Author: Seamus Othot

The Bangor Police Department arrested a man on Memorial Day after he allegedly attacked a woman following a dispute about gas-station bathrooms. [RELATED: York Deputies Arrest Three Lebanon Men Found Fighting Outside a Bar…] At approximately 2:22 a.m., the Bangor Police Department responded to the Main Street Circle K gas station for reports of a suspect threatening staff over their bathroom being closed. While officers were responding, the complainant called back and reported that the suspect had struck her in the face. When police arrived, they located the suspect, Caleb Hewey, 39, of Bangor, allegedly being restrained by another man.…

Secretary of State (SoS) Shenna Bellows decided on Tuesday to remove the referendum question to protect girls’ sports and spaces from November’s ballot after previously determining that it could appear, following challenges to the legitimacy of its signatures. [RELATED: Contentious Hearing Over Maine Girl Dads Ballot Initiative Puts Bellows’ Role Under Scrutiny…] “Citizen initiatives are direct democracy. Just as we take voting security seriously, we take petition integrity seriously,” said Bellows in a statement provided to the Portland Press Herald. “Unfortunately, some out-of-state circulators failed to meet certain legal requirements for petitions, resulting in this initiative failing to qualify for…

The York County Sheriff’s Department arrested three Lebanon men on Saturday after they were allegedly found fighting outside a bar as deputies responded to an unrelated incident. [RELATED: York Deputies Arrest Man Accused of Sexually Assaulting a 9-Year-Old in 2021 and Evading Justice for Years…] At approximately 9:45 p.m., York deputies responded to a Lebanon bar to assist the Lebanon Fire Department in responding to a medical incident. Deputies arrived to see several men allegedly actively engaged in a fight in the bar’s parking lot. Law enforcement attempted to intervene, but the men allegedly refused to comply with police orders,…

The Cumberland Sheriff’s Department arrested a man on Saturday after he allegedly stabbed a wedding guest at a Raymond campground in what police believe was an unprovoked attack. [RELATED: NH Killer Caught After Broad Daylight Stabbing Outside Gas Station…] At approximately 7:03 p.m., deputies responded to Kingsley Camp Ground after reports of a man being stabbed with a knife. Deputies arrived to discover Donald Halsing, 26, suffering from a stab wound in his chest in what police believe appeared to be an unprovoked attack during a wedding reception. Law enforcement identified the suspect as Andrew Manderson, 26, after speaking with…

The Cumberland Sheriff’s Department arrested a Portland man on Sunday after he allegedly escaped from a federal corrections halfway house and caused a head-on crash in Naples before fleeing on foot. [RELATED: Rumford Man Charged After Distracted Driving Crash That Destroyed a Canton Barn…] At approximately 7:16 p.m., deputies responded to Route 302 in Naples for reports of a head-on crash. Witnesses allegedly reported that one of the drivers involved immediately fled the scene on foot. The dispatcher continued to receive information from the witnesses, and deputies eventually located the driver in a yard on Saw Mill Lane. He was…

Troy Jackson, Hannah Pingree, and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows have formed an alliance in the Democratic gubernatorial race, vowing on Friday to rank each other as second and third choices in an apparent gambit to overturn frontrunner Nirav Shah if the race goes into ranked-choice voting. [RELATED: Democrat Drama: CD2 Candidates Team Up to Demand Baldacci Disavow Out-of-State Donor PAC Following National Dems Endorsement…] The three candidates, polling at the back of the field according to a Pan Atlantic Research Omnibus poll released on Wednesday, issued extremely similar statements, including the same graphic. The candidates each want voters to…

The U.S. House scored a victory for parental rights on Wednesday, passing a bill to prevent schools from hiding gender transitions from parents despite opposition from Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Jared Golden (D-Maine). [RELATED: OCP Policy Director and Radical Leftist Running for Augusta School Board Previously Raised Funds for Abortion and “Gender Affirming Care”…] The bill, from Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), passed with a narrow 217-198 margin in a largely party-line vote, with eight Democrats breaking with their majority to support the bill. The bill would remove federal elementary and secondary school funding from any schools that fail to…

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) sent a letter to the lawyer representing Gateway Community Services last week affirming “credible allegations of fraud” against the non-profit reported on extensively by The Maine Wire. [RELATED: DHHS Cuts Off Medicaid Payments to Gateway Communities as Audit Finds Over $1M in Overbilling, Fraud Allegations Escalate…] The DHHS provided a letter to the Portland Press Herald dated May 12 from William Logan, associate director of compliance for the Office of MaineCare Services, to Drummond Woodsum attorney Maureen Sturtevant representing Gateway. The letter informed Gateway that the state has decided to uphold…

The U.S. House overwhelmingly passed a massive bipartisan housing bill on Wednesday that bars institutional investors from buying single-family homes, eases regulatory barriers to housing construction, and bans the creation of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). [RELATED: Trump Signs Executive Order Barring Investors from Buying Single-Family Homes…] “The Administration is pleased that Congress continues to work on legislation to make housing more affordable. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act builds on the President’s agenda by eliminating regulatory barriers to construction and enabling innovative housing solutions. The bill would also prohibit the development of a Central Bank Digital Currency…

The Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department arrested a Drew Plantation man on Tuesday in what they described as a dangerous drug arrest. [RELATED: Hermon Drug Bust Leads to Three Arrests and Seizure of a Pound of Drugs…] At approximately 8:11 p.m., a Penobscot deputy initiated a traffic stop on Andrews Road in the tiny town of Drew Plantation. During the stop, the deputy allegedly found approximately 20 grams of methamphetamine along with an unspecified amount of psychedelic psilocybin mushrooms. As a result of the search, the deputy arrested the driver, Jamie Dowe, 38, of Drew Plantation, on charges of unlawful trafficking…

A New Hampshire firefighter pleaded guilty to a string of arson charges on Wednesday following a four-year investigation into a serial arsonist starting fires across Rockingham County. [RELATED: Maine Volunteer Fireman Living in NH Arrested for Arson after Burning His Own Home with Pet Turtles Inside…] Austen M. Cooper of Raymond, NH, a firefighter, pleaded guilty to three counts of felony arson to real estate and one count of felony possession of an infernal machine. The NH State Fire Marshal’s office began a complicated investigation into serial arson across Rockingham County. The investigation led fire marshals to believe Cooper intentionally…

Several WWII-era rockets were discovered in a Nantucket, Massachusetts, sand dune, prompting a bomb squad response. [RELATED: Bomb Squad Responds After Limington Resident Finds Grenade Near Dumpster…] The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services announced the incident on Thursday, though they did not specify when it actually took place. The Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad traveled to the island, a popular vacation spot, for reports of unexploded military ordnance that was found buried in an eroding sand dune. The U.S. Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit and the Nantucket Fire Department responded to assist. The agencies were able to identify the…

