DEXTER, Maine — A domestic violence call led to nearly 200 marijuana plants being confiscated recently.

Dexter police Chief Kevin Wintle said he and Sgt. Alan Grinnell responded a domestic violence assault call at 10:20 a.m. Aug. 31. The assault happened the previous night at the Center Street building, which houses two apartments.

“On our arrival, the female victim had visible facial injuries,” said Wintle on Saturday. “She said her live-in boyfriend had just left.”

Wintle said the victim told Grinnell that another man was inside the apartment and he received her permission to search the residence.

“While the ambulance was assisting her, we went inside to see who the person was and if he was OK,” said Wintle.

In searching the west-side apartment, Wintle said he came across an indoor marijuana growing operation. Wintle and Grinnell went back downstairs to again talk with the victim.

“She gave us consent to find [the man who lived in the neighboring apartment], because he knew what was going on,” said Wintle.

Wintle went to talk with Gregory Bohan, 49, in the east-side apartment.

“He was being uncooperative and stated he heard yelling and screaming last night and that he had turned his TV up so he didn’t have to deal with it,” said Wintle.

While talking with Bohan, Wintle said he smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the apartment. Bohan eventually consented to a search after Grinnell told him they would get a search warrant if they had to.

“He let us into his apartment and there were several glass bottles of processed marijuana. There were also 63 marijuana plants growing in different rooms with numerous lighting equipment,” said Wintle.

Bohan was summoned for Class D cultivating marijuana, a misdemeanor. He’s due to appear at Newport District Court on Oct. 17.

Wintle and Grinnell also secured the marijuana growing operation in the victim’s apartment next door. In the west-side apartment, they recovered 128 marijuana plants with numerous growing lights and paraphernalia.

Wintle said the street value of the 191 marijuana plants and other marijuana confiscated was about $60,000.

Wintle and Grinnell went back to the victim’s apartment on Sept. 4 to do a follow up interview.

“We spoke to the victim at the door, she said everything was all set and that she was fine,” said Wintle. “She still had visible marks on her face. I didn’t have a good feeling about the situation.”

On a hunch, Wintle and Grinnell drove away. Wintle parked his cruiser in St. Ann’s Church parking lot and watched the apartment, because he said he saw a vehicle belonging to the victim’s boyfriend.

“I saw the vehicle moving in the driveway and back out about 25 minutes after I spoke to the victim,” said Wintle. “He came straight at me, not seeing where I was parked. I pulled out and the vehicle passed me. I recognized the individual.”

The driver was Donald Murdoch, who turns 47 on Sunday.

“Murdoch took an abrupt left after passing me to the upper St. Ann’s parking lot,” Wintle continued. “I radioed Grinnell to shut off the lower exit. I turned my car around and boxed Murdoch in.”

Wintle and Grinnell ordered Murdoch out of the car and onto the ground.

Murdoch was arrested and charged with domestic assault. He was later charged with Class C cultivating marijuana, a felony. A cultivating marijuana charge is escalated from a misdemeanor to a felony if the suspect has 100 or more plants.

Murdoch was taken to Penobscot County Jail in Bangor, and has since bailed out.

Wintle said his department has stepped up patrols in regards to drug enforcement.

“Since taking the chief’s role back in June and working for the department for 20-plus years, I’m going to have a zero tolerance policy for any type of drug activities. We’re building a strong team and we’re going to be very vigilant and proactive about it,” said Wintle.

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110 Comments

  1. to bad dover foxcroft can not accomplish anywear the things dexter can. it is great a 2 hour traffic patrol in the mornig spent with a offficer can result in nothing. Has there been any presence of the upper ranks of the Dover PD since the infamous shooting??

    1. Why not find out the actual value at the medical marijuana store instead of the street value from Chief Wintle?

  2. The Dover PD is fine, particularly Sgt. Lyford and Chief Dyer.  The problem law enforcement agency is down the street, due to inarguable leadership incompetence on the part of the top two officers.  Way down the street in Dexter, Chief Wintle and Sgt. Grinnell, and their entire crew, deserve limitless credit for what they are doing in Dexter and they will hopefully be recognized for it by 100% of the Town Council.

