LEWISTON, Maine — Iman Osman, a Lewiston city councilor-elect and current school committee member, is heading toward a collision with City Hall as he faces a felony firearm indictment, unresolved residency questions, and mounting pressure from the mayor to step aside, pressure Osman says he intends to ignore.
Osman, who was appointed to the Lewiston School Committee in December 2024 by Mayor Carl Sheline, won election to the Lewiston City Council and is scheduled to be sworn in this January. Despite the legal cloud hanging over him, Osman told this reporter he plans to serve on the council and has no intention of resigning.
Mayor Sheline has publicly called on Osman to step down, describing the situation as a distraction for the city and citing both the criminal case and unanswered residency concerns.
Osman is under indictment on charges involving a stolen firearm and is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 7 at 8:30 a.m. just hours after what would be his first meeting as a sitting city councilor.
Condemned address, unanswered questions
At the center of the residency controversy is Osman’s listed address: 210 Blake St. City records show the property has been condemned following a federal drug raid. Lewiston’s municipal code prohibits occupancy of condemned buildings, raising serious questions about whether Osman meets the residency requirements to hold municipal office.
Osman has declined to publicly disclose where he currently lives.
Despite those concerns, Osman was allowed to run, win, and advance toward swearing-in without his residency being formally verified.
School committee declined to investigate
Compounding the controversy, the Lewiston School Committee, on which Osman still serves, recently voted not to research or investigate his residency, even as public scrutiny intensified.
That decision has fueled anger among residents who say city officials repeatedly ignored warnings before the election.
Clerk under fire
Many Lewiston residents are now directing blame at the city clerk’s office, led by Kathleen M. Montejo, for failing to confirm Osman’s address eligibility prior to Election Day.
Residents say Montejo’s office was alerted by multiple individuals to discrepancies in Osman’s listed residence before ballots were cast, but no corrective action was taken. Osman has told the clerk, he “intends to return to 210 Blake Street” As a result, voters were left to decide an election without clarity on whether a candidate was legally eligible to serve.
How removal would work and why it won’t be quick
Under the Lewiston City Charter, the council cannot act on Osman’s qualifications until after he is sworn in. Once seated, the council has authority to judge whether a member meets eligibility requirements and whether grounds exist for forfeiture of office.
https://www.lewistonmaine.gov/DocumentCenter/View/237/City-Charter?bidId=
Any removal effort would require:
- Formal charges or a motion alleging disqualification
- At least seven days’ notice
- A hearing, if requested
- A public vote requiring at least five councilors, including the mayor
Osman would be barred from voting on his own removal.
Because of these procedural hurdles and the council’s power to subpoena records and witnesses, removal could take weeks or longer, even if a majority believes Osman is ineligible.
What if Osman is jailed?
If Osman is jailed because of the firearm case, the charter does not mandate automatic removal. Instead, the council would still need to act formally to declare forfeiture of office.
Incarceration would likely accelerate the process, however, as a jailed councilor would be unable to attend meetings, vote, or represent constituents, conditions that could support claims of incapacity or abandonment of office.
Until a formal vote occurs, Osman would technically retain his council seat unless he resigns.
Defense digs in
Osman’s attorney, Kieran Majerus Collins, said his client intends to fight all firearm-related charges, signaling that the criminal case could drag on well into Osman’s first months in office.
What comes next
The Lewiston City Council is expected to confront the issue after Osman is sworn in. Whether the council moves swiftly, or allows the situation to linger, will test the city’s commitment to accountability, election integrity, and basic residency rules.