New Hampshire authorities have apprehended a suspect accused of the broad daylight fatal stabbing of a man outside a Manchester, NH, gas station in broad daylight on Monday. [RELATED: NH Man Stabbed to Death Outside Gas Station in Broad Daylight – Suspect Still at Large… On Wednsday, the New Hampshire Office of the Attorney General announced the arrest of Antonio Cajigas, 22, in connection with the alleged murder of a Christopher Marcoux, 25. The fatal stabbing allegedly took place outside a gas station at 1050 South Willow Street, a major road, around 5:40 p.m. on Monday. Marcoux was transported to…

The Maine State Police are investigating after a body was found during routine operations at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Wednesday. [RELATED: Passing Driver Spots Body in Lake Auburn…] At approximately 9:50 a.m., the Kittery shipyard’s civilian divers were conducting routine barge inspections. While in the area of Berth 14, they discovered human remains in the water. The Maine State Police and Naval Criminal Investigative Service are investigating the situation. The remains will be transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta for identification, and an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause and manner of…

Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) announced a novel proposal on Wednesday to cut Medicare spending: send 20-30 million $11 bath mats to Medicare recipients to prevent costly falls. [RELATED: Angus King Joins Democratic Senators in Challenging President Trump’s Election Integrity Executive Order…] “I’m the Johnny Appleseed of bath mats. Whenever I go to see somebody and they don’t have one of these in their shower, I buy one and send it to them. Now here’s the proposal, though: why doesn’t CMS [the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] send one of these to every Medicare recipient in the country,” said Sen.…

The New Pan Atlantic Research Omnibus Poll spelled bad news for Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), cemented Bobby Charles and Nirav Shah as their parties’ gubernatorial frontrunners, and showed strong support for the referendum question banning males from girls’ sports. [RELATED: Janet’s Late Pingree Endorsement Did No Favors For Hannah – Who Latest Polls Show Losing Big-time To The Shah Of Maine…] The new poll, released on Wednesday, gave Graham Platner a strong seven-point lead in the high-stakes Senate race, with him polling at 48 percent compared to Sen. Collins’ 41 percent. A significant 11 percent portion of respondents remained undecided.…

Joe Sokol Contributed to This Article. A Bangor dog owner is facing civil charges after his pit bull reportedly charged aggressively toward his neighbor’s three-year-old on Tuesday, and the neighbor fatally shot the dog. [RELATED: Bangor Man Arrested for Stealing a Woman’s Hat and Pushing Her Out of Her Wheelchair…] At approximately 8:48 a.m., the Bangor Police Department received a report of shots fired on March Street. Officers responded and allegedly found that a resident of March Street had fired at and struck a large dog after it charged at him and his toddlers. Adam Stade, the man who shot…

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating immigration fraud allegations against Somali-born Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) Vice President J.D. Vance announced on Tuesday in response to a Daily Caller reporter’s question. [RELATED: Trump Targets Ilhan Omar Over “$19B” Minnesota Fraud Claim and Singles Out Maine in Widening Crackdown…] “I don’t want to prejudge an investigation. You read the things about Ilhan Omar, you know, who she married or whether she didn’t marry this person or that person. It certainly seems like something fishy is there, but everybody’s entitled to equal justice under the laws, so we’re gonna investigate it.…

Three Democrats running for the Second Congressional District Seat banded together on Wednesday and penned a letter to frontrunner Joe Baldacci demanding that he disavow a new out-of-state left-wing super PAC donating to his campaign. [RELATED: Wood Gets Shafted: “Courageous” Democratic Candidate Responds After Party Endorses Baldacci Instead of Him…] “A super PAC calling itself 218–directed and funded by wealthy out-of-state donors–began spending money in this Democratic primary in an attempt to buy this election on your behalf. This is wrong–and it should stop,” said the letter. “The three of us all agreed: Mainers decide our election–not Super PACs, not…

The Somerset Sheriff’s Department arrested a Madison man on Monday following a vehicle search in connection with an ongoing investigation into trafficking activities in the area. [RELATED: Somerset Drug Bust Leads to Two Arrests in Madison…] At approximately 11:28 a.m., Somerset deputies executed a search warrant of a vehicle on Madison Avenue being operated by Griffin Patchell, 27, of Madison. The warrant was obtained as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged trafficking operations in the Madison area. During the search, detectives allegedly discovered 10 grams of fentanyl, a set of digital scales, a trace amount of cocaine, and documentation…

Augusta residents will have an opportunity later this month to voice their concerns over the city’s homelessness problems and hear what city officials want to do to fix the problem. [RELATED: Maine Lawmakers Head Home after Controversial Budget Push, as Fraud, Child Welfare Failures, Homelessness Still Haunt the State…] The Community Forum on Homelessness will be held at 7:00 p.m. on May 28 at the Augusta City Hall’s Lecture Hall directly after the routine city council meeting. “This forum is intended to provide residents with an opportunity to learn more about homelessness in Augusta, hear about the work currently being…

A healthcare fraudster operating out of Massachusetts agreed on Monday to pay back $1.4 million to resolve allegations of Medicare and Medicaid overbilling but will face no jail time. [RELATED: How Maine Became Ground Zero in the National Medicaid Fraud Scandal — And Why Augusta Spent Three Years Pretending It Wasn’t Happening…] Two behavioral health clinics, Nova Psychiatric Services, P.C. (Nova), Patriot Eldercare, Inc. (Patriot),and their president and director, Alexandra Accardi, agreed to pay after they allegedly billed for psychotherapy and medication management services in violation of the False Claims Act. The settlement agreement also required Accardi and her companies…

The U.S. House passed a bill on Thursday requiring an annual report on state and local governments that allow cashless bail for dangerous criminals, in a small step towards combatting soft-on-crime policies. [RELATED: Brewer Police Chief Calls Out Soft-on-Crime Policies He Believes are Fueling Maine’s Drug and Crime Crisis…] The House voted 308-116 to pass the “Cashless Bail Reporting Act,” with Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) supporting the bill while Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) voted against it. The bill, proposed by Rep. Mark Harris (R-N.C.), drew support from 96 Democrats and all but two Republicans: Reps. Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.) and Mariannette…

The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office is investigating after an NH man was stabbed to death outside a gas station in broad daylight on a major city street. [RELATED: Portland Police Report Weekly Arrests and Calls for Service, Highlight Stabbing and Vehicle Theft Incidents…] At approximately 5:40 p.m. on Monday, the Manchester Police Department responded to the Alltown Fresh gas station at 1050 South Willow Street. Google Maps Image of 1050 South Willow Street from 2023 Callers reported an adult male suffering from severe injuries outside the gas station. Police arrived to discover the victim suffering from an apparent stab…

A group of five teenagers was arrested on Monday after they allegedly led police on a multi-town chase in a stolen vehicle linked to a series of cannabis dispensary break-ins and threw motor oil on a Waldo County Sheriff’s Department deputy. [RELATED: Lisbon Cannabis Shop Burglary Involving Stolen Car Mirrors Similar Break-Ins in Turner…] At approximately 7:08 a.m., the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Department responded to a request for backup from their Waldo counterparts after a Waldo deputy stopped a Black 2023 Toyota Rav 4. The vehicle had been involved in burglaries across Hancock County at cannabis and smoke shops. During…

