Ellis assists Secret Service

    PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – Chief Naldo Gagnon, of the Presque Isle Police Department, honored one of his own recently when he recognized Officer Roger Ellis for his role in helping the Secret Service capture an escapee from a Kansas prison.
    Gagnon made the presentation to Ellis on April 27. The case dated back to early March when an individual was reported to have passed several fake traveler’s checks in Aroostook County.
“Roger was presented with a letter of commendation for work he did on a case with the Secret Service. The individual had come to town with his wife and three kids. They stayed at a local motel and shopped locally using bad traveler’s checks,” said Gagnon.
According to Ellis, that’s how they lived.
“The man – whom we later identified as Anthony Mykel Montana – would travel from town to town, printing his own traveler’s checks at public facilities such as libraries or stores that had photocopiers. He used heavier card stock to make them look more authentic,” said Ellis.
Montana, reportedly escaped from a Kansas correctional facility, with the aid of his wife, where he was serving time for fraud. Montana’s aliases included: Tyson Gates, Tony Montana and Anthony Whetsine.
Ellis said store employees deserve the real credit for Montana finally being caught.
“It was due to the initiative of the victim stores’ employees that prompted us to look into the complaint. At least three mall stores were involved, including Deb’s, CardSmart and Payless. A Caribou business was also a victim,” said Ellis.
“The employees provided information to mall security who contacted us on the matter,” said Sgt. Laurie Kelly, of the PIPD. Kelly worked with Ellis on the case.
Ellis said Montana used a routine that did not raise suspicion.
“He’d go to a store and select items of small value, including children’s educational materials. The amount would come to around $10. He’d present a $100 traveler’s check and get $90 back. If questioned about the checks, he’d advise the clerk that the local motel had accepted them with no problem,” said Ellis, who indicated that the local motel Montana stayed at had actually refused to accept the checks and had taken cash as payment instead.
Had Montana stayed in one state and been caught, he probably would have faced only misdemeanor charges for passing bad traveler’s checks. But since he crossed state lines, Ellis said that elevated the case to a federal level.
Ellis said employees at two of the stores involved were able to give a physical description of the man who had passed the bad checks but they had not sought additional information to confirm his identity. An employee at the third store, however, had requested identification and was able to provide additional information to police.
“Staff at CardSmart had asked for proof of identification. Montana provided an out-of-state license with a name and address. Through that information, we had a lead to go on,” said Ellis.
In turn, management at the Presque Isle CardSmart passed the information along to its sister stores within the state.
It was that information that eventually led to Montana’s arrest downstate.
“Once we determined the traveler’s checks were phony, we notified the Secret Service. They had been looking for this guy for two years. It was thanks to the information the Presque Isle CardSmart staff provided to sister stores downstate that resulted in Montana’s eventual capture,” said Ellis.
“The Secret Service had been chasing this guy all over the United States and thought he’d headed to Canada,” added Kelly.
Once Montana left the area, he and his family headed south. He attempted to pass one of the checks at a CardSmart downstate. Aware of the scam, staff there contacted the Sanford Police Department. Sanford police eventually arrested Montana.
“He was apprehended by the Sanford Police Department and was scheduled to appear in Superior Court on March 10,” said Ellis. “When the guy was interviewed, he admitted he got spooked when he attempted to cross the border, so he stayed in the states.”
Sanford’s wife was detained briefly but at the time, Sanford police weren’t aware the woman might be connected with Montana’s escape. The woman and her children left the area soon after her husband’s arrest, said Kelly.
“The wife wasn’t charged with anything but may be by the Secret Service at some point, since she served as the wheel man,” said Ellis.
According to Ellis, it’s believed that Montana has been extradited back to Kansas to face escape charges  and violation of parole but will also face charges in Sanford as well. He was also wanted for larceny out west but officials indicated they would not extradite unless he Montana was west of the Mississippi.
Ellis, though the officer in charge of the case in Presque Isle, said he wouldn’t have made so much headway on the case had it not been for store employees’ attention to details.
“If it weren’t for the victim stores and mall security, Sgt. Kelly and Det. Sgt. Wayne Selfridge, this guy might not have been caught. He’d still be out there doing this,” said Ellis. “CardSmart staff was quick to question the authenticity – employees requested an ID.”
Ellis said he was honored to receive such recognition but doesn’t think he did anything out of the ordinary.
“I appreciate the recognition but I was just doing my job – no more than my fellow officers would have done,” said Ellis.
Gagnon said Ellis deserves credit for his dedication and determination in getting this case closed.
“Roger did a phenomenal job investigating this case. Thanks to his hard work, Montana is back in federal custody,” said Gagnon.