BANGOR, Maine — A Hermon father and his two sons were indicted Wednesday by the Penobscot County grand jury for a series of burglaries last year.
John J. Oliva Jr., 45, and his son, James Oliva, 24, each were indicted on 13 counts of burglary and four counts of theft by unauthorized taking.
John J. Oliva III, 26, was indicted on 11 counts of burglary and four counts of theft by unauthorized taking.
The trio was arrested Dec. 5 following the alleged theft of copper from a Clifton home, after John Oliva III cooperated with investigators, District Attorney R. Christopher Almy said after the grand jury completed its work Wednesday. Almy said that Oliva III led investigators to a series of houses in southern Penobscot County that the trio allegedly had burglarized.
The men broke into mostly unoccupied houses last year, many of which had been foreclosed upon, and stole copper pipes, Almy said. They were caught after allegedly breaking into an occupied home where they were caught on a game camera leaving.
Maine State Police released a game camera photo asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspected burglars, the prosecutor said. Detectives also visited businesses that buy copper piping and were able to match the vehicle in the game camera photo to one the defendants drove when they allegedly sold the copper.
Since being jailed, Oliva Jr. and James Oliva, also have been cooperating with police, Almy said.
The father and James Oliva remained Wednesday at the Penobscot County Jail unable to post $25,000 bail, according to jail personnel.
John Oliva III has been released. Information on his bail was not available late Wednesday afternoon.
If convicted, the men each face up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $20,000 for the burglaries of the occupied homes. They face up to five years in prison and fines up to $5,000 if convicted of the burglaries of unoccupied home. The men also could be ordered to pay restitution.