This is the History of and Reporting Guide for Ironwood School and RTC in Morrill, ME
|
Name |
Unit/Position |
Additional Information |
| Marion Rodrigue | President/Director | Originally a horse-breeder and trainer. Rodrigue reportedly no longer owns nor oversees this program. Rodrigue is not a licensed mental health professional in ME. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Rod Rodrigue | Chairman/CEO | Originally an engineer. Rodrigue reportedly no longer owns nor oversees this program. Rodrigue is not a licensed mental health professional in ME. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Robin Cubberly | Clinical Director | Cubberly reportedly no longer owns nor oversees this program. Rodrigue is not a licensed mental health professional in ME. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Debora Waring | Psychologist |
Waring has worked in varied and unnamed residential treatment centers for
decades.
DEBORA WARINGDEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL AND
FINANCIAL REGULATION
|
| Kristen Smith Winters | Therapist | Winters is a licensed clinical professional counselor and has been since June, 2010. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Don Morang | Therapist | Donald Neal Morang (may be a different person) is a licensed clinical social worker and has been since September, 2007. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Megan Robinson-Ryan | Admin Asst/Chief Admin. Officer | Ryan is a clerical/administrative officer and therefore would not be expected to hold any professional licenses. Therefore, HEAL has opted not to check for professional licensing for this individual. |
| Angela Pejouhy | Nurse | Pejouhy has worked in multiple and unnamed residential treatment centers for years. Pejouhy e-mailed HEAL on April 14th, 2011 stating she no longer worked for the facility and that she currently works at a hospital in Virginia. She asked to be removed from the website. HEAL replied with her options for editing and/or removal. Pejouhy is a licensed registered nurse and has been since 1999. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Ezra Kreamer | Social Worker | Kreamer is a licensed clinical social worker and has been since 2007. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Larry Reynolds | Director of Education | Co-Founder of Liberty School in Blue Hills, ME. HEAL may need the social security number of the education staff to verify credentials. A search for Mr. Reynolds in the Maine Certification Verification resulted in 0 results and suggests Reynolds is not a licensed educator in ME. Source: https://www.medms.maine.gov/medms_public/ReportPortal/ShowReport.aspx |
| Rex Dam | Teacher | Dam no longer appears to work for this program. HEAL may need the social security number of the education staff to verify credentials. A search for Mr. Dam in the Maine Certification Verification resulted in 0 results and suggests Dam is not a licensed educator in ME. Source: https://www.medms.maine.gov/medms_public/ReportPortal/ShowReport.aspx |
| Kathy Harriman | Teacher | HEAL may need the social security number of the education staff to verify credentials. A search for Ms. Harriman in the Maine Certification Verification resulted in 0 results and suggests Harriman is not a licensed educator in ME. Source: https://www.medms.maine.gov/medms_public/ReportPortal/ShowReport.aspx |
| Robert L. Patterson | Instructor | Formerly worked for Acadia Hospital in Bangor, ME. Came to Ironwood in 2006. HEAL may need the social security number of the education staff to verify credentials. A search for Mr. Patterson in the Maine Certification Verification resulted in 0 results and suggests Patterson is not a licensed educator in ME. Source: https://www.medms.maine.gov/medms_public/ReportPortal/ShowReport.aspx Patterson is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Glen Martin | Teacher | Martin no longer appears to work for this program. HEAL may need the social security number of the education staff to verify credentials. A search for Mr. Martin in the Maine Certification Verification resulted in 0 results and suggests Martin is not a licensed educator in ME. Source: https://www.medms.maine.gov/medms_public/ReportPortal/ShowReport.aspx |