Much of the discussion surrounding Graham Platner and his candidacy has focused on his Nazi tattoo, past controversial comments, fake blue-collar political outsider persona, and other personal controversies, allowing his truly radical left-wing platform to fade into the background. [RELATED: Platner’s “Average Man” Image Faces New Scrutiny as Campaign Finances Draw Attention…] Platner, running for a seat historically held by the moderate Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), has portrayed himself as a candidate who can reach across the aisle in an attempt to present himself as a viable option for Trump voters dissatisfied with his second term. The candidate’s upcoming campaign…

Masked suspects in a stolen vehicle allegedly robbed a cannabis shop in Lisbon early Saturday morning while driving a stolen car, in an incident that closely mirrored recent burglaries in Turner. [RELATED: Turner Cannabis Shop Burglarized Twice in One Week by Suspects in Stolen Cars…] At approximately 2:31 a.m., the Lisbon Police Department responded to a burglary reported at Lisbon Cannabis at 5 Canal Street in Lisbon Falls. A preliminary investigation indicated that four masked suspects forced their way into the store, damaged the building, and stole merchandise and an unspecified amount of cash. During the investigation, police learned that…

A Bangor man was sentenced to six years in prison on Thursday after he admitted to trafficking fentanyl from Massachusetts to Maine while in court-mandated treatment following an earlier burglary conviction. [RELATED: Bridgton Man Arrested After Being Found with Psychedelics and Fentanyl Amid Drug Trafficking Investigation…] Bradley Bellfleur, 33, will spend the next six years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty in July 2024 to a federal charge of conspiring to distribute fentanyl. Bellfleur was enrolled in Penobscot Adult Treatment and Recovery Court in Bangor as part of his court sentence following a…

A New Hampshire woman was arrested on Sunday after she allegedly slammed head-on into an NH State Police cruiser while driving the wrong way. [RELATED: Massachusetts State Trooper Killed by a Wrong-Way Driver…] At approximately 1:47 a.m., the NH State Police received multiple calls reporting a wrong-way driver on Route 101 in Exeter. Callers reported that the vehicle was traveling east in the westbound lanes. Troopers responded and encountered a 2019 Nissan Kicks between Exits 8 and 9. Trooper Shane McClure was traveling west and believed that there were many other innocent drivers placed in danger by the wrong-way driver.…

The Lewiston Police Department arrested a man on Friday after he allegedly robbed a 7-Eleven gas station. [RELATED: Two Suspects Arrested After Luring Man to Lewiston Apartment and Beating and Burning Him…] At aproximately 3:52 a.m., police responded to a report of a robbery at the gas station. A clerk allegedly informed them that a male suspected had entered the store and forcibly stole money from behind the register. The clerk gave police a description of the suspect, and officers began searching for him upon their arrival on the scene. Officers reportedly spotted a man matching the suspect’s description entering…

The Oxford Sheriff’s Department arrested a Sweden man on Thursday after he allegedly burglarized multiple seasonal camps in the Sweden area. [RELATED: Hermon Burglary Leads to Two Arrests And Drug Seizure…] Following an investigation into the alleged burglaries, police arrested Travis Lewis, 49, of Sweden. Deputies executed a search warrant at Lewis’ Knights Hill Road residence in Sweden and allegedly recovered multiple items identified as stolen property, along with drug paraphernalia, five grams of methamphetamine, and clothing and other garments allegedly worn by the suspect in the burglaries. Police also allegedly seized 12 firearms from Lewis’ residence, at least some…

The Somerset Sheriff’s Department arrested a gang of five teenagers on Monday following an investigation into a string of car break-ins in Madison. [RELATED: Two Minors Arrested for String of Burglaries and Car Thefts Across Androscoggin and Cumberland Counties…] On Sunday, Somerset deputies responded to multiple reports of vehicle break-ins across the town. Two residents also reported that the windows of their homes had been broken. The initial investigation led deputies to believe that the break-ins were committed by minors. On Monday, Somerset Deputy Michael Pike conducted a follow-up investigation and followed multiple leads that eventually led to five juvenile…

A California man will spend the next ten years in prison after he pleaded guilty to his role in a fraud scheme to launder $46.4 million in fraudulently obtained benefits to China. [RELATED: Chinese Born California Mayor Was Working As an Agent for the CCP…] Brian R. Cleland, 72, of Los Angeles was sentenced on Thursday following a guilty plea on November 17, 2025. Cleland admitted that he and co-conspirators Bruce Jin, 61, and Carlos A. Grijalva, both of Los Angeles, worked with other unnamed conspirators to obtain unemployment funds and other welfare benefits through fraud. The three men entered…

The Bridgton Police Department arrested a Bridgton man on Tuesday after he was allegedly found in possession of psychedelics and other drugs. [RELATED: Caribou Drug Bust Leads to Five Arrests Following Month-Long MDEA Investigation…] At approximately 5:00 p.m., the Bridgton Police Department executed a search warrant at 656 North High Street, apartment four. Police obtained the warrant as part of an investigation into alleged drug trafficking activities from the apartment. During the warrant execution, police reportedly seized 13 grams of methamphetamine, 17 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, and small amounts of LSD and Fentanyl. The apartment’s sole resident, Michael Walsh, 31,…

Just one day after Vice President JD Vance visited Maine and promised to crack down on the massive amount of fraud being exposed by The Maine Wire, the Small Business Administration (SBA) took a concrete step to end Covid-era loan fraud in the state. [RELATED: Mills Claims She’s Tough on Fraud In Response to Vance Visit…] SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced on Friday that “the crackdown is here,” making good on Vice President Vance’s promise. “The crackdown is here. In full support and collaboration with @VP and @WHFraudTF, SBA is announcing the suspension of about 1,500 borrowers in Maine associated with $93 million in potentially fraudulent…

The Bangor Police Department arrested a man on Thursday after he allegedly stole a woman’s hat and pushed her out of her wheelchair. [RELATED: Bangor Police Investigating Possible Hidden Camera in Best Buy Bathroom…] At approximately 9:53 p.m., officers responded to Maine Street in front of the Fire Department for a welfare check for a woman who had fallen out of her wheelchair. Officer Alex Helton spoke with the woman along with several witnesses. Based on the investigation, police determined that Christopher Genge, 45, of Bangor, allegedly caused the woman to fall out of her wheelchair and stole her hat.…

A Rumford man is facing distracted driving charges after allegedly crashing his pickup truck through a Canton barn early Thursday morning. [RELATED: Car Crashes Into Saint George Home Leaving 16-Year-Old with Life Threatening Injuries…] At approximately 5:48 a.m., the Oxford Sheriff’s Department received a report of a single vehicle crash at 19 Turner Street in Canton. The caller reported that a vehicle left the road and struck a residence. Oxford deputies responded with Canton first responders. Deputies found that a silver 2003 Chevrolet Silverado crashed into the front of a storage barn attached to the residence. The investigation allegedly revealed…

