Courts and Crime

LEWISTON, Maine — Police say seven people have been arrested in a drug raid in Lewiston, Maine.

Authorities say they seized evidence of heroin and crack cocaine dealing from an apartment house that they saw has been the scene of three heroin overdoses this summer.

The Sun Journal reports that the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and local police have been watching the building for several months.

GARDINER, Maine — A man suspected of robbing a Gardiner pharmacy of prescription medications has been captured after an hours-long manhunt in the woods.

Jesse Mansir, of Gardiner, was captured at about 7 p.m. Thursday with the help of dog teams about nine hours after someone robbed the Rite-Aid pharmacy in town.

Police Chief James Toman says the pharmacy was held up at 10:35 a.m. by a man who passed an employee a note demanding prescription drugs and saying he had a gun. No weapon was shown.

AUBURN, Maine — A Lewiston man charged with falsifying evidence into the investigation of a slaying has been sentenced to time served.

The Sun Journal reports that Sebastian Moody pleaded guilty in November to a charge of falsifying physical evidence and on Thursday was sentenced to the 107 days he's already served in jail. A felony charge of hindering apprehension or prosecution was dropped.

Prosecutors say the 23-year-old Moody lied about what he know about the April 2013 stabbing and strangulation death of Romeo Parent.

ALFRED, Maine — An Old Orchard Beach man charged with beating and stabbing his grandmother to death in the home they shared, then setting it on fire, has been sent by a judge to a state psychiatric hospital for a 60-day evaluation.

The York County Superior Court judge issued the order to send 25-year-old Derek Poulin to Riverview Psychiatric Center in Augusta on Thursday after a closed-door discussion with prosecutors and defense lawyers.

BROWNVILLE, Maine — A Vermont man convicted of wire fraud for submitting false invoices to a Maine town has reached the end of his allotted time to file objections to a pre-sentencing reporting.

Craig Sanborn has until Friday to file any objections. The final report will be submitted to a judge who will impose Sanborn's sentence. A judge convicted Sanborn in May and he faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Federal prosecutors say he submitted $300,000 worth of false invoices to Brownville for materials and services never bought.

WINTRHOP, Maine (AP) _ A Scarborough man has been charged with manslaughter in a November car crash in that killed a Winthrop couple.

The Kennebec Journal reports that 44-year-old Jeffrey Ray was indicted on double manslaughter charges on Wednesday.

Police say that Patricia and Napoleon Richard St. Laurent's van was stopped while waiting to make a left turn when Ray's truck hit it from behind. Both vehicles were pushed into the right-side guard rail and down the road.

WINDHAM, Maine (AP) _ Maine's attorney general says a police officer was acting in defense of himself and others when he fatally shot a 66-year-old man in Windham.

Janet Mills says that Cumberland County Deputy Sherriff Nicholas Mangino was legally justified in using deadly force against Stephen McKenney in April.

Investigators say that Mangino and other officers reported to McKenney's home after his wife had called police to say her husband was suicidal.

LANCASTER, N.H. (AP) _ A judge has rejected a request to set aside a conviction in the 2010 explosion that killed two workers at a New Hampshire gunpowder plant.

Craig Sanborn's attorney, Mark Sisti, questioned the testimony of a witness who may have embellished his own military record.

The Caledonian Record reports  Judge Peter Bornstein ruled Aug. 7 the defense is at fault for failing to obtain the military service record before trial. He said the evidence on which the motion is based is "not material'' to the case.

MANCHESTER, Maine — Authorities have identified the suspect in a Manchester pharmacy robbery earlier this month.

Police say 31-year-old Thomas Bourque of Belgrade robbed the Rite-Aid in town on Aug. 3.

Chief Deputy Ryan Reardon of the Kennebec County Sheriff's Office tells the Morning Sentinel that Bourque has a lengthy criminal record and is a well-known player in the area's illicit drug scene.

BANGOR, Maine — A 66-year-old Maine man police say claimed to have a grenade and a gun when he robbed a Hallowell bank in June has pleaded not guilty.

John Cecil Slater entered his plea Wednesday in U.S. District Court and remains in custody.

Prosecutors say Slater, wearing a straw hat and sports coat, robbed a Bank of Maine branch on June 23, making off with $15,000.

BANGOR, Maine — A Bangor man charged with beating a pregnant woman so severely that she required multiple surgeries has been held on $100,000 bail.

Joshua Cole made his first court appearance on Wednesday on charges including elevated aggravated assault following the alleged attack Monday morning.

Neither the 34-year-old Cole nor his lawyer commented on the charges. He remains jailed.

BELFAST, Maine (AP) _ A judge has accepted a recommendation from prosecutors and imposed a 50-year sentence on a Maine man who killed a woman and injured her son.

Todd Gilday chose not to address the judge before being sentenced Wednesday. He pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder in the killing 55-year-old Lynn Arsenault and the wounding of her 22-year-old son, Mathew Day.

Gilday was accused of forcing himself into a Belfast home and killing Lynn Arsenault while she was visiting her son.

RANGELEY, Maine — Rangeley police say they have charged a local man with stealing a $6,000 mountain bike and trying to sell it on Craigslist.

Chief Dennis Leahy says 18-year-old Randall Thompson is charged with felony theft by unauthorized taking.

Leahy tells the Sun Journal two mountain bikes were stolen from a local condominium complex on Aug. 1.

The owners, who were on vacation, said the bicycles had been locked on a bike rack on the back of a car. A three-eighths inch cable around the bicycles was cut.

OAKFIELD, Maine — Authorities in Maine have dismantled a suspected methamphetamine manufacturing lab in Aroostook County and arrested one person.

Police responded to the Oakfield home on Tuesday after getting a report that someone was trying to burn it down.

Responding officers found people inside who appeared to be under the influence of meth and a strong chemical odor.

The home was evacuated and the Maine Drug Enforcement team called in.

Agents say "a significant amount of evidence consistent with the manufacturing of methamphetamine" was recovered.

PORTLAND, Maine — A New York City man authorities say used teenage girls to spend counterfeit $100 bills in Maine has pleaded guilty to related charges.

Andrew Cupidore pleaded guilty this week in federal court to passing counterfeit U.S. currency.

The 21-year-old Cupidore was arrested April 21 after an officer patrolling the Maine Mall in South Portland received a report from a store clerk that a girl had tried to spend what appeared to be counterfeit bill.