sorry to hear that and inquired about a doctor’s letter.

“If I had gotten that information, I wouldn’t have sent you a letter and we wouldn’t be talking here today,” Mullen said.

Clukey said he had been waiting for a letter from the court telling him he had been excused from jury duty. Mullen asked him to check with the court clerk to make sure she had Clukey’s address, told him he would get a letter in November when jurors are requested again and if Clukey still did not feel well, the court would work with him.

“Let us know, and we’ll excuse you,” he said.

Mullen, the state’s deputy chief justice, said recently that the prevalence of no-show jurors threatens the court’s ability to hold trials and get verdicts. Those who do not show up potentially face fines or jail time if they ignore follow-up calls to report to the courthouse.

The law includes a stipulation that if people who do not show for jury duty are found in contempt, they could face a fine of up to $100 and up to three days imprisonment, or both.

The problem with no-shows is not specific to Somerset County, according to Elaine Clark, communications director for the Maine Judicial Branch of state government, who said last week that other regions struggle with the issue. The courts, she said, are flexible with potential jurors and schedules, but they must not ignore notices and must get in touch with the court if they have issues.

Taylor Hall, 20, of Pittsfield, said she does not have a vehicle or a way to get to the court. Mullen said he empathizes with her transportation issues, but the flip side is if everyone said they couldn’t get to court, there would be no jurors.

He asked if her situation would be better in November and said all judges are willing to work with potential jurors and if she was to be a juror on one trial, he would be more than happy to excuse her from the first request. The chances are good she would not get chosen if the pool of jurors is adequate, according to Mullen.

“I’d like to work with you if I could, but I’d also like a representative jury pool,” he said.

Jurors get paid $15 a day and 44 cents a mile, a cost Taylor said afterward, outside the courthouse, presents a problem for her as she doesn’t own a vehicle and must pay someone to drive her to court if she is placed on a jury.

“I know it’s $15 a day but a full day of work and $15 a day — it’s difficult, it’s hard,” she said.

Hall said she understood what Mullen was saying about the importance and need for people to serve on a jury. She had sent the court a letter saying she couldn’t make it for jury selection but did not hear back, so she did not show up and then received a letter requiring her to appear Tuesday.

“I was very nervous,” she said. “I was like, this was not my fault. It’d be different if I owned a vehicle.”

Hall said she wouldn’t mind serving on a jury and felt better after talking with Mullen.

“He’s really nice. He seemed very understanding.”

A middle-aged woman said she had dental issues when she was called in 2015, but did not receive the latest request for jury duty and only knew about Tuesday’s session when she got a letter from the court telling her to show up.

“I am at a loss as to why that is,” Mullen said of why she would not have received a letter for jury duty.

The woman said she would have appeared, had she received it.

“I would have been there,” she said.

Mullen asked about whether there would be a problem for her at the upcoming November jury selection.

“I work for the school district and I am the only cook,” she said. “It all depends if I get a sub or not.”

She said summer is not a problem, as school is not in session. Like with the others, Mullen asked her to make sure the court has her correct address and they would “see how it goes in November.”

A middle-aged man said he owns two businesses and doesn’t have the luxury of having much time off.

“I will do whatever is possible to try to limit your exposure, but again, if I excuse everyone who is a sole practitioner or owns a business, we wouldn’t have anybody,” Mullen said.

Earlier, he cited eight reasons the National Judicial College lists for why jury trials are important, including that the American jury trial is a constitutional right and a vital part of the American system of checks and balances, the founding fathers included trials in the U.S. Constitution because they prevent tyranny, trial by jury is a unique part of America’s democracy and they provide an opportunity for people to take part in governing.

Also, jury trials educate jurors about the justice system, provide a method for peaceful dispute resolution and offer the voice of the people to the civil and criminal justice systems, Mullen said.

Amy Calder — 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @AmyCalder17

A man killed in a shootout with police in Rochester, New Hampshire, on Monday had led Maine police on a brief chase in York County in June, authorities said.

Officers tried to stop Douglas Heath, 38, in Sanford on June 11 because they knew he was wanted in New Hampshire on a drug charge, Maine State Police said.

But instead of stopping, Heath fled in his vehicle, leading police on chase that lasted a couple of miles on Route 202. The pursuit ended in Lebanon when officers stopped chasing him to minimize the risk to the public, and because they knew the identity of the driver, police said.

Later that day, police tracked the car to a home on Second Street in Lebanon where Heath was living at the time. Officers later learned that Heath fled Lebanon on foot and was likely picked up by a vehicle and left the area.

