SKOWHEGAN — Four people allegedly involved in a robbery, theft and assault last October at a Palmyra motel are among several suspects indicted last week by a Somerset County grand jury.
Jessica Kent-Webber, 28, of Dixmont; Candy Prentiss, 39, of Palmyra; Mark Prentiss, 45, of Palmyra; and Dale Melvin, 29, of St. Albans have each been charged with one count of robbery, one count of theft by unauthorized taking and one count of assault in connection with the Oct. 31, 2020, incident at Lovley’s Motel at 528 Oxbow Road.
On Nov. 13, 2020, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant following an investigation into illicit drugs reportedly being sold out of a room at Lovley’s Motel. At the time of the search, Candy and Mark Prentiss were arrested and arrest warrants were issued for Kent-Webber and Melvin, according to officials.
Officers reportedly seized crystal methamphetamine, drug-related paraphernalia and documents related to alleged drug trafficking.
During the assault Oct. 31, a 36-year-old Newport man was dragged into the room and beaten by four people, who stole $700, a wallet and a knife from him, according to police.
After two days of deliberation, the grand jury indicted 43 suspects on 108 counts.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt, but an indication there is enough evidence in a case to move forward with a trial.
Other indictments involved drug or assault charges. Police and court documents report the following charges and allegations:
• Aphalo A. Sullivan, 25, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, charged with two counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs. On Oct. 7, 2020, in Skowhegan, Sullivan was found trafficking 112 grams of cocaine in the form of cocaine base and 6 grams of fentanyl powder. During this incident, a Skowhegan police detective had been working on another case involving a police chase earlier in the week. The detective received several tips that led police to Indian Ridge Apartments, off West Front Street. Sullivan, who was not one of the individuals being sought by police at the time, was approached by Skowhegan police and agents from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and ran over an embankment. Sullivan was chased across West Front Street and apprehended soon after.
• Jason O. Rossi, 20, of Skowhegan, charged with one count of aggravated assault, one count of violation of a protective order, one count of domestic violence assault and one count of domestic violence terrorizing. On Oct. 12, 2020, Rossi was alleged to have intentionally caused bodily harm to a family or household member who had a protection order against him. Rossi also has been accused of threatening to commit a crime of violence dangerous to life against the victim. During this incident, the victim called 911, but dispatchers and police were unable to locate that person. The phone was tracked to a location off Heselton Street. When police arrived, officers heard a man and woman yelling. Rossi then fled the scene and was arrested Oct. 26, 2020.
• Cherie A. Curtis, 39, of Skowhegan, charged with one count of unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs, one count of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs and one count of violation of conditions of release. On July 30, 2020, Curtis was found to be in possession of and trafficking cocaine base, which is a violation of preconviction bail conditions.
• Cherie A. Curtis, 39, of Skowhegan, charged with one count of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, one count of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs and one count of violation of conditions of release. On Oct. 20, 2020, Curtis was found to be trafficking fentanyl powder and was in possession of methylphenidate, which is a violation of preconviction bail conditions.
• Cherie A. Curtis, 39, of Skowhegan, charged with one count of unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs and one count of violation of conditions of release. On Oct. 19, 2020, Curtis was found to be trafficking more than one pound of marijuana, which is a violation of preconviction bail conditions.
• Alex W. Morales, 28, of Skowhegan, charged with one count of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, one count of violation of conditions of release and one count of criminal forfeiture. On Dec. 11, 2020, Morales was found to be trafficking around 32 grams of cocaine, with the intent to furnish the substance, which is a violation of preconviction bail conditions.
• Joshua D. Wheaton, 35, of Norridgewock, charged with one count of theft by unauthorized taking and unauthorized use of property. On Sept. 2, 2019, Wheaton was found to have taken NASCAR memorabilia as well as a vehicle and has been convicted of prior theft charges spanning from December 2010 up through November 2012.
• Ryan Lapointe, 43, of South Portland, charged with one count of operating after revocation. On Oct. 23, 2020, Lapointe was operating a motor vehicle in Fairfield with a revoked license based on prior charges involving operating under the influence.
• Gary R. Page Jr., 38, of Skowhegan, charged with two counts of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs and one count of violation of conditions of release. On Oct. 11, 2020, Page Jr. was found in possession of around 2 grams of cocaine and 200 milligrams of methamphetamine, a violation of preconviction bail conditions.
• Brad E. Berry, 41, of Anson, charged with one count of aggravated assault. On Dec. 16, 2020, Berry was found to have caused bodily injury to a family or household member.