Gov. Janet Mills (D-Maine) issued a response to Vice President JD Vance’s anti-fraud visit to Bangor on Thursday, claiming that she actually is tough on fraud, and deflecting away from the fraud issue onto the Iran War. [RELATED: Vance Brings Anti-Fraud Message to Bangor, Praises Maine Wire Reporting and Backs LePage Congressional Bid…] “As District Attorney, Attorney General, and as Governor, I have always cracked down on fraud — often by working hand-in-hand with the Federal government,” said Gov. Mills. “Whenever we identify credible allegations of fraud, they are referred to the Attorney General, who works in partnership with Federal…

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) arrested five Caribou residents in a Northern Maine drug bust following a month-long investigation. [RELATED: MDEA Arrests Suspects from Boston and Unity During Waterville Drug Bust…] Last Thursday, May 7, the MDEA, along with the Maine State Police Tactical Team, executed a search warrant at 206 Sweden Street in Caribou. The warrant was obtained following an investigation conducted by the MDEA and Caribou Police Department into alleged trafficking activities from that address. During the warrant execution, police reportedly seized over 200 grams of fentanyl and a sawed-off 20-gauge shotgun. As a result of the…

Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey and Rep. Michele Meyer (D-Maine) announced a $1 million investment of opioid settlement funds on Wednesday for a social services hub in Kittery. [RELATED: Maine AG’s Office Quietly Spends Millions on Opioid Settlement Funds with Limited Disclosure…] The funding will go to Mainspring: The Seacoast Social Services Collective, a project led by Fair Tide, an organization aimed at ending homelessness, and Footprints, a food pantry. Mainspring describes itself as a collective of nonprofits, with centralized data sharing, case management, and other forms of cooperation. It provides a single building where people seeking a variety of…

A New Hampshire woman faced a horrifying ordeal when she was allegedly kidnapped, taken to Vermont, tortured, and held for ransom for 24 hours, resulting in federal charges filed on Tuesday for suspects already in custody for the same crime. [RELATED: Two Suspects Arrested After Luring Man to Lewiston Apartment and Beating and Burning Him…] Damarcus Bonner, 30, of Connecticut, and Tyrone Harris, 27, are facing federal charges on interstate kidnapping conspiracy in addition to state charges for their role in the alleged horrific kidnapping and torture of a woman. The suspects allegedly kidnapped the victim from Claremont, New Hampshire.…

A Puerto Rican man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a charge of damaging or disabling an aircraft as his flight was departing from Boston to Puerto Rico. [RELATED: Puerto Rican Man Gets 5 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl Cut with ‘Tranq’ into Maine…] Angel Luis Morales Torres, 24, was first indicted in March 2025 following an incident in January that year. On January 7, he was a passenger on a JetBlue flight set to travel from Boston to Puerto Rico. As the aircraft was on the taxiway preparing for takeoff, Morales Torres left his seat and ran down…

A Skowhegan homeless shelter was ordered to shut down on Wednesday following a months-long dispute surrounding code enforcement and the shelter’s failure to install a sprinkler system. [RELATED: Maine Cities and Towns Now Required to Allow Homeless Shelters Under Unanimous New Law…] “It’s unfortunate, but I am glad that the state is providing resources for the folks that are residing there to find alternate places to live. Obviously, it is safety concerns that they’ve been cited on for years,” said Rep. Jennifer Poirier (R-Skowhegan) speaking with The Maine Wire. “I hope for the best for people. I just want everybody…

The U.S. is placing a temporary pause on new Medicare billing enrollments for home healthcare and hospice providers amid a nationwide crackdown on millions or billions in healthcare fraud from California to Maine. [RELATED: Welcome to Maine, Mr. Vice President — Now Let’s Expose the Fraud Machine…] “Widespread fraud has gone on for far too ​long. But under the Vice President’s task force we are finally putting a stop to the massive scale fraudsters ripping off the ​American people once and for all,” a spokesperson for Vice President J.D. Vance told Reuters. Reuters first reported the development on Wednesday, citing…

The Penobscot Sheriff’s Department arrested two suspects and is searching for more after an alleged burglary in Hermon on Monday led to a seizure of cocaine and firearms. [RELATED: Clifton Drug Trafficker Arrested Following Bail Check…] Penobscot deputies responded to a Bog Road residence in Hermon following a report of a burglary. Surveillance footage showed multiple vehicles arriving at the residence and at least four male suspects exiting. One suspect could reportedly be seen carrying a handgun. The group of men allegedly forced entry into the empty home by breaking down the door. The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) joined…

A Maine game warden was tragically killed on Tuesday after his plane crashed in Avon. [RELATED: Top Air Canada Exec Quits Under Fire For Not Knowing How To Speak French After Fatal Plane Crash…] At approximately 11:00 a.m., Game Warden Pilot Tibbetts’ plane went down near Schoolhouse Pond in what was ultimately a fatal crash. “This is an incredibly difficult loss for his family, friends, colleagues, and the entire Maine Warden Service. We ask the public to keep his loved ones, his fellow Game Wardens, and all those affected by this tragedy in their thoughts in the days ahead,” said…

Rep. Reagan Paul (R-Winterport) sent a letter to Maine’s Department of Energy (DOE) Deputy Secretary James Danly on Monday, asking the department to examine and publish the true costs of Maine’s green energy push. [RELATED: Golden Joins Republicans in Vote to Ease Enviornmental Regulations to Promote Domestic Energy Production…] “The persistent claim that wind and solar are the cheapest form of generation makes for an effective talking point, but it does not hold up when customers pay their bills. While utilities are often blamed for rising rates, it is in fact the underlying generation resource choices that are driving these…

The Chinese-born mayor of Arcadia, California, pleaded guilty on Monday to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government and faces up to 10 years in prison. [RELATED: Chinese Agent Caught Smuggling Bio-Material Into United States From China On J-1 Visa…] “Let this serve as a clear warning: Individuals who act on behalf of foreign governments to influence our democracy will be identified, investigated, and brought to justice. Protecting the rule of law and the transparency of our democratic process remains at the core of the FBI’s mission, and we will continue working alongside our partners to safeguard the…

A Veazie man was sentenced to ten years in prison on Friday after he enticed a minor to produce child pornography and offered to pay for child abuse images. [RELATED: “Home Alone” House Owner Found Dead Of Suicide Amid Pending Child-Porn Charges…] Austin Cocchiro, 24, of Veazie, pleaded guilty to two counts of enticing a minor and one count of possessing child pornography in September 2025. In 2022 and again in 2024, Cocchiro used his phone to induce a minor to participate in the production of child pornography. He also offered to use an online payment app to pay for…

Two brothers arrested last year after allegedly admitting to drunk driving to police have ties to multiple home healthcare providers in Maine and have worked to help other providers set up MaineCare billing and pass audits amid a nationwide crackdown on healthcare fraud. [RELATED: President of Five-Star Homecare Ordered to Repay Nearly $400K Worked at Three Other Home Healthcare Providers Before Moving to Turkmenistan…] Manoach and Muhoza Bizumuremyi both operated businesses concurrently out of the exact same Bangor apartment building and unit. The Crime In April 2025, the Bangor Police Department responded to a report of an erratic driver operating on…