    The only error during the “infamous shooting” on November 29th was by the Sheriff, not by Dover PD and not by Trooper Brown, but the AG has not had the guts or capability to deal with it by pulling his certification and removing him from office.

    It is my hope that Donald Murdoch’s bail conditions state specifically that he is to stay completely out of Dexter, and that if he violates that condition he will be held without bail until trial.

    Barry Baird proved what happens when the assaulter reconnects with the assaultee. And the death of Caryl Baird in Sebec Lake on August 14th proves that…despite the idiocy of the death investigation conclusion.

    1.  Is the “problem agency” you refer to Milo?  Since you’re posting here under an alias why not say it plain so we can all understand your point.   Enlighten us please.   And well done to the Dexter crew. 

      1.  Actually, he is referring to the Piscataquis County Sheriffs Office, who he blames for the murders of Amy Lake and her children.    He also consulted with Dexter to hire Wintle, so he is going to sing his praises.  Dexter PD. like many small town PD’s has a tough job to do with the resources they have (or more importantly, lack).  They are to be commended for their efforts.  However, bfgaz needs to get out of his monday morning quarterback armchair, get re-certified and get back in the game if he thinks he can do a better job than the Sheriff or any other active law enforcement official.  Oh that’s right, he makes about 10 times that of a police officer in this state by- ahem- consulting.  How’s Arizona treating you Brian?

    2.  what are you talking about? error by the sheriff? he tried to end the incident without further bloodshed I wouldn’t call that an error. I also don’t think trooper brown made an errors either, he acted with all the knowledge available to him at the time and took action to end the threat.

  3. How much are 2 inch plants worth??? I understand they weigh the roots and dirt also… Hey man anyone have a root ball!!!

    1.  Yeah, and noticed how they watered them just before taking the pictures.

      “Well, she’s a little dry, better add some water to bring the weight up.”

    1.  Growers make Growers look bad. They are all dirtbags – this one just happened to be a woman beater as well.

  4. Now I am not one to see domestic abusers walk and I have no desire to get into the whole legalize argument, however, sorry to say but if this is how things went down then this will be dumped in court. ” Bohan eventually consented to a search after Grinnell told him they would get a search warrant if they had to.”  Consent must be voluntary and “free of coercion” in order for it to be upheld, time for Wintle to send Grinnell back for some basic training and understanding of the document known as the Constitution.   If you are going to do it, then at least do it right. 

    1. Go back to law school.  There was no coercion in that statement by the Sergeant.  I assume your view is that that telling the drunk driver to get out of the car for a field sobriety test is coercion as well, making the field sobriety test unconstitutional and the results of it inadmissable. It is clear that the Sergeant knows all about this and you know nothing.

      1. Never been to law school, but had plenty of other training.  There is case law about using the threat of a warrant to obtain consent, and it does not work out well for the state.  If however the Sgt had probable cause he could have prevented anyone from re-entering the residence while he applied for a warrant, thus “seizing” the home, which would be in line with the 4th amendment.  Instructing a driver to exit a vehicle, after an officer has an articulable suspicion  that the driver is impaired is not coercion, rather an “investigatory detention”, the definition of “reasonable search” is different when in a vehicle as opposed to a home as we have a different expectation of privacy in each.  Again, if this happened as the BDN claims the Sgt is in the wrong. 

        1. Your response bfgaz….he is right. The cop to the easy way and a lawyer will have a field day with this. However, clearly he is a drug dealer and this I am sure would have ended up in kids hands. They should have taken the higher road so they would get a conviction. But, I am sure the DA with threaten felony prison  time, plea it down just to avoid a whole messy trail. Hopefully the lawyer will convince not to plea it down, fight it on a 4th amendment violation. Gotta play by the rule boys…

  5. “Wintle said the street value of the 191 marijuana plants and other marijuana confiscated was about $60,000.”

    Really? Cause I don’t see anything worth a dollar. I’m not really up on my pot culture, but most people don’t smoke stems, right?

  6. Yes, the majority of marijuana users want marijuana legalized.  And, the majority of shoplifters want shoplifting legalized.  As well, the majority of domestic violence perpetrators want domestic violence legalized.  Additionally, the majority of law enforcement agencies and officers who refuse to execute Firearms Relinquishment Orders want Firearms Relinquishment Orders eliminated.  Let’s just leave all of the inmates in charge and watch the disintegration of quality of life, and ability to keep living, diminished in Maine.

