Articles by Chris Williams
Turner man appeals 40-year sentence in high court, probes sentencing law
PORTLAND, Maine — A Turner man sentenced to 40 years in prison for killing his wife in 2010 appealed his sentence Thursday in Maine’s highest court. Attorney Adam Sherman argued before the Maine Supreme Judicial Court that the trial judge in Androscoggin County Superior Court erred when he set the ...
Lewiston men accused in third downtown fire held on $350,000 cash bail
LEWISTON, Maine — A judge on Monday ordered $350,000 cash bail each for two city men charged with three counts of arson in connection with a downtown fire a week ago. Bryan Wood, 23, of 131 Bartlett St. and transient Brian Morin, 29, appeared in 8th District Court. Judge John ...
Two boys formally charged with arson in Lewiston fires
LEWISTON, Maine — The state Friday formally charged two local 12-year-olds with setting fires that burned downtown buildings and displaced nearly 200 people in the span of five days. Brody Covey, who lived in one of the apartment buildings that was destroyed, is accused of setting fire to 105 Blake ...
Investigators work on pinpointing cause of 2nd downtown Lewiston fire
LEWISTON, Maine — A black Lab on a red leash sniffed at charred timbers on Saturday afternoon, then sat at a spot where a wisp of smoke curled up from the darkened debris that once was the back of a four-bay garage. Investigators combed through the rubble from Friday night’s ...
Labor Department official meeting with unemployment officers about alleged pressure from LePage
A lawyer from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of the Solicitor is expected to be in Augusta to interview unemployment appeals hearing officers through Thursday about allegations that Gov. Paul LePage pressured them to be more pro-business in their findings. Leticia Sierra had scheduled meetings with hearing officers at ...
LePage denies he attempted to pressure unemployment hearing officers
AUBURN, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage brushed off allegations Tuesday that he pressured unemployment claims appeals examiners last month in an effort to skew their decisions in favor of business owners. LePage, who had just met with students at Fairview Elementary School’s Maine French Heritage Language Program, told reporters repeatedly ...
Lewiston murder suspect appears in court, held without bail
AUBURN, Maine — A Lewiston man charged with murder in the death of his friend will continue to be held without bail after appearing in court briefly Tuesday morning. Michael McNaughton, 23, was denied bail in Androscoggin County Superior Court on a murder charge in connection with the slaying of ...
LePage: Claims of intimidation of unemployment officers ‘outrageous’
AUGUSTA, Maine — A union lawyer said several Department of Labor workers who attended a luncheon last month hosted by Gov. Paul LePage corroborated allegations published in Thursday’s Sun Journal. That story said unemployment-claim-hearing officers felt pressured by the governor to rule more in favor of employers. Tim Belcher, a ...
Labor commissioner cites faults in unemployment appeals system; Democrats seek probe of alleged intimidation by LePage
PORTLAND, Maine — The head of the top appeals board at the Department of Labor said Thursday that unemployment claims officers at a lower level of appeals are “repeatedly” omitting evidence and testimony that are resulting in unfair hearings. Jennifer Duddy, chairwoman of the Unemployment Insurance Commission, said she and ...
State employees say LePage pressured them to deny jobless benefits
At a meeting last month, Gov. Paul LePage pressured hearing officers at the Department of Labor to decide unemployment-benefit cases in favor of business owners over workers, sources to the Sun Journal have said. LePage summoned more than a dozen employees at the state agency to a luncheon on March ...
Turner man who allegedly rammed car, yelled homophobic slurs fined for other road rage incident
AUBURN, Maine — A Turner man awaiting trial on charges stemming from an event last year during which police said he rammed another car and yelled homophobic slurs was sentenced Wednesday in an unrelated road rage incident. Ronald Champagne, 51, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of assault and driving to ...
Mechanic Falls man pleads guilty to stealing from nonprofit group with his wife
AUBURN, Maine — A Mechanic Falls man whose wife was convicted earlier this month of stealing thousands of dollars from an area nonprofit organization that serves people with developmental and intellectual disabilities pleaded guilty Friday to theft from the same group. Michael Arsenault, 43, agreed to plead to a felony ...
Lewiston police charge 6 for alleged welfare fraud
LEWISTON, Maine — Police have charged six residents this week with local welfare fraud and expect to charge more by the end of the week, authorities said Wednesday. Those issued criminal summonses are: — Idey Aden, 27, of 77 Birch St. — Shawn Turner, 28, of 94 College St. — ...
Boston man convicted in 2009 slaying of Lewiston woman
By Sun Journal on March 26, 2013, at 5:29 p.m.
BOSTON — A Dorchester man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for killing a Lewiston woman in 2009. Amos “Ace” Don, 27, was found guilty Tuesday of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Erica Field, 29. A day later, he was ordered to spend the rest ...
State police reviewing 2-hour response time after boy struck and killed by plow truck in Greene
When a 6-year-old boy was struck by a plow truck in his driveway in Greene on Wednesday, rescue workers and firefighters responded quickly to give medical aid. But law enforcement officials are trying to sort out why state police were not dispatched for more than two hours. Maine State Police ...
Lewiston man who crashed during high-speed chase appeals dismissal of his lawsuit
AUBURN, Maine — A Lewiston man who sued the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department after he crashed during a high-speed car chase is appealing his case to the state’s top court. Glen Witham, 42, filed a notice in Androscoggin County Superior Court earlier this month to appeal the decision by a ...
Brothers plead guilty to assaulting men outside Auburn CVS
AUBURN, Maine — Two brothers who live locally were convicted Friday of charges stemming from the assault of two men outside a CVS store on Union Street last summer. Jesse McGehee, 31, and Joel McGehee, 29, admitted guilt to related charges in Androscoggin County Superior Court. Jesse McGehee was charged ...
Lewiston store owner pleads no contest to allowing customers to buy ineligible items with food stamps
AUBURN, Maine — The owner of a Lewiston convenience store pleaded no contest Monday to felony theft in connection with a scheme to defraud the federal food welfare program by allowing customers to make nonallowable purchases with their government-issued electronic debit cards. Andre A. Beaupre, 62, of 95 High St., ...
Mechanic Falls woman pleads guilty to stealing from group homes and resident
AUBURN, Maine — A Mechanic Falls woman who had served as Budget Subcommittee chairwoman on the RSU 16 School Committee admitted to two felony theft charges Tuesday morning stemming from her job at John F. Murphy group homes where she stole money from a client as well as the nonprofit ...
Wilton woman sentenced in plot to burn down Livermore Falls store
AUBURN, Maine — A Wilton woman who conspired with two other people to burn down a Livermore Falls convenience store for the insurance money will be allowed to withdraw an earlier felony plea two years from now and, instead, plead guilty to a misdemeanor. Nicole Hennessy, 31, appeared Wednesday in ...
Since 1971, seven Maine children reported missing have not been found
Call put out for ground search volunteers in effort to find missing Glenburn teen
LePage: State will run out of money for DHHS bills June 10
Scandals, real and imagined
IRS targeting
Houlton council, community still concerned about costly Millar Civic Center
Gomes’ sacrifice fly in 10th lifts Red Sox past Twins
For those who are too fat for Abercrombie and Fitch
Kitchen Nightmares meltdown or: How to lose an argument online
Market Basket in Biddeford starts hiring 300 workers