The Lewiston Police Department arrested two suspects on Monday after they allegedly lured a man to an apartment, assaulted him with a firearm, tied him up, and burned him. [RELATED: Bangor Woman Arrested for OUI After Driving to Police Station to Look for Man Arrested for OUI While She was a Passenger…] Officers responded to 73 Pine Street, a subsidized low-income housing complex, for reports of a man in distress inside one of the apartments. Police entered the apartment and allegedly located a 37-year-old man who had been badly beaten and burned. Evidence at the scene reportedly indicated that the…

The Brewer Police Department arrested a man on Monday after he was allegedly spotted holding a stolen wallet and fled from police. [RELATED: Two Minors Arrested for String of Burglaries and Car Thefts Across Androscoggin and Cumberland Counties…] At approximately 1:30 a.m., a Brewer officer was patrolling when he spotted two people he believed to be suspicious walking down Center Street. They walked into a parking lot and out of sight, and the officer followed them. When he pulled his cruiser into the parking lot, he allegedly spotted a man later identified as Dennis Fongeallaz, 41, of Brewer, standing in…

The Bangor Police Department arrested a couple on Sunday after one allegedly drove drunk and the other reportedly drove to the police station while intoxicated to find him. [RELATED: Suspected Drunk Driving Crash Knocks Down Telephone Pole and Closes Standish Road for Hours…] At approximately 12:55 a.m., a Bangor officer spotted a speeding truck and initiated a stop. He identified the driver as Edward Garneau, 41, of Bangor, and initiated a field sobriety test. Another officer arrived to assist with the passengers, who allegedly appeared even more intoxicated than the driver. One passenger, Jessica Boone, 30, of Stetson, allegedly became…

A Lewiston man pleaded guilty on Friday to drug trafficking charges after he sold drugs to a confidential source. [RELATED: Clifton Drug Trafficker Arrested Following Bail Check…] In February 2025, a confidential source working with the FBI made multiple purchases of controlled drugs from Dashane Seamster, 30, of Lewiston. On April 1, the source made another purchase of four ounces of methamphetamine and 120 grams of heroin from Seamster in Lewiston. FBI investigators surveilled and recorded the transaction and arrested Seamseter. Following his guilty plea, Seamster faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, along with a maximum…

A Trenton man was arrested on Saturday after he was allegedly found in possession of several improvised explosive devices (IEDs) while police responded to a domestic violence report. [RELATED: Downeast Maine Goodwill Evacuated As Bomb Squad Called In To Inspect A Potential Explosive Device…] At approximately 9:37 a.m., the Maine State Police responded to a report of domestic violence on Oak Point Road in Trenton. Troopers arrived to discover that the male suspect had allegedly fled the scene, possibly in possession of multiple explosive devices. The female victim was found uninjured. Later, troopers located the suspect’s vehicle at his home…

A Liberty man was charged on Tuesday after he allegedly attacked a member of the town’s Select Board. [RELATED: St. Albans Woman Arrested After Assaulting Her Husband and Setting Their House on Fire…] At approximately 7:50 a.m., the Maine State Police Field Troop responded to a report of an assault at the Liberty Town Hall. Following a subsequent investigation, police developed probable cause for the arrest of Roland Singer, 56, of Liberty. He was charged with two counts of simple assault against one of the selectboard members and one count of criminal mischief. The board member who was allegedly assaulted…

The Maine State Police arrested a Winslow man on Friday in connection with the 39-year-old murder of Alice Hawkes in Westbrook. [RELATED: Maine’s ‘Coldest Missing-Person Case’ Becomes A YouTube Documentary…] At approximately 2:17 p.m., State Police Major Crimes Unit-Unsolved detectives arrested Stephen Bouchard, 63, of Winslow, on a charge of murder after a Cumberland County Grand Jury indictment handed down on Thursday. He was transported to the Cumberland County Jail. Bouchard was Hawkes’ live-in boyfriend when her body was found in their Westbrook apartment on October 4, 1987. Previous reporting claimed that Bouchard was out playing golf on October 3…

Bangor handed hundreds of thousands in federal grant money to Food and Medicine, a nonprofit where Democratic gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson worked, that campaigned against the voter ID referendum and in favor of a convicted killer for the City Council. [RELATED: Killer Of Canadian Tourist In Old Orchard Beach Among Three New City Councilors In Bangor…] “The name sounded familiar since while running for City Council a couple years ago there were flyers mailed to residents of Bangor with this name on the flyer supporting specific individuals from a particular political party. In addition to these mailers, it appears that…

A Florida man was sentenced to 32 months in prison on Wednesday for his role in a forgery and identity theft scheme that took place across Southern Maine. [RELATED: Westbrook Police Celebrate Guilty Plea of Texas Woman Who Used a Stolen Identity to Steal from Local Bank…] Richard Harris, 23, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pleaded guilty in December 2025, and will also face three years of supervised release and must pay $21,400 in restitution. Harris, along with a co-conspirator, Paul Logugune, broke into empty cars to steal wallets and purses to obtain victims’ checkbooks and driver’s licenses. The two men…

A Raymond driver suffered serious injuries on Thursday after she allegedly crashed head-on into a school bus in Westbrook. [RELATED: Car Crashes Into Saint George Home Leaving 16-Year-Old with Life Threatening Injuries…] At approximately 8:32 a.m., the Westbrook Police Department and Westbrook Fire Department responded to reports of a crash on Bridgton Road near the town line with Windham. A caller reported that a 2014 Subaru Crosstrek traveling eastbound crossed the center line and collided head-on with a Windham school bus. Fire personnel extracted the Subaru’s driver and sole occupant and identified her as a 25-year-old woman from Raymond. She…

Maine’s Office of Cannabis Policy (OCP) policy director Gabi Berube Pierce is running for a seat on the Augusta School Board against controversial activist Nicholas Blanchard, who goes by “Corn Pop” online. [RELATED: Federal Judge Smacks Down Augusta School Board in Free Speech Fight With “Cornpop” Blanchard…] In her professional capacity as a lawyer and state employee, Pierce testified on multiple bills related to cannabis policy, while in her private life, she is a radical leftist. In an old Facebook post from 2019, Pierce tried to fundraise for the Mable Wadsworth Center in Bangor, a “feminist health center” that provides abortions…

The Bangor Daily News meet-and-greet at the Bangor Public Library exceeded expectations on Thursday with a crowd size straying into the double digits. Some attendees even appeared below retirement age. [RELATED: Bangor Newspaper Company Has Received More Than $2.4M from Mills Admin for “Public Affairs”…] The paper held its event from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and invited its readers to come meet and speak with their editors while eating pastries and drinking coffee. Attendees were encouraged to ask questions and propose suggestions for what they’d like to see the outlet write about. The outlet also promised to have their…

