SANFORD, Maine – A Sanford man is facing multiple felony charges after Maine investigators alleged he operated an unlicensed commercial driver training business, took thousands of dollars from students and employers, and failed to deliver the licensing pathway they were promised.
Paul A. Rumery, 50, of Sanford, has been charged in York County with seven counts of theft by deception, each a Class C offense, along with one Class E driver education violation, according to court documents. The charges allege Rumery obtained more than $1,000 from each of seven people through deception and with the intent to deprive them of their money. The complaint identifies the alleged victims as Charlene Plante, Joseph Viscone, Bruce Wakita, Chris Gilpatrick Jr., Leon Jackson, Michael Lewis, and Shawn Eastman.
According to an affidavit filed in support of an arrest warrant, investigators with the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles began looking into Rumery after learning he was allegedly providing commercial driver’s license instruction without the licenses required by the state. The affidavit states that BMV personnel told Rumery in June 2024 to stop providing instruction and explained what he would need to do to become properly licensed, but investigators say no applications were ever submitted.
The affidavit alleges Rumery was offering Entry Level Driver Training, the federally required training CDL applicants must complete before taking a road test, to people from various companies while lacking the state approvals needed to operate a commercial driver education school or serve as an instructor. Investigators said students were paying Rumery roughly $2,800 each, an amount that was lower than what a licensed CDL school would typically charge.
Investigators also allege Rumery used an online testing portal associated with ADUSA Transportation DC1 and Hannaford Grocery to enter students for testing as though they were employees. According to the affidavit, larger companies can train their own workers internally, but teaching people who are not employees requires licensing by the state. Once Rumery no longer had access to that portal, investigators say students who had paid him were left unable to move forward with road testing and licensing.
In a recorded interview conducted in Sanford on Sept. 5, 2024, investigators say Rumery acknowledged he had made money from students, estimated he had probably trained around 30 people, confirmed that not all of them were Hannaford employees, and said he charged “right around” $2,800 per student. The affidavit also states Rumery admitted he had “screwed up,” said he would take his punishment, and confirmed he was still working with around 15 students who were not Hannaford employees.
Court records show Rumery was previously issued a summons for operating an unlicensed driver’s education school and given a York County court date in November 2024. According to the affidavit, investigators warned him that if he was caught teaching again, he would be arrested. Even so, the affidavit alleges the instruction continued into 2025 and 2026.
The individual allegations outlined in the court documents span from early 2024 through March 2026. Investigators say Charlene Plante paid $2,800 in cash after starting classes in May or June 2024 but was unable to obtain her license and was not refunded. Joseph Viscone allegedly paid $3,000 by check on March 19, 2024, with “CDL Driving” written in the memo line, and later reported his permit had expired without Rumery completing the process needed for him to take the road test. Bruce Wakita allegedly paid $3,500 by check on Jan. 15, 2025 and attended several classes, but also did not receive his license or a refund.
The affidavit further states that Chris Gilpatrick Jr. paid $2,700 in cash for classes aimed at upgrading from a Class B to a Class A license, attended several sessions in 2024, and never received the road test needed to complete the process. Leon Jackson, owner of Jackson’s Tree Service in Dayton, told investigators he paid a total of $10,100 in two checks for himself, his son, and two employees to attend CDL classes, but none of that instruction resulted in licensing through Rumery. Investigators also say Shawn Eastman, through Eastman Excavation, paid $3,000 for his son Garrett Eastman’s training, and Michael Lewis paid $3,000 through his company for employee Justin Allen’s training. In both cases, the affidavit says the students did not obtain licenses through Rumery and the money was not returned.
Investigators said the total reported loss from the victims outlined in the affidavit was $28,100, with each charged theft count exceeding $1,000. The affidavit also states the alleged unlicensed instruction took place at multiple locations in York County, including Sanford, Lyman, Arundel, Wells, Dayton, and North Berwick.
Rumery’s case is pending in York County court. The arrest warrant affidavit shows investigators also requested a bail condition barring him from engaging in any driver education activity while unlicensed by the State of Maine.