Heath, 38, was killed in a police shootout around 3:15 p.m. Monday at the intersection of Oak Street and Route 125 in Rochester.

News Center Maine (WCSH/WLBZ) said Rochester police obtained “credible information” earlier this month that Heath had been living in Rochester and had three firearms. Information given to police indicated that Heath had no intention of going to jail.

On Monday, Heath was pursued by officers for about 20 minutes before crashing his vehicle. He got out of the passenger side of the vehicle and exchanged gunfire with officers before he was fatally shot. The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office said a gun was found near Heath’s body.

Deborah Haynes-Whitehead told WMUR-TV that she and her husband were in their truck and first thought they were witnessing a car crash. But then she saw a man with a gun getting out of the car. She said police told him to drop the gun but he didn’t, and shots were fired, The Associated Press reported.

“I was thinking about my grandson and whether I’d see him again,” Haynes-Whitehead said. “And we slouched down in the truck and just sat and waited for someone to tell us to do something. You know, we were terrified to move the vehicle.”

New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon MacDonald said two Rochester police officers and two state troopers were on the scene at the time of the shooting. It wasn’t clear who fired their weapons, or who fired first, the AP reported. All four are on administrative leave.

IN BENTON, Monday at 2:33 p.m., a disturbance was reported on Kennebec Drive.

IN CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Monday at 10:17 a.m., a burglary was reported on Hardwood Ridge Road.

IN CLINTON, Monday at 3:31 p.m., harassment was reported, location listed as unknown.

IN CORNVILLE, Monday at 3:10 p.m., a disturbance was reported on Spurwink Lane.

IN FAIRFIELD, Monday at 11:33 a.m., vandalism was reported on Norridgewock Road.

2:27 p.m., a case involving forgery, larceny or fraud was reported on Winter Street.

5:47 p.m., harassment was reported on Burrill Street.

8:34 p.m., a caller from Main Street reported hearing shots fired.

Tuesday at 8:43 a.m., harassment was reported on Main Street.

IN FARMINGTON, Monday at 6:33 a.m., a fire and a fallen power line were reported on Church Street.

7:21 a.m., vandalism and criminal mischief were reported on Lincoln Street at the University of Maine of Farmington.

3:33 p.m., a domestic disturbance was reported on Sawtelle Lane.

7:18 p.m., a person from Farmington Falls Road reported a person was missing.

Tuesday at 8:20 a.m., vandalism and criminal mischief were reported on Whittier Road.

IN JACKMAN, Monday at 10:01 a.m., a case involving forgery, larceny or fraud was reported on Main Street.

12:57 p.m., a disturbance was reported on Marston (West) Road.

IN MADISON, Monday at 10:42 a.m., a case involving forgery, larceny or fraud was reported on Thurston Hill Road.

9:32 p.m., an intoxicated person was reported on Park Street.

9:50 p.m., a disturbance was reported on Park Street.

IN NORRIDGEWOCK, Monday at 9:41 a.m., vandalism was reported on Burrill Hill Road.

IN OAKLAND, Monday at 11:25 a.m., a caller from Buddies Groceries on Main Street reported receiving bad checks.

12:22 p.m., threatening was reported on Sawtelle Road.

1:51 p.m., a domestic dispute was reported on Northwest Road.

6:48 p.m., a domestic dispute was reported on Belgrade Road.

IN PALMYRA, Monday at 4:30 p.m., threatening was reported on Main Street.

6:04 p.m., trespassing was reported on Camp Road.

IN PITTSFIELD, Monday at 12:19 p.m., a theft was reported on Somerset Avenue.

12:47 p.m., a domestic disturbance was reported on Hamilton Terrace.

5:17 p.m., a scam was reported on Madawaska Avenue.

7:32 p.m., a disturbance was reported on North Main Street.

Tuesday at 10:47 a.m., a disturbance was reported on Detroit Street.

IN SKOWHEGAN, Monday at 10:30 a.m., a burglary was reported on North Avenue.

12:05 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported on Lynn’s Way.

1:34 p.m., a theft was reported on Jewell Court.

7:38 p.m., a disturbance was reported on East Dyer Street.

Tuesday at 1:59 a.m., loud noise was reported on Family Circle.

7:07 a.m., trespassing was reported on Waterville Road.

IN SMITHFIELD, Monday at 3:29 p.m., a scam was reported on Elm Acres Lane.

IN WATERVILLE, Monday at 9:02 a.m., a drug offense was reported at the Budget Host Inn on Kennedy Memorial Drive.

9:23 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported on Roosevelt Avenue.

9:24 a.m., a case involving forgery or fraud was reported at Mainely Brews on Main Street.

