VASSALBORO, Maine — A Whitefield man is facing charges after police say a trooper noticed his inspection sticker didn’t quite “pass the straight-face test.”
Police say the trooper stopped a vehicle on Main Street in Vassalboro last week for an inspection sticker that looked fake.
While pulling over the vehicle, the driver, who was later identified as 59-year-old Robert Barnes, reportedly reached up and ripped the sticker off the windshield and hid it in some trash in his truck.
Police say the trooper saw this and questioned him about it. Barnes reportedly denied having a sticker at all.
Because of the odor of marijuana, Barnes was asked to exit the vehicle and refused, according to police. He was told by police that he could exit the vehicle or be arrested.
Once out of the vehicle, Barnes told the trooper he had a .22 caliber hand gun underneath his seat and did not have a permit.
While searching the vehicle, the trooper located the firearm and found the fake inspection sticker, which was made out of Styrofoam.
Police say no drugs were found.
Barnes was issued a summons for failing to inform law enforcement of a concealed firearm as well as a criminal summons for displaying a fictitious inspection sticker.