| Frances Plessner | Instructor | Related to Marion Rodrigue. Plessner is extensively trained in canine behavior modification. HEAL may need the social security number of the education staff to verify credentials. A search for Plessner in the Maine Certification Verification resulted in 0 results and suggests Plessner is not a licensed educator in ME. Source: https://www.medms.maine.gov/medms_public/ReportPortal/ShowReport.aspx Plessner is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Kristyn Smith | Equestrian Program Mgr. | Think about it... Horse breeders open a troubled teen program where they get free farmhands, not only free, but, they get compensated by the parents for getting free slave labor. Sick, isn't it? Smith no longer appears to work for this program. Smith holds a conditional clinical professional counselor license since August, 2010. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Kellie Plessner | Farm House Mgr | Related to owner. Plessner has worked for various and unnamed residential programs. Plessner is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Brian St.Laurent | Asst. to Farm House Mgr | Has worked in a variety of "wilderness" program settings. No facilities named. St. Laurent no longer appears to work for this program. St. Laurent is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Jessica Small | Asst. FH Mgr./Behavior Specialist | Small is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Chris Plessner | Behavior Specialist | Related to owner. Kellie Plessner's husband. Plessner is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Greg Cooley | Behavior Specialist | Cooley no longer appears to work for this program. Cooley is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Gordon Thayer | Behavior Specialist | Gordon as with many of his co-workers home-school their children. Thayer is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Erin Wilbur | Behavior Specialist | Wilbur no longer appears to work for this program. Wilbur is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Tom Huber | Behavior Specialist | Huber no longer appears to work for this program. Huber is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Bill Soule | Behavior Specialist | Soule has worked in a variety of unnamed residential programs. Soule no longer appears to work for this program. Soule is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Stephanie Henderson | Behavior Specialist | Henderson no longer appears to work for this program. Henderson is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Maryanna Ray | Behavior Specialist | Ray, like many of her co-workers are heavily involved in their church(es). Ray is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Wendi Luther | Behavior Specialist | Luther has worked for various and unnamed residential programs. Luther is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Matt Whitacare | Behavior Specialist | Whitacare no longer appears to work for this program. Whitacare is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Darren Labbe | Behavior Specialist | Labbe is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Karen McPhedran | Admin. Asst./Intake Coordinator | McPhedran is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Christa Nadeau | Therapist | Nadeau is a licensed clinical professional counselor and has been since 1999. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Valerie Clemons | Psychiatrist | Clemons is a licensed psychiatrist and has been since 2001. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Helene Jones | Academic Director | HEAL may need the social security number of the education staff to verify credentials. A search for Jones in the Maine Certification Verification resulted in 0 results and suggests Jones is not a licensed educator in ME. Source: https://www.medms.maine.gov/medms_public/ReportPortal/ShowReport.aspx |
| Allyson May | Animal Therapy | May is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Lesia Socher | Art | HEAL may need the social security number of the education staff to verify credentials. A search for Socher in the Maine Certification Verification resulted in 0 results and suggests Socher is not a licensed educator in ME. Source: https://www.medms.maine.gov/medms_public/ReportPortal/ShowReport.aspx |
| Maria Orlova | Yoga | HEAL may need the social security number of the education staff to verify credentials. A search for Orlova in the Maine Certification Verification resulted in 0 results and suggests Orlova is not a licensed educator in ME. Source: https://www.medms.maine.gov/medms_public/ReportPortal/ShowReport.aspx |
| Diana Chapin | Horticulture | HEAL may need the social security number of the education staff to verify credentials. A search for Chapin in the Maine Certification Verification resulted in 0 results and suggests Chapin is not a licensed educator in ME. Source: https://www.medms.maine.gov/medms_public/ReportPortal/ShowReport.aspx |
| June Wentworth | Nurse | Wentworth is a licensed Registered Nurse and has been since 1991. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Louella Grindle | Behavior Specialist | Grindle e-mailed HEAL on February 9th, 2011 stating she is not associated with Ironwood RTC. We replied stating her options for having her name removed/edited. We are awaiting her response. In the meantime, it appears she is no longer working for this program. Grindle is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Ronanne Haigh | Behavior Specialist | Haigh is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Michelle Cole | Behavior Specialist | Cole is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Caitlin Sauce | Behavior Specialist | Sauce is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Jason Hoffman | Behavior Specialist | Hoffman is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Bonnie Rector | Night Security | Rector is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Carl Smith | Night Security | Smith is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx Smith has been arrested for sexually assaulting children. Complete story is shared below. |
