An inmate at the Maine State Prison in Warren died Wednesday morning, just six days before he was scheduled to be released.

Paul Rivera Photo courtesy of Maine Department of Corrections

Maine Corrections Commissioner Randall A. Liberty identified the inmate as 53-year-old Paul Rivera.

Rivera, who was from West Gardiner, died about 6:20 a.m. Liberty said that Rivera’s death is not considered to be suspicious and no crime is suspected.

According to Liberty, Rivera was sentenced on Dec. 8, 2009, to serve a 10-year sentence, with no probation, for Class B robbery. He was due to be released on April 16.

Rivera is the fifth inmate to die at the maximum-security correctional facility in the last six months.

Carl S. Dyer, 65, of Lee, who was serving a conviction for killing his wife, died in late March. Foul play was not suspected. Dyer was sentenced on Dec. 8, 2005, to serve 20 years in prison for Class A manslaughter.

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In early January, a Portland man, 56-year-old Raymond Leavitt, died at the Maine State Prison. Leavitt was serving a 10-year sentence for robbery, with no probation, and was scheduled to be released on Oct. 10, 2022.

Christopher Q. Nault, 50, of Farmington, died in November at the facility, where he was serving a two-year sentence for violating his probation.

In October, 51-year-old Andrew Leighton, formerly of Falmouth, died at the prison. Leighton was serving a 27-year sentence for murdering his mother. His sentence began Jan. 6, 2015. After his death was reported, two of Leighton’s fellow inmates accused the prison medical staff of not getting him the medical attention he needed right away.

The Maine State Police and the state Medical Examiner’s Office were notified of each prisoner’s death, a process consistent with Department of Corrections and Attorney General’s Office protocol.

Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:

dhoey@pressherald.com

 

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