The Maine Edge Criminal Mischief

(From left: Nathan Laita, Joshua Herbest, and Jessica Laverty)



(From left: Dennis Burns and Andy Mason)




Fight Night at night club

(Photos courtesy of the Bangor Police Department)

BANGOR – On May 16 at about 1 a.m., several groups of unruly patrons were involved in a spate of separate fights that seemed to happen all at once as a local nightclub was closing.
The following people were arrested:
Nathen Laita, 30, of Bangor for criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and refusal to submit to arrest; Andy Mason, 22, of Bangor for disorderly conduct; Dennis Burns, 22, of Carmel for assault; Joshua Herbest, 26, of Brewer for unlawful possession of schedule drugs, disorderly conduct, criminal trespass, refusing to submit to arrest, obstructing government administration and possession of a suspended license; and Jessica Laverty, 26, of Medford for obstructing government administration.
All were taken to Penobscot County Jail.

Fatal crash in Trenton

TRENTON – A two-car collision left one passenger dead and another critically injured in Trenton.
On May 15 around 1:20 a.m., Tpr. Greg Mitchell investigated a two vehicle crash that occurred on Rt-3 in Trenton. The crash resulted in the death of a 26-year-old woman from Los Angeles, California. The woman who died at the scene was a passenger in a 2002 Toyota Corolla that was being operated by a 28-year-old Providence, Rhode Island woman. A 27-year-old woman from Garden Grove, California, was critically injured in the crash and airlifted from the scene to Eastern Maine Medical Center.
The victim’s vehicle was struck head-on by a 2000 Ford pickup truck that was being operated by a 23-old Hampden man.
Both drivers received minor injuries and were treated and released from Maine Coast Memorial Hospital. The crash occurred when the Hampden man’s vehicle, which was heading north, crossed the centerline into the path of the victim’s vehicle.
Police said that speed appears to have been a factor and the crash remains under investigation. Tr. Mitchell was assisted by Sgt. Tim Varney, Tpr. Barry Curtis and Tpr. Chris Smith. Hancock County Deputy Jeff McFarland is reconstructing the crash and Lt. Patrick Kane is doing the mapping.

Deja-vu all over again

ORONO – Police were busy at a residence in Orono for a couple of days for different reasons, including (but not limited to) five pot plants, a party, and 14 individuals charged with various offenses.
It all started when officers arrived at the residence on Stillwater Avenue to check on Nicholas Standley, [AGE], of Orono, who was wanted on an active warrant on May 14, around 12:30 p.m. On the deck getting some sun, were five marijuana plants. Police knocked on the door and a 17-year-old female from Orono answered and denied that Standley was at the residence at the time. The police pointed out the pot plants, but didn’t question her due to her age. The officers entered the residence to secure evidence against being destroyed and located Standley inside.
He was arrested and as a result of the investigation police located a small amount of marijuana inside the residence, a bong and several pipes. Police learned that three of the plants could be attributed to Standley and the other two belonged to the juvenile. Both were charged with cultivating marijuana and Standley received additional charges of possession of a useable amount of marijuana and sale and use of drug paraphernalia.
On May 15, police received information that there was an underage party at the same address. Officers arrived around 11:30 p.m., and as they were walking up the driveway they passed a car that was emitting a strong odor of marijuana. Police spoke with Collin Popper, 18, of Bangor, and located a usable amount of marijuana, a bottle of rum and brass knuckles in the vehicle. He was charged with possession of a usable amount of marijuana, display or carrying of a concealed weapon, and illegal possession of alcohol by a minor.
As other officers knocked on the door, Sara Thomas, 19, of Orono, reportedly jumped out of the window. She was summoned for illegal possession of alcohol by a minor by consumption. The father of the 17-year-old female from earlier in this saga gave police permission to search the residence. Police seized alcohol, marijuana pipes and rolling papers. Many of the people were hiding in closets, and one man was reportedly concealing himself under a mattress.
Here is a reckoning of the charges that stemmed from this party:
A 17-year-old female, of Orono, furnishing a place for minors to consume and illegal possession of alcohol by a minor, sale and use of drug paraphernalia and possession of a usable amount of marijuana;
Benjamin Dugas, 20, of Orrington, illegal possession of alcohol by a minor;
a 17-year-old juvenile female from Brewer, illegal possession of alcohol by a minor;
Ryan Albert, 19, of Bangor, illegal possession of alcohol by a minor;
Justin Corey, 19, of Bangor, illegal possession of alcohol by a minor;
Michael Clume, 20, Newburgh, illegal possession of alcohol by a minor;
Ashely Merrill, 20, of Ellsworth, illegal possession of alcohol by a minor;
Matthew Buplisea, 19, of Bangor, illegal possession of alcohol by a minor;
Joshua Kelley, 19, of Bangor, illegal possession of alcohol by a minor;
Shea Patterson, 19, of Bangor, illegal possession of alcohol by a minor;
and Anthony Emerson, 19, of Bangor, illegal possession of alcohol by a minor.


Coffee brandy + bail conditions = jail

OLD TOWN – Loud tires and coffee brandy landed an Old Town man in jail last Friday.
On May 14, around 5:49 a.m., police received a call from a resident complaining about someone squealing tires outside of her home around 2:30 that morning. The caller informed police that she thought it was Derrick Beal, 26, of Old Town. Officers arrived and noted tire marks in the area, but Beal was not on scene. Officer Michael Holmes stayed with the caller while Officer Jim Fearon located Beal.
The officer found Beal at Harris Grocery and asked about the incident. Beal initially denied being in the area, but eventually told police that he had been near the house. Fearon could detect the odor of alcohol on Beal. Police learned that Beal had bail conditions not to possess or consume alcohol. Beal reportedly told the officers that he had consumed a beer, but there shouldn’t be any alcohol in the vehicle.
Fearon could see an open gallon container of milk in the vehicle. Since Beal’s bail conditions stipulated he had to submit to random search, Fearon searched the vehicle and located a half-gallon of coffee brandy and a liter of Triple Sec.
The passenger in the car reportedly told officers that Beal had been drinking and squealed his tires near the woman’s home.
Beal was arrested for violation of conditions of release.