The Bangor Police Department arrested two out-of-state men on Wednesday on kidnapping charges after they allegedly broke into a home and locked a woman in a bathroom. [RELATED: Massive Waldoboro Police Operation Leads to Arrest of New Yorker Charged with Kidnapping…] At approximately 6:38 p.m., the Bangor Police received reports of a break-in at a home on Essex Street. An investigation revealed that Michael Clark, 46, of Columbus, Ohio, and Dovan Campbell of Tpsilanti, Michigan, allegedly entered their victim’s home and threatened her, assaulted her, and locked her in her bathroom. The victim was able to escape from the building…

The Oxford Sheriff’s Department found two eight-year-old girls safe on Wednesday hours after they were reported missing from a Mexico school. [RELATED: Maine State Police Take Lead in Search for Missing Hampden Man Douglas Dunphy…] At approximately 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, a school resource officer working at the Mountain Valley Community School in Mexico learned that two eight-year-old students had run away from the school on foot. Both children are under the custody of the Maine Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) and live in Rumford. The Oxford Sheriff’s Department was alerted to the missing children hours after the…

The Androscoggin Sheriff’s Department is searching for two suspects after a cannabis shop in Turner was burglarized twice in one week by suspects driving stolen vehicles. [RELATED: Fire Marshal Investigating Early Morning Camper Fire in Turner That Killed Two Cats…] At approximately 12:56 a.m. on Thursday, April 30, Androscoggin deputies responded to 2742 Auburn Road, the home of 45 Degrees North Cannabis, after a burglar alarm went off. Two suspects allegedly forced entry to the building and fled in a white 2018 Toyota Highlander SUV before law enforcement arrived. That vehicle was later reported stolen from a home on Sanders…

Bath Iron Works secured a contract to construct the Navy’s next guided missile destroyer, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced on Wednesday. [RELATED: Platner Tries to Pin Iran War and Skyrocketing Gas Prices on Collins Despite Her Recent Vote to End Hostilities…] “Today, the U.S. Navy awarded Bath Iron Works a contract to build the next DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. This award is a testament to the highly skilled and hard-working men and women of BIW and once again shows that “Bath Built is Best Built,” said Sen. Collins. https://twitter.com/SenatorCollins/status/2052134475115499944 The new destroyer will be DDG-149, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile…

The Penobscot Sheriff’s Department arrested a Clifton man on Wednesday after he was reportedly found with a variety of drugs during a bail check. [RELATED: Three Arrested After Dropping Bag of Drugs in Auburn Liquor Store Parking Lot and Returning for Them Later…] Penobscot deputies conducted a bail compliance check on Brandon McCann, 30, of Clifton. During the search, deputies allegedly discovered 16.6 grams of crack cocaine, 17.6 grams of methamphetamine, and 26 methamphetamine pills. McCann was arrested without incident and charged with two counts of unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs and violating conditions of release. He was transported to…

The Massachusetts State Police is mourning after a decorated state trooper was killed early Wednesday morning by a wrong-way driver as he responded to a call minutes after his shift ended. [RELATED: Massachusetts Teen Flees Police in Maine and NH During Drugged Driving Pursuit Before Crashing Into an Overpass…] “Make no mistake: Trooper Trainor saved lives this morning. His courage – his commitment to serve the citizens of the Commonwealth and put his life on the line – prevented an even greater tragedy. He will be remembered as a hero,” said State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble. Trooper Kevin Trainor, 30,…

The Maine Fire Marshal’s Office arrested a Knox woman on Monday on charges of arson and attempted murder after she allegedly set a residence on fire with two people and several dogs in the house. [RELATED: St. Albans Woman Arrested After Assaulting Her Husband and Setting Their House on Fire…] At approximately 10:43 p.m. on Monday, a 911 caller reported a fire at a home at 1647 Bailey Road in Knox. The Knox Fire Department responded along with Waldo County Sheriff’s Deputies. The home’s residents were able to suppress the fire with water and a fire extinguisher before first responders…

As Graham Platner pivots towards a pitched battle against Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) after Gov. Janet Mills (D-Maine) dropped out of the race, he has worked to blame the incumbent for the Iran War despite her recent vote to end it. [RELATED: Collins Votes to End Iran War After Previous Vote to Allow It To Continue…] “Americans have already paid $24 billion more for gas at the pump since Donald Trump and Susan Collins started a war in Iran for no reason. Someone want to ask Susan Collins if she agrees affordability is just a hoax,” said Platner on X.…

The Maine Marine Patrol recovered the body of a sea kayaker on Tuesday after his family reported seeing his boat capsize. [RELATED: Marine Patrol Search of the Kennebec River for Missing Man Results in the Discovery of a Body…] The Maine Marine Patrol began searching for Jeffery B. Eaton, 55, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, at approximately 10:30 a.m. when family members reported him missing. They reported seeing his kayak overturn shortly after he launched near the end of Little Deer Isle’s Wiegand Place. The Maine State Police and Maine Marine Patrol Underwater Recovery Team initiated the search, using the Maine…

The Maine Department of Corrections (MDOC) released additional details on Tuesday related to the ongoing search for fugitive Brian Day, 45, who allegedly escaped from the Bolduc Correctional Facility in Warren. [RELATED: Convict Working Outside of Prison Under Maine’s Community Work Release Program Escapes…] The MDOC notified the public on Monday that Day had fled from a Thomaston jobsite while working in the community as an inmate of the minimum security Warren facility. Officials obtained an arrest warrant for Day and another warrant for Candice Fisher, 45, of New Hampshire, whom law enforcement believes to be assisting Day in his…

The Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office arrested a woman on an outstanding arrest warrant on Tuesday after she allegedly set her home on fire last month. [RELATED: New Hampshire Man Arrested in Lebanon Arson Case Involving Four Burned Vehicles…] Fire marshals arrested Lisa Hall, 61, of St. Albans on an arrest warrant charging her with arson and domestic violence assault in connection with an April 17 incident. On that day, the St. Albans Fire Department responded to a fire at a Grant Road residence. They requested assistance from fire marshal investigators due to the suspicious nature of the fire. During…

The Androscoggin Sheriff’s Department arrested a Warren man on Tuesday after he allegedly fled law enforcement in a vehicle stolen from a local car dealership. [RELATED: Benton Man Arrested on Five Outstanding Warrants After Fleeing Police in Stolen Car…] At approximately 8:14 a.m., Androscoggin Deputy Lance Neal was conducting routine traffic enforcement when he observed a black SUV traveling at high speed northbound on Maine Street in Poland. Neal attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver allegedly accelerated and fled. The suspect reportedly turned onto Aggregate Road and continued fleeing onto Poland Corner Road. He allegedly lost control of…

Law enforcement arrested a Benton man on Tuesday after he allegedly fled while driving a stolen vehicle and while wanted on five outstanding arrest warrants. [RELATED: Westbrook Police Make three Arrests After Recovering Four Stolen Vehicles…] At approximately 8:21 a.m., the Fairfield Police received a request from the Oakland Police Department to search the area of Mill Street in Fairfield for a stolen black 2022 GMC Sierra. Officers spotted the vehicle, but, as they arrived, the driver allegedly fled while operating erattically. Police attempted a a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT maneuver), but it failed to stop the suspect. The pursuit…