    1. As far as arguments go for perpetuating the status quo regarding marijuana policy, your argument by far is the most enlightening that I’ve heard thus far. I’d really love to hear what your definition of “quality of life” is too because I’m sure we’d all be much better off in our “quality of life” if we all held ourselves to your minimum standards for excellence, whatever they may be. The only real improvement I wish I had in my “quality of life” is that I wish there were more people like you out there that can tell me just exactly how I should live my life too; after all, freedom is the satisfaction of doing what you’re told!

  7. Every time a story about marijuana is on here there are a lot of people advocating the legalization.  I could care less either way my self, but if you want to make that change then people need to make that change happen, it definitely sounds like there is a large enough group of people for it, so it’s time for people to take the next step and get political , unless they are too pie-eyed to take it seriously enough past just talking about it.  If people want things to change they need to be that change.

      1. What good is it to have high in the sky apple pie hopes if you lack the motivation to see your high hopes through?   People who wish for the legalization of marijuana are too busy using marijuana to be bothered with having to beg for the government to grant them the freedom to use marijuana without being arrested, obviously….

      2. Louis Armstrong smoked pot every day of his long, happy life (from the time of his early teens).  Pot is used by a lot of people to get physical work done happily, just the opposite of killing motivation.  It’s used creatively by many people.

        If anything should be banned it’s alcohol.  But we saw how well that worked out, huh?  Same should be for cannabis.  

  8. Cannabis ‘lowers IQ levels’Cannabis destroys brain power and lowers IQ, a study has found.

    The drug is already known to slow reaction times, block memory and cause panic attacks, drowsiness, confusion and hallucinations.But smoking cannabis five times a week can also have a measurable effect on intelligence……………But there were signs that young people who had smoked cannabis for up to three years could regain their IQs if they gave up.

    AS REPORTED IN:Bangor Daily News (Bangor)Kennebec Journal (Augusta)Morning Sentinel Online (Northern Kennebec Valley)Portland Press Herald 
    ABCNEWSBBCBOSTON GLOBEBOSTON HERALDBREITBARTCBS NEWCHICAGO SUN-TIMESCHICAGO TRIBCHRISTIAN SCIENCECNBCCNNCNN POLITICAL TICKERDAILY BEASTFORBESFOXNEWSHUFFINGTON POSTLA DAILY NEWSLA TIMESMEDIA WEEKMSNBCNATIONNEW YORKNY DAILY NEWSNY OBSERVERNY POSTNY TIMESNEW YORKERNEWSBUSTERSNEWSBYTESNEWSMAXNEWSWEEKPEOPLEPHILLY INQUIRERPHILLY DAILY NEWSSAN FRAN CHRON[UK] DAILY MAIL[UK] TELEGRAPHUS NEWSUSA TODAYWALL STREET JOURNALWASH EXAMINERWASH POSTWASH TIMESWEEKLY STANDARDWORLD NET DAILY
    …and 400 other news media outlets on planet earth

    http://www.google.com/news?ncl=dY8V1gboDjgUiwMOC5MNi9_q7PwVM&q=Cannabis+'lowers+IQ+levels'&lr=English&hl=en

    1.  This explains some people I know – paranoid and skittish and lowered IQ from all the marijuana use  – but somehow  “it’s harmless” many of the self-enlightened on here will state. I wish I had a dollar for every arrest made in Maine where marijuana was confiscated from the perpetrator. But no – we are supposed to believe the vast majority of pot smokers are highly productive citizens who contribute to society.

      1. The vast majority of pot smokers, usually live in economically depressed areas. It is like the egg and the chicken story of which came first.
         Which came first , the pot smokers or the economically depressed area.

        1. You continually rant on every media outlet in Maine.  You make no sense and epitomize the worse kind of people in Maine and the nation. You are a fool and should get back on the shortbus and take a ride back to Massachusetts were you came from.

