LEWISTON, Maine — Disgraced former Lewiston City Councilor Iman Osman is scheduled to return to Lewiston District Court on Monday, March 9, 2026, at 1:00 p.m., to face two felony charges tied to an alleged stolen firearm: receiving stolen property and theft by unauthorized taking of a gun.
Osman has already pleaded not guilty to both counts and, since that court appearance, he has remained largely silent and out of the public eye, offering no public accountability after his rapid fall from office left Lewiston voters and taxpayers dealing with the wreckage.
Not guilty — then silence
Osman’s not-guilty plea came during a court appearance that drew attention for all the wrong reasons, with observers describing his demeanor in the courtroom as the city’s political crisis deepened. The judge released him on personal recognizance, ordered random compliance checks, and imposed no-contact “stay away” conditions involving two individuals, as the criminal case moved forward.
Since then, Osman has offered no meaningful public explanation, even as residents continued to ask how Lewiston ended up swearing in a councilor facing felony gun charges while questions about his eligibility to hold office remained unresolved.
The lawyer switch: Collins out, Labozzo firm in
Osman originally had Kiernan Majerus Collins as his attorney, but when he appeared in court to enter his not-guilty plea, he showed up represented by Andrew Emerson, who court officials said is affiliated with the law firm of Allan Labozzo, a last-minute shift that raised eyebrows inside the courthouse.
The bond paperwork detail that “did him in”
The scandal escalated after revelations that Osman listed 210 Blake Street, the condemned property at the center of his residency controversy — on a bail bond connected to the felony gun case.
That detail mattered because it didn’t just keep the residency dispute alive, it poured gasoline on it. Lewiston’s controversy wasn’t merely about what address appeared on campaign paperwork; it became about what address Osman was still using in court-related documents tied to conditions that can involve law-enforcement checks.
The fallout was swift: Osman resigned as Lewiston’s Ward 5 councilor as the residency investigation advanced and the “Blake Street on the bond” revelation landed like a lead weight on City Hall.
The address controversy: a condemned building tied to a federal raid
The residency dispute centered on 210 Blake Street, which city records show was condemned following a federal drug raid, making occupancy illegal under municipal rules and raising serious questions about whether Osman met the residency requirements to hold office.
Osman declined to publicly disclose where he actually lived, even as he was allowed to run, win, and advance toward swearing-in without his residency being formally verified, according to reporting on the controversy.
How did Lewiston let this happen?
Osman didn’t merely win an election; he had already been elevated inside City Hall. He was appointed to the Lewiston School Committee in December 2024 by Mayor Carl Sheline, even as residency concerns later became central to the political crisis.
The controversy also put a spotlight on the city clerk’s office, where officials were accused of failing to confirm residency eligibility before Election Day despite multiple people raising concerns, leaving voters to choose a ward-based representative without clarity on whether the candidate was legally qualified.
What happens Monday
Osman’s next court appearance is set for Monday, March 9 at 1:00 p.m. in Lewiston District Court.
The criminal case will play out in court, but the civic damage is already done: a councilor sworn in under a felony gun-theft cloud, still listing a condemned building as his address on bond paperwork, then resigning and retreating from public view, leaving Lewiston residents to ask why City Hall’s vetting and enforcement systems failed at every step.
