Rumford Police Arrest Fugitive, Domestic Violence Suspect After Standoff in Separate Incidents

Rumford Police arrested both a fugitive who had been evading law enforcement for nearly a year and a domestic violence suspect after a standoff in two separate incidents on Wednesday.

According to Rumford Police, a plain-clothes detective observed Jesse Robert Farrington, 41, a known fugitive, entering a vehicle on Andover Road in Rumford Center.

Police say Farrington had been evading law enforcement since the summer of 2024, and had previously fled from a Maine State Police trooper during an attempted arrest at the Community Quick Stop on Route 2 in Rumford after he was found to be violating the terms of his probation.

During that traffic stop, Farrington allegedly assaulted the trooper before fleeing the scene.

Rumford Police say Farrington, a convicted felon, has a multi-state history of violence toward law enforcement and resisting arrest.

Two patrol units responded to assist the Rumford Police detective in conducting a traffic stop on the vehicle in which Farrington was traveling near the McDonald’s, also on Route 2 in Rumford.

While he initially (and predictably) resisted arrest, Farrington was taken into custody after being subdued with a taser, police said.

Farrington was charged with refusing to submit to arrest or detention and violation of conditions of release, in addition to multiple outstanding warrants, including probation revocation, refusing to submit to arrest or detention (with physical force), violation of conditions of release, and domestic violence stalking.

On probation from a 2023 conviction of domestic violence stalking handed down in the Oxford County Unified Criminal Court where he was sentenced to 364 days, with all but 60 days suspended, followed by one year of probation, Farrington is now being held at the Oxford County Jail without bail pending his initial court appearance.

Earlier in the day on Wednesday, Rumford Police made an arrest of a domestic violence suspect after a 30-minute standoff in Farmington.

Police say they obtained a warrant for the arrest of 35-year-old Matthew J. Meade of Farmington on a charge of Class C felony domestic violence terrorizing — a charge that is elevated due to a prior domestic violence conviction from a separate incident that occurred in Rumford.

Rumford Police also secured a search warrant to seize a cell phone from Meade’s residence they believed to contain critical evidence related to the case. 

When officers from the Rumford and Farmington Police Departments arrived at Meade’s residence at 877 Whittier Rd. in Farmington, Meade allegedly barricaded himself inside the home and refused to come out, resulting in a 30-minute standoff with police that involved the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Rumford Police K-9 team.

After nearly a half hour of dialogue with police, Meade agreed to surrender peacefully and was taken into custody without injury or further incident and was transported to the Oxford County Jail in South Paris, where he is being held on $25,000 cash bail.