| John Slamin | Night Security | Slamin is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Miles Noonan | Night Security | Noonan is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Danny (no last name) | Groundskeeper |
From survivor e-mail report (2007-2008) [FEEDBACK]: "Danny ?? was/is a groundskeeper employed by Ironwood that didn't work directly with residents, but was a popular subject among us residents due to his heavy cannabis usage in the tool shed behind Marion and Rod Rodrigue's trailer. Every memory I have of this man includes his red eyes and the way his clothing always reeked of weed. Nice guy, however I didn't agree with how obvious it was, especially in front of a group of teenagers with developing drug problems." |
| Blue (full name unknown) | Staff |
From survivor e-mail report (2007-2008) [FEEDBACK]: "Blue ?? was a local man that was somehow given a position as a "behavior specialist". All this man had to talk about with the residents was a woman he had recently fallen in love with; a woman he had met on the internet that he had never met before. Blue's employment lasted about a week if my memory serves me correctly." |
| Sue Horton | Executive Director | Horton is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Maine NOR in Massachusetts. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Wes Horton | President | Horton is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Jane Maynard | Admin. Asst. | Maynard is a clerical/administrative assistant and therefore would not be expected to hold any professional licenses. Therefore, HEAL has opted not to check for professional licensing for this individual. |
| Persephone Baughman | Inventory/Transportation | Baughman is an inventory/transportation worker and therefore would not be expected to hold any professional licenses. Therefore, HEAL has opted not to check for professional licensing for this individual. |
| Laura Newsom | Therapist | Newsom is a licensed clinical professional counselor and has been since 2005. Newsom is also a certified alcohol and drug counselor since 2005. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Priscilla King | Teacher | HEAL may need the social security number of the education staff to verify credentials. A search for King in the Maine Certification Verification resulted in 0 results and suggests King is not a licensed educator in ME. Source: https://www.medms.maine.gov/medms_public/ReportPortal/ShowReport.aspx |
| Grant Lippman | Tutor | HEAL may need the social security number of the education staff to verify credentials. A search for Lippman in the Maine Certification Verification resulted in 0 results and suggests Lippman is not a licensed educator in ME. Source: https://www.medms.maine.gov/medms_public/ReportPortal/ShowReport.aspx |
| Caseylin Gillis | Yoga | HEAL may need the social security number of the education staff to verify credentials. A search for Gillis in the Maine Certification Verification resulted in 0 results and suggests Gillis is not a licensed educator in ME. Source: https://www.medms.maine.gov/medms_public/ReportPortal/ShowReport.aspx |
| Libby Drury | Nurse | Elizabeth Julia Drury (may be a different person) is a licensed Registered Nurse and Adult Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. She has been licensed since 2007. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| David Thurlow | Behavior Specialist | Thurlow is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Nikki D'Alessandro | Behavior Specialist | D'Alessandro is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Daniel Cushman | Behavior Specialist | Cushman is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Ryan Moody | Behavior Specialist | Moody is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Derik Saucier | Behavior Specialist | Saucier is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Mindy Parker | Behavior Specialist | Parker is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Michael Ambrose | Behavior Specialist | Ambrose is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Kim Crouse | Behavior Specialist | Crouse is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Patrick Kelley | Behavior Specialist | Kelley is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Joanna Hull | Behavior Specialist | Hull is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Andy Bezon | Behavior Specialist | Bezon is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Ray Miller | Behavior Specialist | Miller is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Josh Mitchell | Behavior Specialist | Joshua J. Mitchell (may be a different person) has a conditional social worker license in Maine and is supposed to be supervised by Kristi Leigh Poole. He has been licensed since 2008. But, this may be a different person. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Jason Robeson | Behavior Specialist | Robeson is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Nova Hirsch | Behavior Specialist | Hirsch is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx |
