ELLSWORTH, Maine — Criminal defendants accused of committing gross sexual assault and aggravated trafficking in drugs were among those indicted this month by a Hancock County grand jury.
Arson, several burglaries and thefts, assault, criminal trespass, criminal mischief and receiving stolen property also are among the alleged crimes that appear on the Aug. 5 indictment list.
Sheldon Alley, 30, of Jonesport was indicted on a Class A charge of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs in connection with a drug bust this winter in Eastbrook.
According to Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Jan. 15 at a house on Webb Pond Road, where Alley was living at the time. During the search, officers found 115 grams of heroin valued at $40,000, $2,200 in cash from alleged drug sale proceeds, a video surveillance system, and two firearms, police have said.
Alley also was indicted on three Class B counts of unlawful trafficking in drugs and on a civil charge of criminal forfeiture. Convictions for Class A crimes in Maine are punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. Class B crimes can result in a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
Also indicted last week on a Class A charge of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs was Ronald G. Brown, 59, of Sullivan. Brown was arrested last October when, while investigating an alleged distribution network for a synthetic drug known as Methylone or “Molly,” MDEA executed a search warrant at Brown’s home on Ashville Road. Agents found 3 ounces of Molly with a street value of $6,000 that had been recently shipped to Sullivan and was being packaged for resale, police have said.
Thomas P. White, 57, of Dedham was indicted on multiple drug charges in connection with a drug bust in April at his home on Allen Road. In that case, Maine State Police troopers say they found bath salts with an estimated street value of $68,000, two long guns, around $800 in cash, and other drugs including heroin, marijuana and illegally obtained prescription medication in White’s home while they were responding to a loud noise complaint.
White was indicted on two Class B felony charges of aggravated unlawful furnishing of scheduled drugs, two Class C felony charges of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, one Class C felony charge of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, one Class D misdemeanor charge of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, one Class D misdemeanor charge of illegal possession of hypodermic apparatuses, one Class E misdemeanor charge of violating conditions of release and two civil charges of criminal forfeiture.
In Maine, convictions for Class C crimes are punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Class D crimes carry a maximum possible penalty of 364 days in jail and a fine of $2,000, while convictions on Class E crimes are punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
An Orland man was indicted Aug. 5 on charges of Class A gross sexual assault and Class B aggravated assault. Roger E. Grindle, 29, is accused of burning an 18 year-old woman with a cigarette lighter, kicking and sexually assaulting her, and preventing her from leaving a dwelling on Front Ridge Road during the incident, which occurred overnight Jan. 31 into Feb. 1
Also indicted on a Class A charge of gross sexual assault was a Bangor man involved in an incident in Dedham in February. Howard Frye, 52, is accused of sexually assaulting a woman he had met through Facebook at her home.
Also indicted Aug. 5 in Hancock County were:
Teresa E. Campbell, 24, Dedham, arson, aggravated criminal mischief, criminal mischief.
Edward P. Cooney, 56, Old Town, stealing drugs, unlawful furnishing of scheduled drugs.
Chad I. Corser, 32, Mount Desert, burglary, theft, aggravated criminal mischief, criminal trespass, criminal mischief.
Larson Crocker, 37, Lincoln, stealing drugs, unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, receiving stolen property,
Scott J. Firley, 48, Ellsworth, domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal threatening, obstructing the report of a crime, violating conditions of release, violation of a protection order.
Carlos J. Garcia, 27, Deer Isle, burglary, theft, violating conditions of release, criminal trespass.
Ian D. Grant, 26, Sullivan, burglary, theft.
Dakota L. Harkins, 25, Southwest Harbor, operating a motor vehicle after license revocation, operating an unregistered motor vehicle.
Daniel L. Legere, 29, Old Town, receiving stolen property.
Tyler G. Murphy, 26, Bar Harbor, theft, forgery.
Matthew A. Smart, 36, Tremont, burglary, theft, aggravated criminal mischief, criminal trespass, criminal mischief.
Tamara J. Strout, 45, Blue Hill, theft.
Chandler M. Wilson, 38, Bucksport, theft.
