PORTLAND, Maine — An Augusta man charged with stealing mail in southern Maine and altering checks meant to pay bills made his first court appearance Tuesday in U.S. District Court.
Robert Ryan Pomerleau, 31, is charged with theft of mail.
He was arrested Monday in New Hampshire. The circumstances of Pomerleau’s arrest were not made public.
The investigation into Pomerleau’s activities began in July after Augusta police arrested a man who said that he had cashed checks for Pomerleau, according to the complaint. The Bangor Daily News is not naming the man, who told investigators about the alleged scheme because he has not been charged in connection with Pomerleau’s alleged thefts.
Pomerleau allegedly would steal mail from individuals and businesses that contained checks meant to pay bills. He is suspected of using utility knives to scrape the name off the payee line of the stolen checks, then using a manual typewriter to type in the name of an accomplice or an alias he used, the complaint said. Pomerleau or an accomplice then would cash the checks.
The Augusta man on Tuesday did not enter a plea to the charge because he has not yet been indicted by a federal grand jury. He is being detained pending a bail hearing set for Oct. 15.
If convicted, Pomerleau faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He also could be ordered to pay restitution.