    2. IQ tests are generally thought to be very poor tools for measuring intellect by psychologists, but they do impress laymen like the fanatical anti-drug warriors like skowheganresisdent. Tests show that IQ peaks in the mid twenties and declines. Additionally, other human activities can cause decline in IQ. This study failed to acknowledge either of these facts and attributes any decline in IQ to cannabis use.

    3. When I commission a study I tell them where I want the results to end. make it happen… Nobody says no to money and thus a study complete with results… Please word the pole to reflect the results I want.

      1. Something tells me skowheganresident would love this “documentary”.

        Be very wary of those closet smokers. The movie portrays them as the worse kind. Smoke a joint, hammer on a piano, then kill somebody. Scary stuff.

  9. In dexter ? Shocking I tell ya shocking drive straight through town and ya still mIGt end up stoned in that town

  10. In the early 1980s, the ‘Dumbing down of America’ began. The goal was to get Americans as dumb as possible so the outside world could come into the USA and take over, and turn the USA into a multicultural country.   The movement to change public opinion towards legalizing marijuana to help put the final stake into what is left of this country is part of the dumbing down process of the past 30 years

    Take a look at the dummies in the State and country in 2012 after 30 years of dumbing down the schools and dumbing down the USA.  Its working.

    1. Interesting.  I agree:  the same people who are bringing it in, are the same people making it illegal. .

      1. Bingo!. except the government likes herion better to import.. Kennedys made there millons in illegal booze.

    2.  …that dumming down, you speak of,  think these highly successful people were part of the dumming down society???  Bill Clinton – president, Rhodes scholar at oxford, pimp-daddy

      Barack Obama –  acting president, Harvard law grad

      All Four Beatles

      Led Zeppelin

      Miles Davis

      Actually, pretty much any musician whose music you’ve ever liked… probably smoked it

      Carl Sagan – noted atheist and science writer

      George Washington – founding father, smoker, grower, gay – what a man!

    3. Exactly Ronald Reagan started trend – A Republican traitor who started the dumb ball rolling  we are now so stupid in Maine that we actually elected a mentally challenged adult as governor …now that’s dumbbed down 

    4. America was already plenty dumb in the 1980s.  If you think we’re dumber now then you need to get out more.  We’re still leading the world in medical and technological innovations.  Why?  In large part because we STILL have the world’s best university system and we STILL attract the best and brightest from around the world for our quality of life.

      If anything has changed its that we now use stupid people for entertainment – i.e. Reality TV, Jerry Springer, etc.  There have always been plenty of uneducated, unintelligent, or misguided people in our society, it just used the be uncouth to ridicule them.  Now that’s all you see on the TV.

  11. You believe in a democracy – not a true republic where we have real laws to protect the public from the power exerted by the tyranny of a few as our Founders described. A democracy is very dangerous – we need rule of law to protect us from what is becoming a large number of morons who have the capacity to drive to to the voting both – some under the influence of methadone or marijuana. Libertarian world views only lead to anarchy and complete cultural destruction. Again – America is a REPUBLIC – we have checks and balances for a reason.

    1.  Libertarian views are supportive of a republic system of  governance. Government is most effective and representative at the lowest levels. Reducing the size of federal government in favor of state county municipal government is not anarchy. but by all means continue to believe everything you see and hear on CNN and FAUX news, the demonizing of logic and pragmatism that the libertarian party present.

      1. Republics, as evidinced by the good ‘ol USA, can and are often quite large, where they then trend toward oligarchy or aristocracy.  “Municipalism” and “The Republic” are not the same structure on different scales; there are vast differences regarding how the individual parrticipates and is represented in either. 

        I agree with your general sentiment, but this whole republic thing is one of our biggest problems at present.  Our representatives all seem to be morally, if not intellectually, bankrupt.

    2. Actually – your line of thinking (that a few guys with big ideas should make all the rules) led to the American Revolution.  I’m thrilled that you think you have some vast wisdom that the masses don’t have.  Just stay out of the way.

      1. Decriminalization is not legalization. Amsterdam has had to toughen their laws due to criminal activity. They have to obtain a id card to go in a smoke shop now. Some middle east Countries use the seeds in cooking and India allows smoking, but there are laws on the amount you can have for personal use.