11:31 a.m., criminal mischief was reported on Gold Street.

12:52 p.m., criminal trespassing was reported at Pet Quarters on Main Street.

1:39 p.m., criminal trespassing was reported at Best Western Plus Waterville Grand Hotel on Main Street.

2:11 p.m., noise was reported on Western Avenue.

2:19 p.m., a shoplifter was reported at Walmart on Waterville Commons Drive.

3:24 p.m., juvenile offenses were reported at Ron’s Variety Store on Summer Street.

7 p.m., a domestic dispute was reported on Elm Street.

7:25 p.m., a burglary was reported on Crawford Street.

11:15 p.m., an intoxicated person was reported on North Street.

Tuesday at 1:13 a.m., a caller from Inland Hospital reported a case involving sex offenses.

2:50 a.m., criminal trespassing was reported at The Big Apple store on Elm Street.

IN WINSLOW, Monday at 1:40 p.m., a burglary was reported on Bellevue Street.

4:09 p.m., a theft was reported on Victor Terrace.

5:24 p.m., a person went to the Police Department to report a theft, location not listed.

ARRESTS

IN FRANKLIN COUNTY, Monday at 6 p.m., Chad Michael Dunham, 32, of Wilton, was arrested and charged with operating while license suspended or revoked and operating under the influence.

1:55 p.m., Joshua Harley Rinaldi, 37, of Livermore Falls, was arrested on a warrant.

IN SOMERSET COUNTY, Monday at 12:37 a.m., Cherie Landry, 42, of Madison, was arrested and charged with violating condition of release and disorderly conduct, offensive words, gestures.

3 p.m., James Barrington Danskin, 40, of Skowhegan, was arrested on two warrants.

6:54 p.m., Farah L. Paradise, 48, of Scarborough, was arrested and charged with theft by unauthorized taking or transfer, burglary and permitting unlawful use.

10:16 p.m., Michaela E. Higgins, 21, of Madison, was arrested and charged with violating condition of release.

11:41 p.m., Tyler A. Lunt, 23, of Madison, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, loud unreasonable noise and refusing to submit to arrest or detention.

Tuesday at 6:39 a.m., Beau R. McCormick, 37, transient, was arrested on a probation revocation.

8:20 a.m., Ashleigh E. Richmond, 27, of Pittsfield, was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of fentanyl powder and criminal forfeiture of property.

IN WATERVILLE, Monday at 12:30 p.m., Nicholas Lombardo, 63, of Depew, New York, was arrested and charged with aggravated trafficking in drugs and unlawful possession of drugs.

6:58 p.m., William Cyrus, 34, of South China, was arrested and charged with violation of conditions of release.

6:58 p.m., Kristina Genica, 21, of Waterville, was arrested and charged with obstructing government administration, obstructing a public way and violating conditions of release.

10:50 p.m., Timothy Hogan, 40, of Vassalboro, was arrested on two warrants.

11:42 p.m., Robert Karns, 42, of Waterville, was arrested and charged with OUI.

Tuesday at 12:54 a.m., Edward Randis, 50, of Bethany, Connecticut, was arrested and charged with OUI.

1:15 a.m., Warren L. Parker, 46, of Cedar City, Utah, was arrested and charged with OUI.

AUGUSTA — More than a dozen people arrested on Blaine House grounds in May during the Poor People’s Campaign were in court Tuesday to hear that their criminal trespass cases could go to trial in November.

One of the group, Sharon Sandstrum, 59, of New Harbor, opted to change her plea from not guilty to no contest, and was convicted automatically by Judge Eric Walker. Sandstrum was fined $100 for the offense, the penalty jointly recommended by the defense and the state.

Several others among the May 14 arrestees — the numbers vary from the 18 reported in the news to 22 as calculated by the campaign coordinators — were convicted previously, but the majority remained united in their desire to go to trial.

They discussed those plans outside the Capital Judicial Center after the court hearing. All remain free on personal recognizance bail.

They were part of a national anti-poverty demonstration, and police said the demonstrators were arrested when they refused to leave the grounds of the Blaine House after they were ordered to do so.

The Poor People’s Campaign sponsored events in May in more than 40 state capitals across the country as well as the District of Columbia. The organization bills itself as a “national call for moral revival,” formed, according to information on its website, to challenge systemic racism, poverty, the war economy, ecological devastation and the nation’s distorted morality.

After Tuesday’s hearing, attorney Logan Perkins, one of three lawyers representing the remaining defendants, said the demonstrators at the Blaine House, the residence of Maine’s governor, were charged initially with unlawful assembly; but when the formal complaints were filed, the charge was criminal trespass.

