Investigation

From the desk of Col. John Cote, Chief, Maine State Police

In August of 2020, the Maine State Police was contacted by U.S. Attorney’s Office personnel notifying our agency of concerning comments made by Trooper John Darcy as he prepared to stop a vehicle on the Maine Turnpike.  That stop resulted in the seizure of 141 grams of cocaine powder, 880 counterfeit prescription pills, and a loaded firearm.  The operator was later charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with a federal felony level crime of drug trafficking.  Based on the report from the U.S. Attorney’s office, our agency began an internal review of that stop and the comments made by Trooper Darcy.   

After the public release of the video from the stop and several media stories, the U.S. Attorney’s Office dismissed the charges related to the stop.  Subsequently, State Representative Jeffrey Evangelos made a formal complaint alleging serial racial profiling by Trooper Darcy. 

An extensive investigation was conducted over several months by our Office of Professional Standards in consultation with the Attorney General’s Office.  The investigation included several interviews and a thorough examination of over 1,000 traffic stops conducted by Trooper Darcy.  The investigation resulted in no evidence of any pattern of targeting of motorists based on race, or any other trait common to a protected group.  

Bias-based profiling and/or any other discriminatory practice by members of our agency is strictly 
prohibited.  This includes traffic stops based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, socioeconomic status, age, national origin, or ancestry.  Our agency also requires that persons are only stopped or detained when legal authority exists to do so and that members of our agency base their enforcement actions solely on a person’s conduct and behavior or specific suspect information.     
Sincerely, 

From the desk of Shannon Moss, DPS PIO

On Thursday, June 17, 2021 at approximately 5:13am a man was driving down Hardscrabble Rd in Limington when he noticed a fire at a home at 259 Hardscrabble Road.

A retired firefighter, he called 911 and then tried to make entry into the house but he was not able to. The Limington, Standish and Hollis Fire Departments responded and extinguished the fire. When firefighters made entry into the home they discovered the deceased bodies of an adult male and female.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office and Maine State Police’s Major Crimes Unit South were called in to investigate. 

The York County Sheriff’s Office is assisting.

An autopsy is scheduled for Friday at the Chief Office of the Medical Examiner.

Hardscrabble Road is shut down and is expected to be for most of the day while investigators and evidence response technicians investigate the scene.
 

Waterville Police Detectives and State Police Major Crimes Detectives continue to investigate a shooting occurring on Western Ave in Waterville on Jan. 2, 2021.  

A 911 call was received at the Waterville Police Department at approximately 11:52 a.m.  Waterville Police responded and were later assisted by Maine State Police Major Crimes - Central.  A 2-year-old male was initially transported to Thayer Hospital in Waterville with a gunshot wound to the head.  He was later transported to Maine Medical Center in Portland.  He is listed in critical condition at this time.

Investigation revealed one of the three siblings living in the home found the gun that was secured in a closet, loaded it, and a round was fired.  Police continue to investigate the incident and monitor the status of the juvenile. 
 

Maine State Police have identified the deceased male and female discovered yesterday in Richmond.  The male was identified as Dana Shulman, 49, and the female as Robin Bowler, 47, both of 48 Main St. Apt 7 in Richmond. The autopsies are still pending.
 
Maine State Police were assisted by Richmond Police.
 

On Nov. 2, 2020, at approximately 11 a.m., Richmond Police responded to an apartment on Main Street in Richmond, Maine for a welfare check. Unable to make contact with persons inside, authorities asked for the assistance of Maine State Police. Authorities determined the male and female inside were deceased. Currently, members of the Major Crimes Unit Central are on scene and will be investigating the scene into the evening. There is no ongoing threat to the public. The deceased will be transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. The identities of the male and female are not being released at this time.  

UPDATE (July 9, 2020, 7:17 a.m.): The deceased has been identified as Richard Warnell, 64, of St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada.  Warnell was the subject of a missing persons investigation being conducted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).  The Maine State Police is continuing to work with the RCMP regarding the investigation.  As there is no indication that Mr. Warnell died in the State of Maine, the RCMP will now become the lead agency in the investigation and further questions should be directed to them.  

ROBBINSTON, Maine – Maine State Police responded to a deceased person that had washed up on a beach in Robbinston. 

On July 7, 2020, A concerned party called the Bangor Regional Communication Center (RCC) and Cpl. Micah Perkins responded to the scene at approximately 2:23 p.m. An autopsy is being conducting by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) to determine the identity of the deceased, along with the cause and manner of death. Because there are no known missing persons from the Robbinston area, Troopers are cooperating with the Canadian authorities regarding the investigation.

Troopers were assisted on scene by the Maine Marine Patrol, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Robbinston Fire, Calais Fire EMS, and the U.S. Border Patrol. 

The investigation is ongoing and no further information is available at this time.
 

State Police say the man who died on Vinalhaven Island Sunday night died as a result of injuries inflicted with a knife. The State Medical Examiner's Office has ruled the death a homicide.  However State Police and the Knox County Sheriff's Office continue to investigate the circumstances of the death of 28 year old Roger Feltis. Feltis was fatally injured during a confrontation at the home of Dorian and Briannah Ames on the Roberts Cemetery Road. Briannah Ames was also injured during the confrontation and was treated and released from Pen Bay Medical Center.

Investigators will continue to review evidence, the autopsy results and interviews in consultation with the Attorney General's Office