        1. “Amsterdam has had to toughen their laws due to criminal activity. They have to obtain a id card to go in a smoke shop now.”

          Holland toughened cannabis laws due to pressure from the US and Britain. The ID law was proposed but did not pass, instead a law was passed making the coffee shops into members only clubs, with membership only being available to Dutch citizens.

        2. By the same token, regulation is not prohibition.  Much like alcohol, guns or driving here in the states – legal as long as you are responsible and/or have a permit if necessary.

    1. “No Country has legalized Marijuana.”

      Cultivation and possession are legal in Spain, Czechoslovakia and some Islamic nations. Possession is legal in Uruguay. 

      In any case, when legalization passes in Oregon and Colorado (and maybe Washington state, although the poll number are less certain there) this fall, it’s all over for the anti-Cannabis crowd.

  12. You don’t have facts, you have a poll count.  Soon, your generation and it’s lack of wisdom will take over,  and you and yours will be able to ruin this country as you see fit.  Until then, your idea’s will stay in a cage where they belong. 

    1.  if reefer being legalized or more likely decriminalized is what you think is going to ruin this country you need to pull your head out of the sand.

    2. My generation is actually running this country now.  For someone questioning the validity of my facts, you are making some pretty big assumptions.

      1.  I, for one do not question the validity of your facts; the fact that your generation is running the country….IS QUITE OBVIOUS!!!!!

    3. Thats the same thing every older generation has said to every younger generation for centuries.  Frankly, despite small dips and dives, which our memory loses over time, I believe this country is better off than it was 100 or 50 years ago. 

  13. I don’t do drugs or drink. But I know what weed looks like in all it forms.. I can’t see $200 worth of weed here.. They should arrest him for abuse and being st-pid.. not for a bunch of plants that are probably half if not more males.. which render them usless.

  14. I guess the DV victim doesn’t get charged although some of the plants are in her apartment. I agree with some other posters that the charges might get tossed for at least one of them. They should have secured the scene while they got a search warrant. They could have asked for assistance from the county sherriff and/or state police in order to do it the right way.

    Anyway, the feds can always take over a case because state law can’t trump federal law. They probably don’t want this one because of the way it was handled. The DEA website shows the penalties based on the number of plants. Notice that over 100 plants has a minimum prison sentence even for first offenders. I wonder if the DV victim knew she was risking up to 20 years in federal prison by allowing more than 50 plants to be grown in her apartment.

    http://www.justice.gov/dea/druginfo/ftp3.shtml

  15. “You can’t just make things up to support your views and think that we’re going to believe you.”

    Why not? Lies have been the basis for Prohibition for a century.

  16. If an act causes no harm to anyone other than the user it should not be illegal.  All victimless crimes should be repealed.  We have way to many laws in this country!

  17. I bet the domestic issues were alcohol related and the peaceful stoner pays the price . Alcohol kills more people every year than any other drug. The Chief’s pledge is useless to me when the worst of the worst is on every corner and TV add.
    Wouldn’t it be nice to live in an alcohol free zone…..
    PS        A question to the chief in Dexter…How many domestics do you get called to that are a result of marijuana use?

    1. Although it was made clear that Dexter PD happened onto the pot growing operation secondary to the domestic violence complaint response, please know that domestic violence results solely and exclusively from the perpetrator.  The likelihood of being high on anything when the victim is punched, shot or thrown down the stairs is the same as the likelihood that it is raining outside, that meatloaf was eaten for dinner, or that shorts are being worn at the time of the felonious assault.

      I am told that there is much information not included in this article and the only thing that matters is that the felonious domestic violence assault took place and that conviction must now occur as a result.  To me, the case of the greatest criminal importance here is the domestic violence assault.  But, high five to Dexter PD for taking out 2 birds with one stone.

      Let’s all hope that Chris Almy can get recommitted to agressive prosecution activities instead of taking the easy way out as has become his habit in his two counties.  Remember the domestic violence case he decided to drop almost one year ago out of Dexter despite the associated physical trauma?

      1.  “please know that domestic violence results solely and exclusively from the perpetrator.”

