EAST MADISON — A Solon man who was mistakenly released on bail from a Massachusetts jail is behind bars in Somerset County as a fugitive from justice.

Damien Lee Raymond, 30, is wanted by New Bedford, Mass., authorities for armed assault to murder, attempted murder, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Raymond remained held without bail Wednesday at the county jail in East Madison, awaiting extradition back to Massachusetts.

Raymond’s bail in Bristol County, Mass., was $75,000 property bond or $7,500 cash, but he was released after posting only $750, said Maeghan Maloney, district attorney for Somerset and Kennebec counties.

An error in the bail paperwork in Massachusetts mistakenly showed $750 as the bail amount, which Raymond paid, Maloney said Wednesday afternoon. Massachusetts authorities later realized the error and issued a warrant for Raymond’s arrest, she said.

Maloney said she did not know the details of the new charges. Detective Michael Carrier with the New Bedford Police Department Major Crimes Unit said he could not release the details of the case.

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Raymond was arrested Tuesday night on Falls Road in Solon by state police and county deputies, according to Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

Raymond has waived extradition to face charges in Bristol County Massachusetts Superior Court, Maloney said.

This is the third time in the past 18 months that Raymond has been arrested in Maine as a fugitive from justice, she said.

Maloney said Raymond was extradited to Massachusetts in May 2012 on an aggravated assault charge. Raymond was convicted of the charge, placed on probation but returned to Maine, where he has had addresses in Skowhegan, Embden, Solon, Anson and Waterville, according Morning Sentinel archives.

Raymond was arrested in Waterville in November on a warrant for skipping out on his probation in Massachusetts and extradited again, according to Maloney.

He was released again, returned to Maine and was arrested for domestic-violence assault in Skowhegan in June, Maloney said. Raymond served 30 days in Somerset County on the assault charge and Massachusetts authorities came and got him again.

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Raymond was taken into custody without incident Tuesday night in Solon. He also had an active warrant from Maine for probation revocation.

A search of the residence Tuesday night turned up illegal prescription narcotics, marijuana cultivation and various drug paraphernalia. Raymond is charged in Maine with being a fugitive from justice and illegal possession of scheduled drugs. He is held without bail at the Somerset County Jail in East Madison.

If Massachusetts authorities don’t come to Maine to take Raymond back to face charges by Oct. 11, he is to return to court in Skowhegan for a bail hearing, according to court documents.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367
dharlow@centralmaine.com


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