Arrests made in
Ashland mill burglary
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
ASHLAND — Three local men and a woman have been charged in connection with a break-in that occurred over the holiday weekend at Fraser Timber Limited.
“The break-in occurred at the mill sometime between Saturday, Nov. 27 and Sunday, Nov. 28, with entry made into all of the structures,” said Ashland Police Chief Cyr Martin. “The investigation resulted in three men and a woman being charged on several counts in connection with the burglary.”
Charged were Paul Hafford, 24, of Mapleton; Joshua Martin, 21, of Presque Isle; Carl LaBelle, 23, of Ashland; and Molly Turner, 21, of Mapleton.
“We were able locate the individuals based on evidence collected. We made arrests and recovered about 85 percent of the items taken. Hafford was a former employee of the mill. Hafford, Martin and LaBelle were each charged with aggravated criminal mischief, aggravated theft and burglary — all Class C crimes. Turner was charged with possession of stolen property, also a Class C,” said Martin.
Martin said more charges were possible. He indicated entry was made by the men by cutting a lock to gain access to the facility.
“Entry was made into several buildings, causing considerable damage. Once inside, a number of items were removed, including: copper wiring, machinery, tools and computers. Damage was estimated at $2,860,” said Cyr.
The chief said vandalism to the site included cutting copper wiring and copper tubing.
“The theft and damage totaled about $24,000. Investigators were able to retrieve about 85 percent of the property taken,” said Cyr. “We believe the intent was to take the items and try to sell them.”
Cyr said the case was solved quickly thanks to a collaborative effort between law enforcement agencies.
“We received leads and worked closely with the state police on the investigation. The arrests were the direct result of the teamwork between departments,” said Cyr. “I’d like to thank Trooper Dan Deschaine, Officers Luke Toomey and Jarod Carney who assisted me with the investigation, as well as Trooper Corey Hafford who aided with crime scene reconstruction.”
Martin said the charges may be bumped up to Class B crimes due to the dollar amount involved. Class B crimes are punishable by up to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to $20,000.
Following their arrests, the men were transported to the Aroostook County Jail in Houlton and arraigned Dec. 3, via video, in Superior Court in Fort Kent, then later released on bail. Hafford, Martin and LaBelle have been tentatively scheduled for a status conference at 9 a.m. on Feb. 17, 2011, in Caribou Superior Court. Information on Turner’s court date was not available at presstime.