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employee from New Hampshire was arrested on Friday after he allegedly explicitly threatened to murder President Donald Trump. [RELATED: Another Assassination Attempt? Secret Service Shoots Armed Suspect Outside White House…] The federal employee, Dean DelleChiaie, 35, of Nashua, NH, allegedly used his government work computer for a variety of suspicious searches. Those included searches on how to sneak a firearm into a federal facility, the percentage of the population who wants President Trump dead, and a search for details on previous assassination attempts. He also allegedly used his government issued computer to search for the…

The Portland Police Department arrested a man on Saturday after he allegedly shot someone in both legs in Westbrook and assaulted another victim. [RELATED: Resident Arrested After Murdering Employee of Portland Shalom House Group Home…] At approximately 6:53 a.m., the Westbrook Police Department received a call from 156 Brighton Road reporting a disturbance possibly involving a weapon. While officers were responding, they received another call reporting gunshots from the residence. Officers arrived and immediately detained several people outside the residence. They made entry to the home and found one victim who had been shot in both legs and another who…

Secret Service agents shot and injured an armed suspect found near the White House on Monday after he allegedly shot at agents and injured a minor, just a week after the latest assassination attempt on President Donald Trump. [RELATED: Trump Evacuated Unharmed After Gunman Opens Fire at Washington Hilton, Same Hotel Where Reagan Was Shot Outside in 1981…] In a brief social media post, the Secret Service announced an officer-involved shooting at 15th Street and Independence Avenue, near the National Mall. https://twitter.com/SecretSvcSpox/status/2051394006488084815 They provided additional details in a press conference. Plain-clothes agents reportedly spotted a suspicious individual who appeared to…

The National Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) called Democratic Congressional Candidate Jordan Wood at 1:00 a.m. to inform him that they would be endorsing his primary opponent, Joe Baldacci. [RELATED: Dem Senate Candidate Jordan Wood’s “Courage” on Full Display as Staffer Bars Maine Wire Reporter from “Public” Town Hall…] “The DCCC called at 1am last night. I have a 16-month-old. I was asleep. Apparently, they’re endorsing my opponent. It doesn’t surprise me. It energizes me. Maine picks our nominees. Not DC. Our state has made that very clear,” said Wood on X. https://twitter.com/JordanWood/status/2051329198153740326 Wood claimed in his video that he…

The Portland Police Department arrested a resident of the city’s Shalom House on Monday after he allegedly stabbed and murdered an employee of the mental health support home. [RELATED: Portland Police Investigating Death at Shalom House Facility on Woodford Street…] Police responded at approximately 9:58 a.m. to the Shalom House at 503 Woodford Street for reports of a stabbing. The Shalom House is operated by a nonprofit and provides housing and support for Mainers living with mental health issues. When police arrived, they discovered that a male suspect had allegedly stabbed a 40-year-old female employee before leaving the building. The…

The Maine Department of Corrections (MDOC) is searching for an escapee who allegedly walked off a job site while he was working outside of jail during the day as part of the state’s community work release program. [RELATED: Maine Dep’t of Corrections Refuses Supervised Release Program for Prisoner Following Outcry from BLM Activists…] The MDOC is currently pursuing Brian Day, 45, who was an inmate at the Bolduc Correctional Facility in Warren. The Bolduc facility is a minimum security and pre-release facility where inmates can participate in the community work program, where they are allowed out during the day to…

A Union driver crashed through a home in Saint George on Saturday, leaving a 16-year-old passenger with life-threatening injuries and five other teenage passengers with less serious injuries. [RELATED: Windham Crash Sends Pickup Careening Through Commercial Building…] At approximately 12:05 a.m. the Knox Regional Communications Center recieved a report that a vehicle crashed through a home at the intersection of Sprce Head Road and Village Road in St. George. First responders arrived to discover multiple injured victims. One 16-year-old was transported by helicopter to a trauma center with life threatening injuries. Five other passengers, Aiden Stalcup, 18, of South Thomaston,…

Maine isn’t the only state where Somali immigrants have used the home health care system to draw millions in taxpayer funding. Daily Wire reporter Luke Rosiak revealed a similar scheme enriching immigrants in Ohio at the expense of taxpayers. [RELATED: Minnesotan Entrepreneurs Flock to Do Business from Westbrook Office Where Seven Home Care Providers Opened in 2025…] Rosiak spent two months trawling through Medicaid billing data published by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) before it shut down. Ohio, like Minnesota and Maine, has a waiver that allows home care providers to bill Medicaid for chores like cooking and cleaning,…

A group of seven Lewiston juveniles were arrested last week after they were allegedly caught on camera ganging up to beat a single victim the same week police dealt with a string of shootings. [RELATED: One Suspect Arrested Amid String of Shootings in Lewiston…] On Wednesday, the Lewiston Police Department became aware of a video circulating on social media depicting what appeared to be a violent attack. In the video, police allegedly saw a group of several juvenile males attacking a single victim. The incident was not reported to police at the time, but they launched an immediate investigation upon…

The U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias released a lengthy report last week detailing the myriad ways in which the Biden Administration’s policies targeted Christians. [RELATED: ‘Shocked,’ ‘Horrified,’ ‘Appalled’ — Emails Show Rabid Anti-Christian Backlash Against UMaine’s Hutchinson Center Sale to Calvary Chapel Belfast…] “No American should live in fear that the federal government will punish them for their faith,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “As our report lays out, the Biden Administration’s actions devastated the lives of many Christian Americans. That devastation ended with President Trump. The Department of Justice will continue to…

A tragic crash on Friday left a 53-year-old Saco man dead after he allegedly struck another vehicle head-on while passing. [RELATED: Windham Crash Sends Pickup Careening Through Commercial Building…] At approximately 6:51 a.m., the Saco police received reports of a crash in the area of 838 Portland Road in Saco. The Saco Police and Fire Department arrived on the scene. A preliminary investigation revealed that a gray Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Michael Petersen, 52, of Saco, was traveling northbound on Portland Road at the time of the crash. Petersen allegedly attempted to pass a tractor-trailer turning right into a…

ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) returned 26 ancient Greek artifacts to the Mediterranean nation last week after they were recovered in the U.S. [RELATED: Skowhegan Man Faces Grave Consequences After Vandalizing Cemetery…] “ICE HSI takes great pride in leveraging our investigative expertise and customs authority, along with our partners, that led to the repatriation of these 26 invaluable antiquities illicitly plundered from their homeland back to the people of Greece,” said ICE Deputy Director Charles Wall. “These treasured artifacts were a valued part of life in the ancient world. I am especially grateful to the investigative and prosecutorial team responsible…