• Dillon L. Hess, 25, of Skowhegan, charged with one count of theft by unauthorized taking and violation of conditions of release. On Oct. 12, 2020, Hess was found to have stolen more than $1,000 or property belonging to Walmart in Skowhegan, a violation of preconviction bail conditions.
• Dillon L. Hess, 25, of Dartmouth Street, Skowhegan, charged with one count of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and violation of conditions of release. On Dec. 4, 2020, in Fairfield, Hess was found to be trafficking 6 grams, or more than 270 individual bags, of fentanyl powder, a violation of preconviction bail conditions.
• Reid Loupin, 20, of Harmony, charged with aggravated assault, domestic violence assault and domestic violence criminal threatening. On Aug. 7, 2020, and Sept. 7, 2020, in Harmony, Loupin caused bodily injury to a family member and put the victim “in fear of imminent bodily injury.”
• Jason Confer, 21, of Madison, charged with one count of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and one count of criminal forfeiture. On Dec. 4, 2020, in Fairfield, Confer was found with 6 grams, or 270 or more individual bags containing fentanyl with the intention to furnish and sell.
• Morgan L. Archer, 24, of Fairfield, charged with one count of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs and one count of violation of conditions of release. On Sept. 16, 2020, in Fairfield, Archer was found in possession of more than 200 milligrams of a drug containing heroin, which violated pre-condition bail conditions that had previously been granted.
• Zachary R. Gilbert, 38, of Madison, charged with one count of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and one count of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs. On Dec. 9, 2020, in Fairfield, Gilbert was found furnishing fentanyl powder with prior convictions relating to scheduled drugs, dated 2013 and 2015. Gilbert had 200 milligrams of fentanyl in his possession.
• Victor Dudley, 51, of Lewiston, charged with one count of assault and one count of domestic violence assault. On March 20, 2020, in Skowhegan, Dudley was found to have caused bodily injury to a household member.
• Vasser E. Brooks, 46, of Solon, was charged with one count of aggravated assault, one count of domestic violence criminal threatening, one count of domestic violence assault and one count of obstructing the report of a crime or injury. On Sept. 3, 2020, in Solon, Brooks was found to have caused bodily injury to a family member and put the victim in fear of imminent bodily injury. During the assault, Brooks did intentionally, knowingly or recklessly disconnect, damage, disable, remove or use physical force or intimidation to block access to communication devices in an attempt to prevent or interfere with the victim’s report to a law enforcement agency.
• Joshua R. Savage, 31, of Norridgewock, charged with one count of violation of conditions of release. On Oct. 8, 2020, in Madison, Savage was found in violation of preconviction bail conditions that had previously been granted, which stated that he have no contact with the victim/witness of an alleged crime that he was involved in.
• Amy M. Sanipas, 36, of Anson, charged with one count of domestic violence terrorizing. On Oct. 19, 2020, in Anson, Sanipas communicated a threat to commit a crime of violence dangerous to life against a household member.
• Craig W. Broga, 56, of Madison, charged with two counts of operating after revocation. On Aug. 19, 2020, in Pittsfield, Broga was found operating a vehicle on a public way with a revoked license from two prior criminal operating under the influence convictions, dated June 2013 and January 2015.
• Charles Nickerson II, 28, of Madison, charged with one count of domestic violence assault, one count of criminal mischief and one count of violation of conditions of release. On Sept. 27, 2020, Nickerson was found to have caused bodily injury to a household member, with a prior conviction for a separate domestic violence assault charge dated March 2017. During the September 2020 incident, Nickerson also damaged the windshield on the car of the victim. This incident and the charges that came out of it were a violation of preconviction bail conditions that had previously been granted.
• Jason R. Lary, 40, of St. Albans, charged with two counts of operating after revocation. On Aug. 29, 2020, in St. Albans, Lary was found operating a motor vehicle with a revoked license. Lary has previously been convicted on operating after habitual offender revocation or criminal operating under the influence, dated November 2013.
• Jason J. Forbus, 45, of Skowhegan, charged with one count of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and one count of aggravated unlawful furnishing of scheduled drugs. On Dec. 17, 2020, Forbus was found to be trafficking heroin and had previously been convicted on similar charges in Kennebec and Somerset counties, dated March 2011. Forbus was also found furnishing fentanyl powder.
• Jonathan Baez, 36, of Waterville, charged with two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. On Nov. 4, 2020, in Pittsfield, Forbus was found in possession of a firearm, which was prohibited based on offenses in New York.