Perkins said she expected the state to join the cases for trial, but it appears that they will be handled individually.

“The state is interested in dividing everyone and separating everyone,” Perkins said, adding that it will cost more money to do that.

“We have decided we will request joinder,” she said, in keeping with a Poor People’s Campaign theme that “we’re stronger united.”

Defendants Jodi C. Hayashida, 43, of Auburn, and Heather L. Zimmerman, 33, of Portland, spoke on behalf of the 15 remaining defendants.

“We were bringing voice to the 70,000 people who have yet to receive access to health care, even though people have voted repeatedly for it,” Hayashida said. “The rally and witness on May 14 was the kickoff to 40 days of action. It is the first step in what we envision as a yearlong campaign to build strength through coming together and honestly addressing the four entwined evils: system racism, systemic poverty, militarism and the war economy and ecological devastation.”

She said they will continue to fight the charge.

“We believe and know we are not guilty of what we have been charged with,” Hayashida said.

“We feel it’s important for the public to know what’s going on,” added Zimmerman, who said the demonstrators want access to health care, as well as Medicaid expansion in Maine.

The remaining defendants include nine religious leaders, said the Rev. Carie Johnsen, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Augusta. Both she and Marty Soule, of Peaceful Heart Sangha, are from Augusta.

After paying the fine and surcharges, a total of $114, Sandstrum stood outside the Capital Judicial Center with the others as they others discussed their plans to move forward with the case.

Sandstrum changed her plea, she said “because I’m very ill with cancer and it wasn’t certain if I would be able to make the court dates.”

She said she is dealing with metastatic thyroid cancer.

“That’s why access to health care is so important,” Sandstrum said.

She said she is concerned about permitting insurers to deny coverage to people with pre-existing, chronic conditions such as hers.

“I feel fortunate that I have insurance,” Sandstrum said. “I think health care is a basic human right.”

She is a practicing Universalist Unitarian and said her faith calls her to take part in this movement.

“We believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every single person,” said Sandstrum. “That means access to basics: food, shelter, safety and health care.”

Zackary E. Ringelstein, the Democratic candidate challenging independent U.S. Sen. Angus King for his seat, was one of those arrested May 14 at the Blaine House.

However, Ringelstein was not among the defendants at the courthouse on Tuesday. Perkins said, “no comment” when asked whether he had been present.

Sandstrum’s fine was similar to that paid by some people arrested on Blaine House grounds, again on criminal trespass charges, in November 2011 during an Occupy Augusta rally.

Betty Adams — 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @betadams

BRUNSWICK — The Brunswick Police Department seized three goats on Monday from the River Road residence where they seized 44 dogs and a bird on Aug. 10 after executing a search warrant.

Police have issues summonses to Robert and Nancy Enman of 1024 River Road, charging them with the Class D misdemeanors of cruelty to animals, failing to give animal humanely clean conditions, failing to give animal proper indoor shelter, failing to give animal necessary medical attention and failing to give animal necessary sustenance.

Brunswick Police Cmdr. Mark Waltz said Tuesday that the investigating officer, Kerry Wolongevicz, located Robert and Nancy Enman at the home cleaning Monday and summonsed them both for the same set of charges. The Enmans are scheduled to appear in West Bath District Court Nov. 6.

Waltz said Wolongevicz had concerns about three goats at the property after she allegedly found them without food and water while visiting them over the weekend. She filed for an order of animal possession in West Bath District Court, which was granted by a judge.

Waltz said Brunswick police and a Maine humane agent seized the goats Monday afternoon and the agent transported the animals to a state facility.

dmoore@timesrecord.com

An Aroostook County man pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Bangor to falsifying paperwork to obtain two AR-15 style weapons for individuals who tried to smuggle them into Canada.

Richard R. Hemingway, 22, of Ludlow pleaded guilty to providing false information to a federal firearms licensee and filling out a false firearms transaction record, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank said in a statement.

Ludlow is a small town near Houlton and the Maine border with New Brunswick.

Hemingway told federal investigators that he committed the crime in exchange for receiving drugs, namely Oxycontin pills.

Hemingway, who was indicted on the charges in June, could face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for making false statements to a federal firearms licensee. He will be sentenced following the completion of a pre-sentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

Hemingway went into Maine Military Supply in Holden, near Brewer, and purchased two AR-15 style rifles on Oct. 4, 2017, federal court records show.

At the time of the purchase, Hemingway falsely reported that he was buying the weapons for himself when in fact he was buying the guns for two other people.