| Deborah MacLeod | Night Security | MacLeod is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchIndividual.aspx (There is a Deborah D. MacLeod that is a licensed Registered Nurse in Maine. But, she is listed as working for Midcoast Hospital in Brunswick and is likely a different person.) |
| Paul Flynn | Farmhouse Manager | Flynn wanted for threatening to murder his brother. Source: http://www.centralmaine.com/2011/07/27/police-nabthreatsuspect_2011-07-26/ Complete article available below. |
| Tracy (last name?) | Night Staff | Reported by survivor via e-mail in November, 2014. |
| Kevin (last name?) | Farm Hand | Reported by survivor via e-mail in November, 2014. |
| Darcy (last name?) | Staff | Reported by survivor via e-mail in November, 2014. |
| Chris K. (?) | Staff | Reported by survivor via e-mail in April, 2020. |
| Alex Blackstone | Staff | Reported by survivor via e-mail in April, 2020. |
| Chris A. | Staff | Reported by survivor via e-mail in April, 2020. |
| External Link: http://www.secretprisonsforteens.dk/US/Ironwood.htm | ||
| Ironwood does not appear to be a licensed alcohol/drug counseling service in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchCompany.aspx In fact, Ironwood does not appear to be licensed in Maine. Source: http://pfr.informe.org/almsonline/almsquery/SearchCompany.aspx Ironwood is not licensed as a residential treatment facility with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Source: https://gateway.maine.gov/dhhs-apps/rcare/fac_list.asp Ironwood School and RTC does not appear to hold a business license in Maine. Source: https://icrs.informe.org/nei-sos-icrs/ICRS?MainPage=x. Ironwood is not included in the maine.gov list of recognized private/independent schools. Source: http://cis.neasc.org/cis_directory_of_schools/#Maine. We have also e-mailed the Department of Education in Maine to verify whether or not Ironwood is properly licensed and accredited. We will post the information when it becomes available. | ||
| Ex-police chief accused of child sex assaults worked at Maine teen facility Carl E. Smith fled the state when the allegations against him arose because he feared ‘he’d never make it in jail alive,’ a police report says. By Scott Dolan Staff Writer sdolan@pressherald.com | @scottddolan | 207-791-6304 BANGOR — A former police chief charged with sexually assaulting two 5-year-old girls held a job at a residential facility for troubled teenagers, according to a police report released Wednesday. The report, made public shortly before Carl E. Smith, 72, of Eddington appeared by video link in the Penobscot Judicial Center, also says that Smith fled from Maine because he thought that, as a former police officer, “he’d never make it in jail alive.” Additional Photos CARL E. SMITH Smith, who was police chief in the Penobscot County town of Howland, was arrested Saturday in Wells and is being held in the Penobscot County Jail. He appeared Wednesday on the video screen in court in Bangor, accompanied by attorney Kaylee Foster at the jail. Smith, dressed in an orange jail uniform, said little during the hearing. He was not required to enter pleas to the four charges against him, the most serious a felony count of gross sexual assault punishable by as much as 30 years in prison. Judge Gregory Campbell ordered Smith held on $100,000 cash bail while the case is pending, with conditions that he have no contact with children younger than 18, including the alleged victims, or some of their family members. Before the court hearing, District Attorney R. Christopher Almy released the affidavit that Maine State Police filed in seeking a warrant for Smith’s arrest. Almy said he was not aware of any allegations of wrongdoing by Smith at Ironwood, a residential facility for troubled teenagers in Morrill, and he would not say whether police were investigating his job there. It was not immediately clear what job Smith held at Ironwood, or how long he worked there. A staff directory on the website for Ironwood does not include Smith’s name. A woman who answered the phone Wednesday at Ironwood said she is not authorized to speak with the media and took a message regarding what Smith did for work there. No one returned the call. The sexual assaults are alleged to have occurred