DOVER-FOXCROFT, Maine — The chief pilot with the Maine Warden Service entered a not guilty plea to domestic violence assault and other charges during an appearance Monday in Piscataquis County Superior Court.
Charles Later, 54, of Shirley did not appear in court in person, but rather entered his pleas through his Bangor attorney, David Szewczyk, Piscataquis County District Attorney R. Christopher Almy said Monday afternoon.
In addition to domestic violence assault, Later has been charged with obstructing the report of a crime and criminal mischief, Almy said earlier this month.
Almy said that Later has requested a jury trial, which likely won’t take place until around November, based on the current court schedule.
What that means for Later’s work status was not immediately clear.
Szewczyk did not return a telephone call seeking comment Monday afternoon.
Later was charged on June 3, according to the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Department.
Almy said earlier this month that the charges stem from an investigation into an alleged assault on a woman at Later’s residence in Shirley.
He said that Later, who had been drinking, got into an altercation with the victim and while she was trying to call 911 for help, damaged the telephone and shoved her.
After his arrest, Later was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the sheriff’s investigation and a review by the Piscataquis County district attorney’s office, according to Cpl. John MacDonald of the Maine Warden Service, which is conducting its own independent investigation of the incident.
On Monday, MacDonald said he had no information about how Later’s plea would affect the status of his administrative leave with the warden service.
Later was hired as the warden service’s chief pilot in April 1999, according to a news story from the Bangor Daily News archives.
He first learned to fly with his father, who also was a Maine Warden Service pilot, and earned his pilot’s license at age 17.
Before he was hired by the warden service, Later was a pilot and director of maintenance for Folsom Air in Greenville and before that he worked in Aroostook County for Valley Airlines and in Portland for Maine Aviation.
In 2009, he was named the Maine Warden Service’s Supervisor of the Year for “his expertise in aviation, fiscal responsibility and supervision of two MWS pilots who provide all of the aviation needs for the MWS throughout the state.”
According to the state’s website, the Maine Warden Service’s Aviation Division consists of three aircraft and three full-time pilots, each of whom also is a sworn game warden.
See ya later,Later!
Nice 1
If found innocent, does that mean the accuser is guilty? Where does a person like this go to get back his good name, will the outcome ever receive the constant attention the accusation has received, and why is BDN reporting it as a lead gory-story? This is not responsible reportage. It is merely a domestic problem.
Defendants are not “found innocent”, they are found not guilty. A person can be as guilty as the day is long, but still be found not guilty in a court of law. Also, to say that (within the context of the story) this “…is merely a domestic problem.”, is disrespectful, and diminishes victims of domestic violence. I wonder if you would consider the situation that happened to the Lake family in Dexter last spring to be merely a domestic problem.
I don’t, but remember, he’s innocent until proven guilty. It’s not the French legal system here and he’s being kicked around the paper like he’s guilty. Remember, too, that it takes two to tango. Men usually resort to physical abuse and women to emotional abuse. Which is worse? Considering it a domestic issue is not disrespectful, it is a way of taking it out of the headlines as a pre-trial guilt verdict and placing it squarely in the context of what it is, i.e. a domestic problem. Your reaction makes you sound like a recipient of domestic violence, too, an over the top commentary on someone you don’t know but feel fully justified in judging. I don’t like or encourage any sort of physical or emotional abuse, but do respect the fact that many are fingered and not guilty.
Did you really just ask “which is worse?” You must be kidding, right?
It’s actually a good question. If the man was emotionally abusing the wonan, he would still be just as much a monster in the eyes of public opinion.
So, if he is a monster for emotional abuse, and a monster for physical abuse, which is worse?
NOPE
Yeesh, you’re right. Pointing out two flaws in your comment, one factual, and one insensitive, and ignorant is pretty judgey. Lock me up and throw away the key Yer Honah.
it takes two to tango???
blaming domestic abuse on the victim????
absurd!
If he has a pending trial he shoudl NOT be allowed to continue working as a le.
Innocent before proven guilty.
If the accuser is lying, then she should show this poor guy where he can go to get his reputation back (good luck).
If he is lying, there is NO excuse for domestic violence, and he should face the full penalty of the law.
If he’s lying and is found guilty, he should be required to pay back the salary that he’s currently drawing to sit at home.
This pilot who has consistently and willingly put his job first, sacrificing family and holidays for others who are in trouble or have gone missing… I imagine the last thing he wants to be doing is sitting at home. He is caught up in a domestic issue… and we don’t know much other than that.
What award of the year will he get now?
“What that means for Later’s work status was not immediately clear. After his arrest, Later was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the sheriff’s investigation…….” Kinda answered the question all in one article.
The worst that might happen is Later will get a “paid vacation” while the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Department investigates. On the other hand, I know of at least one other case involving a game warden accused of domestic violence (involving a hand gun) permanently lost his law enforcement certification and was terminated. While our law enforcement personnel should be held to a higher standard, he should still have his day in court.
The wardens must be getting pretty frustrated not having any cops or veterans to shoot.
Domestic Violence laws are intended to maximize government involvement in personal relationships. Another DV incident on the front page reports a 75 year old man shot dead by cops as the result of a verbal arguement between him and a woman. Those who will surely say he was killed because he shot at the border partol cops have no perception of Liberty…
I will concede I do not know Liberty but, shooting at law enforcement of any kind, will get you gunfire back.
Thank you for showing a photograph of the suspected perpetrator of this horrible crime. As I have said in another forum, if you are going to post the pictures of alleged prostitutes consistently, it is only fair to post the pictures of alleged wife beaters consistently. This is fair and more ethical policy, and appreciated, I’m sure, by the many many women (and men) whose lives are impacted directly or indirectly by this prevalent sort of violence.
It doesn’t exactly state that he beat her in this article. It says there was an altercation and when the victim tried to call 911 the phone was damaged and she was shoved. How are any of us sure she was a victim of domestic abuse? Don’t get me wrong, I am fully not a supporter of any type of abuse, but I need more facts before I can pass an opinion on about him.
alleged is the key word here..
Women can call the cops on men for anything. Your Honor he switch the channel while I was watching the Kardashians reality show..
Guilt as charged…
You cannot satisfiy some women and they find that abusive.
This man has served his state well and there are two sides to each story and incident. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and should be able to defend himself and his reputation. There truly are some instances when a person is wrongly accused or it is overblown. Let Mr. Later have his day in court and do not try him in the media. Some of these respondents make me ill.