        Incorrect.  Domestic violence is almost always a matter of “mutual complicity” in that both combatants participate in an escalating series of verbal emotional and physical assault crimes against each other.     This woman, we don’t know here name because she’s being referred to as “victim” – should be arrested for the pot plants too!   The pot plants that she permitted to be grown in the residence she rented.  Or, more likely, the residence the taxpayers are furnishing her.    She should not be allowed to pretend to be a victim thereby insulated from criminal culpability in the drug growing operation.   

         Notice how the police stake out the place and arrest the guy living with her, despite her declining to remain a victim in the DV case for them, but the cops ignore her?    How dumb can this guy be?  The broad he moved in with to start growing pot plants,  calls the police to the residence, and they confiscated all the pot plants and horticulture supplies but leave the girl alone, and he sticks around?  Waiting for the police to bag him?   

  18. Umm, now we know the source of thinking.  Recently there was an article about people who smoke pot lowering their IQ and being lazy.

  19. i think they got the value wrong.
    it would be total value = pot price + munchies + tax on munchies. so this litterally cost the state and businesses more than it was worth to get rid of it.

  20. Lots of domestic assaults take place where illegal activities are going on. It is a major warning that something may be going on that should be investigated further.

  21. Great drug bust story by Alex.  All the intricate and unsavory details – drugs  galore, and an epic and  successful stake out.  

    Other than the poor woman getting beaten up, it ended on a high note. Unusual today as we try to keep our heads above the whiff of Pot, zapped out Monkey Dust users, and our butts clear of getting stuck with a syringe. Who knows what’s next – ducking a fusillade of lead from a disgruntled unpaid drug dealer?   

    Dexter should be proud of its tiny police force.  Especially proud of Chief Wintle’s declaration to  have zero tolerance for drug activities in Dexter.  Hopefully, other communities – police and especially families – will share his dedication and enforce the same goal: Zero tolerance.

    Pot, Cocaine, Bath Salts – what a way to live.  I prefer sea air, mussels, crab legs, lobster, clams, oysters, and – whoops – scallops.  I’ m also hooked on Salmon, Flounder, Haddock, Harbor Pollack, Shrimp and Tuna.  Oh, and by the way – either a baked Aroostook Russet,or, side of County French Fries.  

    With so much good stuff – why puff away a good life?

     

  22. This all really comes down to a simple yes or no question: do we, as individuals, have the right to decide what we put into our bodies? If you look at prohibition and the war on drugs, it becomes obvious that the vast majority of America’s drug problem is prohibition related.

  23. anyone who smokes pot… i dare you to do one thing… set a camcorder up and have a conversation with someone for about a halfhour… then smoke a joint and have another conversation for a halfhour… then compare… i dare you….notice the obvious difference. everyone who i know who smokes pot says there is no difference. but when they talk to me stoned.. i see a marked difference in the speech and thinking process.   and by the way i have nothing against pot for medical reasons.

    1. I dare you to do the same, but instead of smoking a joint, drink a 6-pack.  I know which state I would prefer to be in.

      1. personally i dont do either, so a moot point for me. but i do agree that drinking is worse. my point to what i said was for the people who say pot does nothing to them… i beg to differ.

  24. if i see anyone using or selling pot, i will call the cops on you.
    i dont care if your a juvenile,teenager,adult,black or white,gang
    member, motorcycle club member, hispanic gang member,
    ANYONE, NO EXCEPTIONS. if i see anyone using or  selling drugs , i 
    will report you to the cops

    1. and when I see someone like you have a drink or 3 at dinner, or drinking beer at your backyard BBQ, I promise I will be the first to call you in.  Hope you can blow either a 0.0 or make bail

  25. Don’t compare a marijuana user to a bath salt zombie or a crackhead that’s a very shortsighted comparison, some of the most hard working, intelligent, tax paying, and otherwise law abiding people I’ve met through the years use marijuana. Not to mention music from the 60’s-90’s would of stunk had those musicians not been higher than a giraffes derriere.

  26. Legalize it.  Tax it.  Anyone under 21 caught with it gets an automatic 48 in jail and a $1000 fine.

    60k in street value?  Somewhere in Hampden, Maine, the teenagers are weeping. 

  27. LOL  60k street value for 191 immature bud less plants ummmm  not hardly–immature plants are worthless —moneys in the buds—bud.

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