June

The Maine State Police will hold its annual awards ceremony on Friday, June 27, 2025, at 10:00 AM at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro. This event recognizes past and present members of the Maine State Police, both sworn and civilian, as well as citizens of Maine who have gone above and beyond what is expected of them. This year’s ceremony will include the presentation of awards such as Trooper of the Year, Legendary Trooper, Leadership Award, Bravery Awards, Wounds Received, Special Award of Commendation, and the Colonel’s Award.

The stories behind these awards reflect the courage, dedication, and professionalism of Maine’s Troopers, staff, and citizens. Among this year’s honorees:

• Several members of the Maine State Police Tactical Team, recognized for their response to a barricaded subject in Portage Lake during which K9 Preacher was killed in the line of duty.

• A Trooper who successfully negotiated the peaceful surrender of a barricaded subject following five hours of crisis negotiations.

• A Trooper who suffered a broken ankle in three places while making a felony arrest during a domestic violence call, injuries that required surgery and a six-month recovery.

• A Trooper and his K9 partner, commended for their work as a team on 47 deployments, locating 67 electronic devices , many of which contained critical evidence linking suspects to online child exploitation, including possession, dissemination, and production of child sexual abuse material.

• A Maine State Police Crime Laboratory firearms and toolmarks examiner, the only professional in this role serving the entire State of Maine, recognized for exceptional expertise and service supporting investigations across the state.

• The inaugural Walker-Deslauriers Memorial Award, presented posthumously to Jason Walker and Michael Deslauriers, who courageously confronted an active shooter on October 25, 2023, and selflessly gave their lives to protect others.

Friday, June 27, 2025, at 10:00 AM
Maine Criminal Justice Academy
15 Oak Grove Road
Vassalboro, Maine

On Wednesday, June 18, 2025, Troopers with the Maine State Police, Central Field Troop executed a search warrant at 23 Gardner Drive in Brooks, following an investigation led by Troopers and Deputies from the Waldo County Sheriff’s Department, and an investigator from the Maine Department of Corrections. The search warrant was the result of a months-long investigation during which Troopers identified the residence as a source of supply for fentanyl and crack cocaine in the greater Waldo County area. During the search, law enforcement officers recovered multiple firearms, a significant quantity of cash, approximately 87 grams of fentanyl powder, 5 grams of crack cocaine, and illegally possessed prescription drugs.

The following individuals were arrested and charged:

• Nature Gordon, 21, of Brooklyn, New York, was charged with Aggravated Trafficking of Schedule W Drugs.

• Ian Freeman, 38, of Brooks, was charged with Aggravated Trafficking of Schedule W Drugs and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.

• Jamie Freeman, 39, of Brooks, was charged with Aggravated Trafficking of Schedule W Drugs and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.

• Joseph Hills, 38, of Brooks, was charged with Unlawful Possession of Schedule W Drugs.

All individuals were transported to the Waldo County Jail. The investigation continues.

On May 17th, 2025, at approximately 4:55 AM, the Lewiston Police Department received a 911 call reporting a 4-year-old child with a gunshot wound at 93 Pierce Street in Lewiston. The Lewiston Police Department, Lewiston Fire Department and United Ambulance Service responded.

The child, identified as Jasper Smith, was transported to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, where he was pronounced deceased at 7:08 AM. Jasper was later transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner for autopsy. The Lewiston Police Department requested assistance from the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit South, and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) was notified as required by protocol when a child dies in a household. Since that time, the investigation has continued.

On June 18th, 2025, at approximately 10:25 AM, police arrested 35-year-old Robert McCoy, the child’s stepfather. He has been charged with Manslaughter and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. The child’s mother, 27-year-old Mikayla Smith was also arrested on unrelated warrants. Both were transported to the Androscoggin County Jail.

We would like to thank the Lewiston Police Department and DHHS for their continued assistance with this investigation. The investigation remains ongoing.

On Saturday, June 14, 2025, at approximately 12:41 PM, Maine State Police Troop G Troopers responded to a report of a trailer carrying goats that had become detached from its towing vehicle on the Turnpike northbound near mile marker 52 in Falmouth. The trailer came to rest in the median.

