A Moscow man remained held on $500 cash bond Monday following his arrest at his home Friday on four counts of felony burglary.

Joshua Coldwell, 28, of Donigan Road, was initially a suspect in an illegal marijuana growing operation but later admitted to the other crimes, Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster said.

County deputies conducted a search warrant at Coldwell’s home and found six marijuana plants growing there. Coldwell does not have a Maine medical marijuana card, which would have made it legal for him to grow the plants, Lancaster said.

Coldwell was charged with three burglaries at Upper Kennebec Valley High School on Meadow Street in Bingham dating back to January 2014, Lancaster said. Laptop computers and some cash were stolen in those breaks.

Coldwell also admitted to breaking into the Williams General Store on Main Street in Bingham and stealing bottles of liquor and packs of cigarettes, according to Lancaster.

Lancaster said the sheriff’s office has been investigating the burglaries, interviewing residents, processing touch DNA and reviewing video.

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The four counts of burglary are each class C felonies, punishable by up to five years in prison on each charge. Coldwell also faces four counts of theft and one count of cultivating marijuana, all of which are class D misdemeanors punishable by up to a year in jail. The lead investigator in the case was Detective Michael Ross, who was assisted by Deputy Ronnie Blodgett.

“Bingham people should be happy about this,” Lancaster said. “It takes time to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Mr. Coldwell advised the detectives that the reason he committed the burglaries was because of his unemployment and the need for money.”

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @Doug_Harlow


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