• Sarai I. York, 39, of Skowhegan, charged with one count of domestic violence assault. On May 12, 2020, in Skowhegan, York intentionally caused bodily harm against a family or household member. York has previously been convicted on a domestic violence assault charge, dated July 2011 in Skowhegan District Court.
• Leon E. Maloon, 64, of Ripley, charged with one count of domestic violence criminal threatening and one count of violation of conditions of release. On Dec. 17, 2020, in Ripley, Maloon intentionally caused bodily injury to a family or household member in violation of preconviction bail conditions that had been granted prior.
• Leon E. Maloon, 64, of Ripley, charged with one count of operating after revocation. On June 6, 2020, in Ripley, Maloon was found to be operating a motor vehicle with a revoked license stemming from a prior conviction for operating after habitual offender revocation or criminal operating under the influence, dated August 2019 in the Newport District Court.
• Paul D. Wright, 66, of Detroit, charged with one count of unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs. On Oct. 28, 2019, in Detroit, Wright was found to be trafficking cocaine base.
• Nathaniel J. Lancaster, 23, of Pittsfield, charged with one count of domestic violence assault and one count of domestic violence terrorizing. On Dec. 10, 2020, in Pittsfield, Lancaster intentionally caused bodily injury to a family or household member and had been convicted on a charge of domestic violence assault on Nov. 12, 2020, in the Somerset Unified Criminal Court. During this December 2020 incident, Lancaster communicated a threat to commit a crime of violence dangerous to life against a household member.
• Wayne McKinley Jr., 52, of Skowhegan, charged with one count of domestic violence assault. On July 22, 2020, in Skowhegan, McKinley Jr. intentionally caused bodily injury to a family or household member. In May 2020, McKinley Jr. was convicted on a domestic violence assault charge in the Somerset Unified Criminal Court.
• Earlene M. Moody, 60, of Anson, charged with one count of aggravated assault and one count of domestic violence assault. On Oct. 31, 2020, in Anson, Moody caused bodily injury to a household or family member using a knife. On Oct. 6, 2020, Moody was convicted or adjudicated of a domestic violence assault charge in the Somerset Unified Criminal Court.
• Christopher Veilleux, 60, of Madison, charged with one count of domestic violence terrorizing. On Aug. 6, 2020, in Madison, Veilleux communicated a threat of violence dangerous to human life against a household or family member.
• Johnathan N. Caswell, 35, of Skowhegan, charged with three counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and one count of criminal forfeiture. On Sept. 1, 2020, in Fairfield, Caswell was found trafficking 6 grams of fentanyl, 112 grams of cocaine and 32 grams of cocaine base with the intent to sell; $3,913 was seized.
• Nadale Z. Fowlks, 46, of Rochester, New York, charged with three counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs. On Sept. 1, 2020, in Fairfield, Fowlks was found trafficking 6 grams of fentanyl powder, 112 grams of cocaine and 32 grams of cocaine base.
• Joey L. Sherburne, 50, of Hartland, charged with one count of aggravated assault and one count of cruelty to animals-criminal. On July 8, 2020, in Hartland, Sherburne intentionally caused bodily injury to a victim manifesting extreme indifference to human life. He also knowingly tortured an animal to frighten or intimidate the victim.
• Janah Maria Stanley, 35, of Skowhegan, charged with two counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs. On Dec. 4, 2020, Stanley was found trafficking 6 grams of fentanyl powder. Stanley was convicted on a charge of unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs in December 2011 in the Somerset Superior Court.
• Heather E. Corey, 41, of North Anson, charged with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon. On July 3, 2020, in Palmyra, Corey was found to have intentionally caused bodily injury to another individual with a knife.
• Joshua Martin Smith, 40, of Skowhegan, charged with one count of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and one count of criminal forfeiture. On Dec. 11, 2020, in Skowhegan, Smith was found trafficking 32 grams of cocaine base and had $1,889 in cash on his person.
• Joseph Kerr, 23, of Apollo, Pennsylvania, charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. On Feb. 26, 2020, in Mercer, Kerr, having previously been convicted of crimes in Pennsylvania, was found in possession of a firearm.
• Joshua M. Labonte, 30, of Waterville, charged with burglary, theft by unauthorized taking and criminal mischief. On Oct. 31, 2020, in Fairfield, Labonte entered the Purple Cow Restaurant in Fairfield with the intent to commit theft, took cash and damaged a window.
• Tobias S. Hight, 45, of Ripley, charged with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon. On Oct. 10, 2020, in Ripley, Hight threatened another person with a knife. Hight was convicted on a domestic violence assault charge Oct. 8, 2019, at Somerset Unified Criminal Court.
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