on April 25 at a home in Eddington, Almy said. He did not provide additional information about how the girls came into contact with Smith. In the affidavit, state police Detective Jay Pelletier wrote that police learned of Smith’s alleged assaults on the girls when a school principal reported that one of the girls had described the assaults happening while Smith was alone with them. Smith is not related to the girls but sometimes was alone with them, Pelletier wrote. Pelletier said in the affidavit that he first spoke with Smith about the allegations on May 1. Smith denied them and then said he thought he should speak with an attorney. Pelletier then ended the interview. On May 3, Smith told an acquaintance that he had resigned his job at Ironwood and left Maine because he expected to be charged with a crime and didn’t believe he would survive in jail because of his law enforcement background, according to the affidavit. He said, “The only way it’s going to be resolved is if I die in prison or at my own hands.” Smith was a law enforcement officer for 18 years, the last 13 as police chief in Howland, about 30 miles north of Bangor. He left law enforcement in 1988, Wells police said in a news release Saturday. He also served in the military for 32 years. Pelletier reached Smith by phone on May 5, when Smith told him he had taken two loaded handguns from his house but would not say where he was. The acquaintance told Pelletier that Smith had told her to sell a car, his coins and his guns, and said he planned to return to Maine and then “vanish,” the affidavit said. Pelletier spoke with Smith two days later. “He was contemplating three options, 1) Come back to Maine and ‘do whatever we have to do to get this over with’ 2) Find a hole to dive into and pull it in after him, and 3) ‘Do away with himself,’ ” Pelletier wrote. Smith was arrested Saturday morning after an all-night stakeout by Wells police and Maine State Police, who learned that Smith had returned to Maine and checked into a hotel in Wells the previous night. Smith was considered armed and dangerous, so police followed him from the hotel to “the least populated area” on Post Road and Bypass Road, where they stopped his car and arrested him, Wells police said in the news release. Police said Smith had a loaded Colt .38 special snub-nose pistol in one of his boots. “The information we had was that he realized that he was going to get charged so he left the state. He went west as far as North Dakota, and then decided to come back,” Almy told the Portland Press Herald on Saturday. State police alerted Wells police Friday night that Smith had rented a hotel room in the York County town. “It was determined that attempting to arrest Smith at the hotel would put the public at undue risk,” said the news release. State police kept the hotel under surveillance until 4 a.m. Saturday, then Wells police watched until 10 a.m., when Smith checked out. They followed his car in an unmarked vehicle and blocked northbound and southbound traffic until he was taken into custody without incident, the news release said. Smith has no previous criminal record and lives on his Social Security income, his attorney said. He is the second former high-ranking law enforcement officer to be arrested in recent months on sexual assault charges involving children. Andrew Demers Jr., 73, of New Gloucester, a former chief of the Maine State Police, was arrested March 17 and charged with unlawful sexual contact with a minor in incidents from Feb. 14 to March 14. A Cumberland County grand jury later indicted him on an elevated charge of gross sexual assault, a felony punishable by as much as 30 years in prison. Demers has admitted to having sexual contact with a 4-year-old relative, according to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. He pleaded not guilty last month at his initial court appearance to face the charges. Demers was allowed to remain free on $5,000 cash bail while his case is pending. He posted bail after his arrest. Scott Dolan can be contacted at 791-6304 or at: sdolan@pressherald.com Twitter: @scottddolan Source: http://www.pressherald.com/2014/05/14/bail_set_for_ex-maine_police_chief_accused_of_child_sex_assaults_/ | ||