As a result of the incident, 15 goats escaped and began to disrupt traffic on both the northbound and southbound lanes. Troopers quickly responded and coordinated efforts to corral the goats. The investigation determined that the driver, operating a 2013 Toyota pickup truck towing a farm trailer, experienced a disconnection between the vehicle and trailer, leading to the incident. There were no significant injuries to the driver or the goats.

Southbound traffic was minimally affected, while northbound traffic was slowed for about 45 minutes but continued to flow.

The Maine State Police were assisted at the scene by Southern Maine Towing, Cumberland County Emergency Management Agency, the Town of Cumberland, Cumberland Police Department Animal Control, and Maine Turnpike Authority maintenance crews.

On Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at approximately 8:37 PM, Maine State Police Troopers responded to a residence on Windsor Road in Chelsea. Upon arrival, Troopers located two deceased adult males. Detectives and Evidence Response Technicians with the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit Central responded to investigate and process the scene.

The deceased individuals were transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta, where autopsies will be conducted to determine the cause and manner of death. A juvenile male was arrested at the scene and charged with murder. He was taken into custody and transported to Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland.

There is no danger to the public. The investigation remains ongoing. No additional information is being released at this time.  

On Thursday, June 12, 2025, at approximately 10:10 AM, a Maine State Police Trooper observed a white Hyundai Sonata traveling at a reckless speed and passing other vehicles in a no-passing zone on Route 25 in Cornish. The vehicle was also observed crossing into oncoming traffic.

When the Trooper attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver failed to stop and continued at a high rate of speed. The Trooper coordinated with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office to deploy spike mats at the Limington-Standish town line. The spike mats were successfully deployed, disabling both passenger-side tires of the vehicle. Despite the damage, the driver continued to flee, driving on deflating tires and rims.

The pursuit continued through the intersection of Routes 25 and 35 in Standish, where the driver of the Hyundai Sonata rear-ended another vehicle. The driver of that vehicle sustained minor injuries. The driver of the Hyundai then continued eastbound on Route 25 into Gorham, where a Maine State Police Trooper conducted a PIT maneuver, (Precision Immobilization Technique) successfully bringing the pursuit to a safe conclusion.

The driver, identified as 28-year-old Gabriel Nodarse of Saco, sustained minor injuries. He was evaluated at the scene and transported to the York County Jail. Nodarse has been charged with Eluding and Reckless Conduct with a Dangerous Weapon. Following the incident, investigators also learned that Nodarse was involved in a hit-and-run crash earlier this morning at approximately 9:10 AM on High Street in Bridgton.

The Maine State Police would like to thank the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and the Gorham Police Department for their assistance. The investigation is ongoing.

On Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at approximately 8:00 PM, Detectives from the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit Central arrested 69-year-old Bonnie Coombs of Garland in connection with the April homicide of 78-year-old Velma Withee of Hartland. Coombs is the sister of the victim.

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On Saturday, April 12, 2025, at approximately 6:30 PM, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit Central following the discovery of a deceased adult female at a residence on Canaan Road in Hartland. The victim was identified as Velma Withee. An autopsy was conducted by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta on Monday, April 14, 2025. The manner of death was determined to be homicide, and the cause was gunshot wounds. Bonnie Coombs was transported to the Somerset County Jail, where she is currently being held without bail. This investigation remains active and ongoing. No additional details are being released at this time.

On Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at approximately 6:44 AM, Maine State Police responded to a report of a two-vehicle crash on Route 1 in Hancock.

While Troopers were en route, a second call was received reporting that one of the individuals involved in the crash had been struck by a dump truck at the scene. The initial investigation determined that 54-year-old Kevin Minnie of Ellsworth had been involved in two separate crashes in the moments leading up to his death.

Preliminary information indicates that Minnie was traveling at a high rate of speed while traveling westbound on Route 1 when he rear-ended a pickup truck, causing it to roll over and leave the roadway. The operator of that vehicle was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Minnie continued driving westbound for a short distance before going in the opposite lane and striking the rear passenger side of a second vehicle on Route 1 in front of Tideway Market. That driver was not injured.

