Christopher Cates, 50, who is a repeat offender, was found guilty of inappropriately touching two young girls and exposing himself to them during their family camping trip to Moscow.
Jake Freudberg
Staff Writer
Jake covers public safety, courts and immigration in central Maine. He started reporting at the Morning Sentinel in November 2023 and previously covered all kinds of news in Skowhegan and across Somerset County. Jake grew up in Massachusetts and graduated from Tufts University. While in school, Jake wrote for various news organizations in the Boston area. He’s also a Maine whitewater rafting guide and lived in Spain’s Canary Islands for a year.
Posted inLocal & State, Maine Crime, Morning Sentinel, News
Pittsfield man arrested after late night chase in Hartland, Canaan area
Sheriff’s deputies pursued Brett Johnson around Hartland, St. Albans and Canaan, ultimately boxing in his vehicle after using a spike mat to slow him down, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office said.
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Posted inLocal & State, Maine Crime, Morning Sentinel, News
China man accused of assaulting parents, threatening with splitting maul
Jacob Merrill, 40, of China, was being held in jail without bail Friday for the Thursday evening incident.
Posted inLocal & State, Maine Crime, Morning Sentinel, News
Skowhegan man convicted of Madison robbery to be resentenced
Maine’s Supreme Judicial Court threw out Raymond Ellis Jr.’s 20-year prison sentence on the grounds that a judge considered his supposed failure to take responsibility an aggravating factor.
Posted inLocal & State, Morning Sentinel, News
Skowhegan fire chief retiring after 3 decades of fire service
Ronnie Rodriguez, hired in Skowhegan in December 2022, announced his plans to retire this week saying the best part about working in Skowhegan has been his staff of firefighters.
Posted inLocal & State, Morning Sentinel, News
Norridgewock man seriously injured in motorcycle crash
Jody Davis, 51, suffered serious head injuries when his motorcycle went off Walker Road on Wednesday night, police said.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State, Morning Sentinel, News
Madison’s TimberHP emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy with eye on ‘sustainable’ future
The wood fiber insulation manufacturer that brought Madison’s former paper mill back to life had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March.
Posted inLocal & State, Morning Sentinel, News
National Guard wraps up third year of work at Lake George Regional Park
A crew of about 20 has been working for the last two weeks on improvements to the social hall on the west side of the park in hopes of drawing people year-round.
Posted inLocal & State, Morning Sentinel, News
Somerset County settles 2 lawsuits over jail deaths
The county’s publicly funded insurer paid a total of $345,000 to settle the two separate, but similar, federal lawsuits that family members of the inmates who died filed last year.
Posted inLocal & State, Maine Crime, Morning Sentinel, News
Garland woman linked to Hartland shooting by DNA evidence, officials say
Bonnie Coombs, 69, who is charged with the murder of her sister, Velma Withee, 78, made an initial court appearance Friday afternoon.