| Threat suspect nabbed An Albion man who threatened to kill his brother on Monday, prompting an armed police response, was apprehended Tuesday morning in the greater Bangor area. By Scott Monroe An Albion man who threatened to kill his brother on Monday, prompting an armed police response, was apprehended Tuesday morning in the greater Bangor area. The man, who was identified by police in an all-points bulletin as 50-year-old Paul Flynn, was pulled over by a Penobscot sheriff’s deputy and state police trooper shortly after he unsuccessfully attempted to buy liquor at a convenience store. Police placed Flynn in protective custody and took him to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor for an evaluation. He was charged with operating under the influence and was bailed directly from the hospital, a Penobscot County Jail official said late Tuesday. “Nobody was in harm’s way; he was bluffing,” said Winslow officer Joshua Veilleux, who investigated the threat. “I’m extremely happy with the way it turned out. I’m happy for the family that it ended this way and nobody was hurt.” The search for Flynn began Monday morning when police received a report that he intended to kill one of his brothers at work in Winslow. Guns drawn, Veilleux, Police Chief Jeffrey Fenlason and a state trooper searched the brother’s Benton home and moved the brother’s wife and child to a safe location. Flynn claimed at one point to be armed with a rifle behind the Benton home and, through cell phone calls and text messages, claimed he was watching police. Police tried to convince Flynn to turn himself in, to no avail. Veilleux said he came into work about 6:30 a.m. Tuesday and got a call from a family member who had been receiving texts from Flynn indicating that he was “in a bad way” and “depressed.” Veilleux sent a text directly to Flynn asking how he was doing and Flynn replied back, “I’m a mess.” Veilleux then contacted wireless carrier Verizon, whom he had been in touch with the day before, about identifying Flynn’s location using his cell phone signal. They were able to do that Tuesday morning, with records also showing that he had been in the Waldo County town of Frankfort Monday morning and afternoon and was in Bangor by 6 p.m. Verizon was able to pinpoint Flynn’s location in relation to area cell towers, Veilleux said. “Thanks to the cell phone and text messaging, it was a big help because we were able to reach out to him,” Veilleux said. An all-points bulletin was issued about 9:30 a.m., saying Flynn might be “armed and dangerous, suicidal and homicidal” and was driving a red Subaru Impreza somewhere in the Bangor area. Deputy Garrit McKee of the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office was on patrol when he heard the bulletin and he spotted the car at 10 a.m. He pulled the car over in Herman, near the Levant line, at the intersection of Pine Tree and Fuller roads. “I stood by for another unit to arrive because there were concerns he was armed and (Maine State Police Trooper Darren) Vittum arrived and took him into custody without incident,” McKee said. “We were unable to locate a firearm.” Before he was pulled over, Flynn had tried to buy liquor at the Levant Corner Store, but he was turned away because the clerk saw he was drunk, Veilleux said. The brother who Flynn threatened to kill initially told police that he didn’t plan to press charges, but Winslow police say they’re still investigating. The brother declined comment Tuesday. Scott Monroe — 861-9239 smonroe@centralmaine.com Source: http://www.centralmaine.com/2011/07/27/police-nabthreatsuspect_2011-07-26/ | ||
| Vermont school shooting plot suspect recently left Maine treatment center By Patty Wight, Maine Public • February 21, 2018 3:40 pm Updated: February 21, 2018 4:02 pm A student who was recently enrolled at York County Community College was arrested in his home state of Vermont last week after threatening a mass shooting at his former high school. According to Vermont police, 18-year-old Jack Sawyer also attended a residential school near Belfast for troubled teens. York County Community College officials say they have no indication that anyone was at risk while Sawyer was a student. Last Wednesday the Fair Haven Police Department in Vermont was notified that Sawyer was making threats against Fair Haven Union High School, where he had been a student, but Chief William Humphries says it was a follow-up tip from a friend that led to his arrest. The two had spent time together at Ironwood, a residential treatment school in Maine for teens with emotional and behavioral disorders. Sawyer had texted the friend about the school shooting in Florida. “He had told her that he had been plotting to do the same for the last two years at Fair Haven High School, he said that he had no problem doing it, that he wouldn’t really have any remorse, that had no problem with ending it early,” says Humphries. Sawyer had also purchased a gun. During an arraignment in court last week, Sawyer pleaded not guilty to several charges, including attempted murder. He’s currently being held without bail. Until recently, Sawyer was taking a class at York County Community College. President Barbara Finkelstein says he withdrew earlier this month. After the news of his arrest, Finkelstein sent a letter to the school community, saying there was no indication anyone was ever at risk while Sawyer was a student, and emphasizing that safety and security are on ongoing priority. “We’ve always been very vigilant,” says Finkelstein. “We have an active emergency response team that does practice drills all the time at the college. We have a number of security protocols in place at the college.” Both Finkelstein and Vermont police credit the tips from Sawyer’s friends for averting violence, and say it’s a good reminder that if you see something suspicious, say something. Source: https://bangordailynews.com/2018/02/21/news/new-england/vermont-school-shooting-plot-suspect-recently-left-maine-treatment-center/ | ||