After the second crash, Minnie exited his vehicle and began acting erratically striking and jumping on several vehicles that had stopped at the scene. As a commercial dump truck approached the area, Minnie ran toward the passenger rear tire and was struck. He did not survive. Investigators believe Minnie was experiencing a mental health crisis that contributed to his behavior.

The crash remains under investigation by the Northern Field Troop with assistance from the Maine State Police Commercial Vehicle Unit and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.

On Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at approximately 7:13 PM, Troop G Troopers responded to a multi-vehicle crash at mile marker 13 southbound on the Maine Turnpike in York.

The initial investigation indicates that the driver of a red Mitsubishi Mirage struck a deer in the center lane and the vehicle became disabled. The driver exited the vehicle and moved to a safe location off the roadway, as the vehicle could not be moved from its position. Shortly after, a commercial vehicle carrying fuel crested the hill behind the crash scene and was unable to stop in time.

The truck struck the disabled Mitsubishi, causing it to be pushed into the median. The impact also caused the commercial truck to veer to the right and collide with a BMW crossover vehicle. Both the truck and BMW came to rest off the right side of the roadway.

Fortunately, only minor injuries were reported, and no one required transport to the hospital. The deer did not survive.

The crash scene required a temporary lane reduction, with southbound traffic limited to one lane for approximately one hour and fifteen minutes while the emergency response took place and vehicles were removed from the scene.

The Maine State Police were assisted by the Wells Fire Department, York Police Department, the Maine Turnpike Authority, National Wrecker Service, and Troop K Commercial Vehicle Enforcement.

The Maine Information and Analysis Center (MIAC), in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division (FBI), is sharing an important public safety advisory regarding the increased activity of violent online networks that are actively targeting minors and vulnerable individuals across the country and around the world. These networks operate on widely used platforms like social media, gaming apps, and messaging services. They exploit victims, many between the ages of 9 and 17, through manipulation, threats, and extortion, coercing them into acts of self-harm, animal cruelty, or worse. These disturbing images or videos are then used to further control, shame, or re-victimize individuals.

Key Warning Signs May Include:

• Sudden withdrawal, changes in mood or behavior

• Secrecy or fear surrounding online activity

• Unexplained gifts or digital currency

• Physical signs of self-harm or emotional distress

• Incidents like swatting or suspicious harm to pets

What You Can Do:

• Monitor online activity and talk with children about online safety

• Be cautious when posting images or personal information

• Watch for warning signs of grooming or online manipulation

• Report concerning behavior immediately

Report incidents to:

• https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ic3.gov%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cshannon.moss%40maine.gov%7Cf51eaf02f8e7479455e808dda4531645%7C413fa8ab207d4b629bcdea1a8f2f864e%7C0%7C0%7C638847398953347241%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=QA1qAiK0BQC3oC4kdw8xGB6dK12mpFq1Ad%2FrX2pUQHo%3D&reserved=0

• https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cybertipline.org%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cshannon.moss%40maine.gov%7Cf51eaf02f8e7479455e808dda4531645%7C413fa8ab207d4b629bcdea1a8f2f864e%7C0%7C0%7C638847398953374143%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=KoQMxqmDXRLUvzbOOsY1IK%2BZSJVZ0Xc3Wgo5w88NJgc%3D&reserved=0

• Or call 1-800-CALL-FBI or 1-800-THE-LOST

More resources for protecting children online: https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftakeitdown.ncmec.org%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cshannon.moss%40maine.gov%7Cf51eaf02f8e7479455e808dda4531645%7C413fa8ab207d4b629bcdea1a8f2f864e%7C0%7C0%7C638847398953388754%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=0py9%2BetXRn3GDQhZQ804mC8MeJjJvtYG%2Bjc8cb02pvA%3D&reserved=0

https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250306

These networks rely on secrecy and fear. Awareness, early intervention, and reporting are key to prevention and protection.