A Chinese woman from New York pleaded guilty on Monday to drug possession charges related to her operation of two illegal marijuana grow houses, the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Department announced on Friday. [RELATED: Two Men Plead Guilty to Mortgage Fraud Connected to Chinese Operated Marijuana Grow Sites…] Ying Chen pleaded guilty to possession of scheduled drugs and admitted to criminal forfeiture of $4,232. She was sentenced to four years in prison, but all but 10 months were suspended, to be followed by three years of probation. She was also ordered to pay a measly $400 fine. Her associate, Dun Eng,…

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) identified a possible 900,000 metric ton deposit of lithium in the Northern Appalachians, with the largest concentrations in Maine and New Hampshire, which “could replace imports for a century or more.” [RELATED: How America Can Break Free From China’s Minerals Stranglehold…] “USGS mineral science is the leading edge in the effort to restore America’s mineral independence by mapping our nation’s mineral resources. Everything else follows on the science: permitting reform and other policy changes to support investment in clean, responsible mining to 21st-century standards, and mining workforce training for new American jobs. The United States was…

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) voted on Thursday in favor of a War Powers Resolution to end the war in Iran just ahead of the war’s 60-day mark despite an earlier vote to allow it to continue. [RELATED: Collins Votes Against Iran War Powers Resolution, Warns It Would “Send the Wrong Message” to Tehran…] “As I have said since these hostilities began, the President’s authority as Commander-in-Chief is not without limits. The Constitution gives Congress an essential role in decisions of war and peace, and the War Powers Act establishes a clear 60-day deadline for Congress to either authorize or end…

Ted Cohen contributed to this article. The Maine Warden Service is mounting a search operation on Saturday looking for a Franklin man who went missing in 2017. [RELATED: Missing Thomaston Father, Dorman’s Dairy Kin, Found Dead; Darryl Sanborn’s Cause of Death ‘Pending’…] Russell Burnett, 47, of Franklin, was first reported missing to the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department on February 23, 2017. He was last seen near his residence at 323 Eastbrook Road in Franklin two days before he was reported gone. Authorities believe he left home on foot with his dog. The investigation was deemed complicated, and the Maine State…

The Auburn Police Department arrested three suspects on Wednesday after they allegedly dropped a bag of drugs in a liquor store parking lot and returned for it moments before police arrived. [RELATED: Cape Elizabeth Man Arrested at Scarborough Hotel With $60k in Illegal Drugs and Three Pounds of Fentanyl…] At approximately 9:00 a.m., police responded to Lighthouse Discount Liquor at 301 Main Street. Staff reported that suspects in a pickup truck dropped a large bag of what appeared to be illegal drugs in the parking lot. A bystander allegedly witnessed the incident and secured the bag before alerting store staff,…

Amid a string of shootings reported across Lewiston on Thursday, police arrested one suspect for allegedly recklessly discharging a firearm. [RELATED: Shooting Rocks Lewiston as Platner, Bellows Plan Little Mogadishu Rally with Dark Money Allies…] At 2:10 p.m., police received reports of a shooting in the area of 235 Bartlett Street, prompting a significant police response and leading Lewiston Public Schools Superintendent Jake Langlais to notify families. https://twitter.com/TheMaineWire/status/2049929442080747874 He later said that a suspect was in custody but did not identify the alleged shooter. Police reported that they took the suspect, Nikolas Rancourt, 22, of Turner, into custody within minutes…

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) arrested a Cape Elizabeth man on Wednesday after he was allegedly found with $60,000 worth of illegal drugs at a Scarborough hotel. [RELATED: MDEA Arrests Suspects from Boston and Unity During Waterville Drug Bust…] MDEA agents worked with the Scarborough police to arrest Peter White, 48, of Scarborough, following a week-long drug investigation. Law enforcement began the investigation after receiving information that a man staying at a hotel on Payne Road in Scarborough was dealing drugs from his room. Officers then allegedly made undercover drug purchases from White at the hotel. He was arrested…

Gov. Janet Mills established a new “Maine Data Center Advisory Council” with an executive order on Friday following backlash from her own party over her decision to veto a controversial moratorium on data center construction. [RELATED: Maine Lawmakers Uphold Mills’ Surprise Veto of AI Datacenter Moratorium…] “It is necessary, important and urgent that the State plan for potential impacts of large-scale data centers on our state, given the serious conversations about them here and around the country. Through this order, this work starts today,” said Gov. Mills. “I look forward to this Council’s work to examine the serious questions and…

A Skowhegan man is facing grave consequences after he was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly vandalizing a graveyard. [RELATED: Love Wins? Oxford Police Searching for Vandals Responsible for Defacing Public Property with Message of Tolerance…] Over the past week, police have been investigating a series of incidents at the Southside Cemetery in which vandals destroyed headstones and angel statues. Following an investigation, Detective Sergeant Kelly Hooper and Detective Carolynn Taylor made contact with Christian Newton, 28, of Skowhegan. He was a person of interest following interviews conducted by other officers. Detectives arrested Newton on charges of aggravated criminal mischief, a…

A Windham crash sent a pickup truck careening through an empty commercial building on Wednesday after a driver allegedly failed to stop at a stoplight. [RELATED: Hermon Woman Indicted on Manslaughter Charges After Allegedly Causing Fatal Crash While Drunk-Driving…] At approximately 12:51 p.m., a Chevrolet Silverado operated by Lisa Wing, 25, of Naples, and a Toyota Tundra operated by Brandon Robbins, 38, of New Gloucester collided, resulting in injuries and prompting a police response. Police did not know the extent of the injuries at the time of the press release but did not believe them to be life-threatening. Preliminary investigation…

The Westbrook Police Department recovered four stolen vehicles and arrested three suspects on Sunday after two of them attempted to flee. [RELATED: Two Minors Arrested for String of Burglaries and Car Thefts Across Androscoggin and Cumberland Counties…] Police received a report of two vehicles being stolen from Jacqueline Way in Westbrook. Law enforcement was able to locate one of the vehicles on Teri Circle and the other at the Portland Motel 6. The investigation led officers to identify three suspects and to locate a third stolen vehicle that had been taken from Kittery and dumped at Teri Circle. While near…

The Bangor Police Department arrested a homeless man from Oregon on Monday after he allegedly assaulted a woman in broad daylight. [RELATED: Oregon Man Accused of Slamming Bangor Police Officer’s Head Into Pavement…] At approximately 1:06 p.m., Bangor police responded to an unspecified downtown resteraunt for where a woman reported that she had been assaulted. The victim claimed that a man followed her as she was walking away from the resturaunt and grabbed her. The woman was able to escape, and gave police a description of her alleged attacker. Police found a man matching the description nearby, and identified him…

The Auburn Police Department is investigating after they recovered a body from Lake Auburn on Wednesday. [RELATED: Missing Thomaston Father, Dorman’s Dairy Kin, Found Dead; Darryl Sanborn’s Cause of Death ‘Pending’…] At approximately 8:17 a.m., the Auburn Police and Auburn Fire Departments responded to a report of a body floating in Lake Auburn in the area of 166 Lake Shore Drive. A passing driver spotted the body and called police. Responders secured the area, and Auburn Fire and Rescue personnel deployed a rescue boat from the Route 4 boat launch and recovered the body. The body was transported to a…