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THE TRUTH: All segregated congregate care providers, including those on our watch-list, are welcome to contact us to correct any information or provide additional data that may assist with delivering the whole truth to the public. The HEAL Mission of COPE (HEAL) found in many cases where this offer has been abused or resulted in revealing additional basis for our concerns. For some examples see feedback. Now, we are willing to look at the facts and may have questions or require documentation backing up any claims. We do verify licensing, academic backgrounds, and other qualifications when investigating and researching programs on our watch-lis/enrolled in the Conversion Program to assist consumers seeking additional information on such programs or victims requiring assistance with getting corroborating evidence of their claims. We do that in order to make sure the information we provide is accurate and verified and cite our sources. In the event any information we've posted is in error, we're happy to make a correction. HEAL does not support segregated congregate care for many reasons which include that many such facilities are abusive, exploitative, fraudulent, and lack effective oversight often as a result of fraudulent misrepresentation coupled with the ignorance of those seeking to enroll loved ones in such facilities, programs, schools, or centers without a valid court order and involuntarily. In the United States such involuntary placements done without a court order are apparently illegal as they either violate the Americans with Disabilities Act community integration requirement or due process rights of those involuntarily placed. Now, in regards to parents, in the United States parents have the right to waive their own rights, but, not the rights of their minor children. See https://www.cope.church/legalarguments.htm for more information. Now, most facilities on our watch list include waivers, indemnity clauses, and sworn statements legal guardians must sign assuring the program that the parents/legal guardians have the right to make the placement involuntarily and without due process in a segregated congregate care environment, however, California and federal prosecutors as well as settled law appears to suggest that is not the case. In fact, in the David Taylor case found at https://www.cope.church/provocases.htm , Taylor sued Provo Canyon School and his mother as co-defendants. His mother was found liable for 75% of the damages awarded to Taylor as a result of multiple complaints including false imprisonment, while the program was found only 25% liable because the mother owed a duty of due diligence to investigate anyone to which she would entrust care of her child and she failed to do so. Now, HEAL opposes segregated congregate care and we find most placements are happening illegally in the USA which if the youth understood their rights would result in unfortunate outcomes for the parents, particularly when they don't exercise good judgment and support the fraud and abuse rather than their own children when they need remedy and justice. And, HEAL supports all victims of fraud and abuse in seeking remedies at law for any crimes or torts committed against them. And, that's true whether or not the program or victims are in the USA. HEAL has a 5 point argument against segregated congregate care we'd like you to consider: a. Segregated care is unconstitutional and a civil rights violation. It is only permissible if a person is unable to survive independent of an institutional environment. For more on this, watch the HEAL Report at https://youtu.be/C4NzhZc4P0A. Or, see: http://www.ada.gov/olmstead/ which includes in part: "United States v. Florida – 1:12-cv-60460 – (S.D. Fla.) – On April 7, 2016, the United States filed an Opposition to the State of Florida’s Motion for Partial Summary Judgment. In the Motion, the State had asked the Court to rule, on a variety of grounds, that the United States could not recover damages for unnecessarily institutionalized children to whom the State had been deliberately indifferent." b. Institutionalization is always dehumanizing and coercive. Institutionalization always harms the institutionalized and deprives them of protected civil rights. Dr. David Straker, Psychiatry Professor at Columbia University's School of Medicine (Ivy League) explains this in detail at http://changingminds.org/disciplines/sociology/articles/institutionalization.htm. "Many institutions, from prisons to monasteries to asylums, deliberately want to control and