BANGOR — A former Canaan man who threatened Gov. Paul LePage last year pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in federal court Monday on a charge of threatening President Barack Obama.

Leroy Eugene Dunn, 30, is accused of writing a letter in April saying he would kill the president, according to a federal grand jury indictment filed Jan. 12 in U.S. District Court.

The letter, which was addressed to the president, was intercepted in the outgoing mail by authorities while Dunn was an inmate at the Piscataquis County jail in Dover-Foxcroft.

The indictment alleges Dunn said in a handwritten letter, “I hate you and will do anything I can to get rid of you … You will die at my hands … I will kill you Barack Obama.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney James Moore said Dunn entered his plea and was returned to state custody at the Maine Correctional Center in Windham where he is serving a three-year sentence for drug trafficking.

Dunn is to be held without bail until the threatening case is settled, according to the indictment. His last known address was on Hinckley Road in Canaan.

Advertisement

Dunn pleaded guilty to a terrorizing charge in last February for threatening LePage while Dunn was an inmate at the Piscataquis County jail.

Dunn’s mother, Philomena Gordon, of Bingham, said her son is mentally disabled and also suffers from the effects of Marfans syndrome, a disorder of the body’s connective tissues that can result in disproportionately long arms and legs, among other symptoms.

Gordon said her son is 7 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs more than 300 pounds. She said Dunn should be under supervised medical and psychiatric care, not behind bars.

Stephen Smith, of Bangor, Dunn’s lawyer, was unavailable for comment Monday.

Dunn has a trial date of March 6. The charge of threats against the president carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com

 


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.