BREWER, Maine — Two men have been charged in connection with a Halloween night armed robbery at the Family Dollar store in Brewer, police Capt. Jason Moffitt said Friday.

Charles Dion, 20, of Glenburn and Jesse Hatch, 19, of Eddington spent Thanksgiving in Penobscot County Jail after being arrested on armed robbery charges late Wednesday.

Two men wearing masks entered the store, located in a corner spot in the Brewer Shopping Center off Wilson Street, at around 7:20 p.m. Oct. 31.

They approached the front cash registers, Moffitt said.

“At least one was armed with a knife and demanded cash,” he said. “Cash was produced and they fled the scene.”

Two store clerks were working at the time of the incident, but no one was hurt.

The fact that it was Halloween and lots of people were wearing masks made the investigation difficult, but “evidence started to accumulate very early on in the investigation,” Moffitt said.

He credited the work of Detective Nelson Feero and Detective Sgt. Jay Munson, who led the investigation.

Two others, Jason Goodin, 19, of Holden and Raeleigh Hill, 18, of Eddington, who did not enter the store, also have been charged with Class B felony robbery in connection with the Halloween night holdup.

Goodin and Hill were not taken into custody.

Armed robbery is a Class A felony, which carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000. Class B crimes carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000.

Dion and Hatch are being held at Penobscot County Jail, each with a cash bail of $15,000.

In addition to the armed robbery, Dion faces charges related to other burglaries, car burglaries and vehicle thefts dating back to last May, Moffitt said.

Detectives also expect to charge two other suspects in relation to those other burglaries and car crimes, he said.

“Approximately 30 thefts, [and] motor vehicle” crimes were uncovered in the lengthy robbery investigation, Moffitt said.

“An extremely large number of interviews had to be done” to connect all the crimes, he said. “The persistence paid off Wednesday afternoon.”

Dion, Hatch, Goodin and Hill are scheduled to appear in Penobscot County Superior Court in Bangor on Feb. 27, 2009. Personnel at the Penobscot County District Attorney’s Office are expected to review the case and possibly modify or add to the charges, Moffitt said.

nricker@bangordailynews.net

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