manage their inmates such that they conform and do not cause problems. Even in less harsh environments, many of the institutionalization methods may be found, albeit in more moderated form (although the psychological effect can be equally devastating)." (See website linked in this paragraph for more info.) c. Institutionalization is not in the best interest of children. Institutions are not ever better for a child than living with a loving family. Source: http://www.unicef.org/cambodia/12681_23295.html d. Reform schools, residential treatment programs, and other segregated congregate care settings have been shown to be ineffective and harmful. Best source on this currently is: https://www.acgov.org/probation/documents/EndoftheReformSchoolbyVinny.doc e. Boarding Schools, even the "good ones", result in a form of social death, isolation, and cause both anxiety and depression. Therefore, it is clearly not in the best interest of the youth subjected to those environments. Sources: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jun/08/boarding-school-syndrome-joy-schaverien-review and http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/secondaryeducation/11662001/The-truth-about-boarding-school-syndrome.html Beyond the above arguments against segregated congregate care, we have reports from the NIH, Surgeon General, Yale University Studies, and much more showing the methodologies of behavior modification are damaging, harmful, and ineffective. You can request these documents via e-mail. In addition, for such programs offering academic services or claiming to offer diplomas, certifications, or the like, it is important to check to see if it is a diploma mill with no accredited academic services. Please see article: "Avoiding Scams: What You Need To Know" for important information on how to avoid education/training scams. If you'd like to see what HEAL suggests rather than segregated congregate care (i.e. committing a crime or tort against your child if done against their will without a court order), please see articles: "Fix Your Family, Help Your Teen" and "Emancipation Guide". |
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REPORTING GUIDE FOR VICTIMS, SURVIVORS, AND WHISTLEBLOWERS: In Maine, the criminal statutes of limitation are 3 years on misdemeanors, 6 years on felonies, and no statute of limitations on more serious felonies including rape of a minor under age 16 at time of rape and murder. For civil suits in Maine, the statute of limitations is 6 years. Here are your options: 1. Report crimes such as fraud, assault, battery, false imprisonment, rape, labor trafficking, and child abuse to law enforcement in Maine. You can call the Waldo County Sheriff at 207-338-6786 to inquire about filing an official complaint which when filed may provide the probable cause needed to get a warrant for investigation and/or prosecution. 2. File a consumer complaint with your home state's attorney general against Ironwood and include your request for compensation for any harm done to you. If your home state is Maine or you'd like to file with the Maine State Attorney General as a non-resident, here is that link and form: https://www.maine.gov/ag/consumer/complaints/complaint_form.shtml 3. If you do not wish to file a consumer complaint, you can contact a private personal injury attorney and look into suing in tort/civil court. However, if you can't afford the retainer, you should expect to settle out of court with a non-disclosure agreement which may bar you from speaking publicly about the incident because you've agreed (even if with a grumbling assent) to the terms of the settlement. 4. You may send a new e-mail to rev@cope.church with subject "Post My Feedback" and we will post your feedback (e-mail printed to .pdf disclosing your name and e-mail address and any information in your e-mail with that subject) to https://www.cope.church/feedback.htm and add a direct link to those .pdf files to this page . 5. You may also wish to provide a guest sermon. Guest sermons are posted at https://www.cope.church/sermons.htm , under Progress Reports/Guest Sermons at https://www.cope.church/conversion.htm where appropriate, and on program info pages when applicable. So, one provided by you on your program would also be placed on this page . Guest sermons should be written into the body of an e-mail and sent to rev@cope.church . Your first and last name will be disclosed (contact info will not be unless you expressly request disclosure). For sermons available on our site see https://www.cope.church/sermons.htm (and sermon archives linked on that page). If you have questions about this option, please contact rev@cope.church. Please see https://www.cope.church/givetoday.pdf to get an idea what your sermon may be worth. |
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| May 5th, 2021: CONVERSION PROGRAM PROGRESS REPORT: Ironwood | ||
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