Court records show that those individuals – a man and a woman – were apprehended at the Woodstock, New Brunswick, Port of Entry, also on Oct. 4, as they tried to smuggle the rifles – with high-capacity drum magazines, as well as ammunition and other firearms accessories – into Canada. The two were not fully identified in federal court documents.

Authorities said the weaponry was concealed in the bed of the individuals’ pickup truck. Each rifle was stored in a box and one of the boxes contained a receipt showing that the rifles were purchased by Hemingway at Maine Military Supply. Video footage from the store confirmed that Hemingway made the purchase. The Maine Military Supply website bills the store as Maine’s largest military and outdoor store.

An affidavit filed in court by Kostas Papadopoulos, an agent with Homeland Security Investigations, describes the firearms as a Windham Weaponry .300 Blackout Caliber AR-15-style rifle and a Sig Sauer .300 caliber AR-15-style rifle.

Hemingway told federal agents that he initially agreed to be paid $800 in exchange for his services, but later changed his mind, instead agreeing to accept 80 mg Oxycontin pills – valued at $800 – in exchange for purchasing the guns.

Frank said that the case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing violent crime and making neighborhoods safe.

Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:

dhoey@pressherald.com

The Coast Guard is offering a cash reward for information about the theft of bells from navigational buoys off the Maine coast.

Bells have been stolen from nine buoys in Penobscot Bay in the past nine months, according to the Coast Guard. The most recent theft was a 371-pound bell assembly taken from the White Bull Lighted Gong Buoy about two miles east of Bailey Island. That missing bell was reported by a mariner.

The Coast Guard says the bells on buoys “play a vital role in the safe passage of ships and mariners” by helping them navigate during times of reduced visibility.

Tampering with aids to navigation is a federal offense and can lead to up to one year in prison or fines of up to $25,000 per day.

Anyone with information about the missing sound signaling devices is asked to call the Coast Guard Sector Northern New England command center at 207-767-0303. People who provide information that leads to an arrest and conviction are eligible to receive a reward of up to half of the fine imposed.

IN AUGUSTA, on Tuesday at 6:42 a.m., a Riverside Drive caller issued an animal complaint.

At 7:41 a.m., police investigated a reported counterfeiting incident on Stone Street.

At 9:43 a.m., a caller near Winthrop Street and State Street reported traffic complaints.

At 10:32 a.m., a simple assault was investigated on Water Street.

At 10:51 a.m., a Sewall Street caller reported criminal mischief.

At 11:25 a.m., a Western Avenue caller reported suspicious activity.

At 1:11 p.m., a counterfeiting incident was investigated on Eastern Avenue.

At 1:11 p.m., a Northern Avenue caller reported suspicious activity.

At 1:20 p.m., police investigated fraud offenses reported by an Armory Street caller.

At 2:29 p.m., police investigated shoplifting on Western Avenue.

At 4:42 p.m., police investigated a reported burglary on Davenport Street.

At 6:04 p.m., police issued a warning for a reported domestic disturbance on Northern Avenue.

At 6:07 p.m., a Mayfair Street caller reported suspicious activity.

At 7:06 p.m., police investigated reported fraud on Bangor Street.

At 7:07 p.m., a disturbance was reported by a Stone Street caller.

At 8:00 p.m., a Spring Road caller reported suspicious activity.

On Wednesday at 3:59 a.m., a Washington Street Place caller reported suspicious activity.

At 4:36 a.m., a Northern Avenue caller reported suspicious activity.

IN GARDINER, on Tuesday at 7:01 p.m., police investigated a report of a loose dog on Summer Street.

On Wednesday at 3:11 a.m., police investigated a noise complaint on Bridge Street.

IN VASSALBORO, on Tuesday at 12:24 p.m., an assault was reported by a Taber Hill Road caller.

IN WINTHROP, on Wednesday at 12:10 a.m., police responded to an intrusion alarm on Winada Drive.

ARRESTS

IN AUGUSTA, on Tuesday at 3:55 p.m., Jodi Lathrop, 43, of Augusta, was arrested on an outstanding warrant.

At 8:44 p.m., Jasmine Swift, 28, of Augusta, was arrested on a charge of operating with a suspended license following an accident on Willow Street.

At 11:15 p.m., Ryan Guerette, 29, of Augusta, was arrested on an outstanding warrant.

Westbrook police are asking the public to help locate a teenager who is believed to have run away from home on Monday.

Bridget Kelley, 16, was last seen wearing jeans and a burgundy zip-up sweatshirt, police said.

“Her parents really want her home,” said Westbrook Police Capt. Sean Lally.

If anyone has information about her whereabouts, they should call police at 854-0644.