A grand jury on Friday indicted a former Cumberland County corrections officer in connection with the shooting of a fellow trainee in a vehicle in the parking lot of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy last June.

The indictment charges Matthew W. Benger, 24, of Brunswick, with Class B aggravated assault, which has a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and Class C reckless conduct with a firearm, which has a five-year maximum penalty.

Both charges list the same victim, Matthew J. Morrison, of Mars Hill, who was 33 at the time of the June 12 incident in Vassalboro.

An indictment is not a determination of guilt, but it indicates that there is enough evidence to proceed with formal charges and a trial.

Benger had been previously charged by complaint and made an initial court appearance at the Capital Judicial Center in August but was not asked for a plea.

At that time, Benger’s attorney, Roger Brunelle, said a notice of claim had been filed, indicating a civil lawsuit was anticipated against his client.

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Benger remains free on personal recognizance bail with conditions prohibiting him from contact with Morrison and with Cody Gillis, 25, of Brunswick.

The shooting occurred about 8 p.m. as those three were in Gillis’ truck which was in the rear parking lot of the police academy complex, located off Oak Grove Road.

A 9 mm handgun owned by Gillis was stored in the console of his truck. Benger was a front seat passenger and was handling the gun when it fired, striking Morrison, who was in the rear seat, according to Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety. The three men were leaving the academy grounds for the evening, according to McCausland. Morrison suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and was flown by LifeFlight helicopter to Maine Medical Center in Portland for treatment.

Last month, District Attorney Maeghan Maloney said the injury devastated Morrison and his family and that he had been unable to return to work.

Benger and Gillis worked as Cumberland County corrections officers and Morrison was an Aroostook County corrections officer.

They were in the fourth week of a five-week basic corrections training program at the academy.

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A number of other people were indicted by the same grand jury:

• Tammy L. Bass, 45, of Winslow, unauthorized use of property March 18, 2017, and theft by unauthorized taking April 8, 2017, both in Waterville.

• Christopher D. Burrill, 37, of Sidney, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, criminal operating under the influence, violation of condition of release and operating after suspension, all Sept. 3, 2017, in Waterville.

• Tyrif J. Cherry, 30, of Brooklyn, New York, aggravated trafficking in fentanyl May 31, 2017, in Augusta.

• Christina Cruz, 27, of Augusta, aggravated trafficking in heroin and unlawful trafficking in heroin, aggravated trafficking in cocaine and unlawful trafficking in cocaine, all Jan. 18, 2017, in Augusta.

• Kevin A. Dawe, 25, of Waterville, receiving stolen property April 21, 2017, and theft by unauthorized taking April 7, 2017, both in Waterville.

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• Nathan M. Feix, 28, of Benton, operating after revocation, leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage and failure to report an accident, July 3, 2017, in Unity Plantation.

• Frank N. Gruhn, 50, of Fairfield, criminal operating under the influence, operating after suspension and leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage June 24, 2017, in Augusta.

• Shayne M. Hathaway, 29, of Bangor, operating after revocation May 10, 2017, in Augusta.

• George S. Hinton Jr., 26, of Detroit, Michigan, two counts of unlawful trafficking in heroin, Nov. 8 and Nov. 10, 2016, both in Augusta.

• Laurie A. Locke, 47, of Saco, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking and aggravated criminal mischief, all May 20, 2015, in Waterville.

• Jamie P. Luce, 34, of Augusta, domestic violence assault, criminal mischief, violation of condition of release and obstructing report of crime or injury, all June 11, 2017, in Augusta.

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• Justin Lugo, 20, of New York, New York, unlawful trafficking in cocaine base and unlawful possession of heroin May 30, 2017, in Augusta.

• Todd L. Overlock, 44, of Winslow, theft by deception Dec. 11, 2012-Aug. 17, 2016, in Vassalboro.

• Christopher P. Paradis, 22, of Farmingdale, two counts of unlawful trafficking in cocaine, Dec. 20, 2016, and Jan. 11, 2017, both in Augusta.

• Anthony George Perkins, 30, of Waterville, theft by deception and violation of condition of release April 22, 2017, in Waterville.

• Adam Clayton Ripley, 24, of Liberty, aggravated operating after habitual offender revocation, criminal operating under the influence and driving to endanger, all Aug. 9, 2017, in Waterville.

• Christopher E. Smedberg, 27, of Westbrook, unlawful possession of cocaine, criminal operating under the influence and operating after suspension, all June 25, 2017, in Waterville.

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• Derrick Smith, 29, of Augusta, aggravated trafficking in heroin, unlawful trafficking in heroin, two counts of trafficking or furnishing counterfeit drugs and two counts of trafficking or furnishing imitation schedule drugs, all March 2, 2017, in Augusta.

• Christopher Ellis Williams, 26, of Augusta, forgery and theft by unauthorized taking May 15, 2017, and theft by unauthorized taking June 13, 2017, all in Augusta.

• Renay Marie Williams, 36, of Pittston, theft by unauthorized taking March 30, 2017, in Waterville.

Betty Adams — 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @betadams


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