ROCKLAND — The following cases were closed in Knox County Unified Court from May 14-18.

Dillon J. Ames, 23, of North Haven, unlawful possession of scheduled drug, $400 fine, 90 days in jail all suspended, license suspended 150 days.

Ryan N. Anderson, 40, of Jefferson, operating after registration suspended, $150 fine.

Michael S. Banasznek, 31, of Holyoke, Mass., domestic violence assault, 30 days in jail; criminal mischief, 30 days in jail; operating under the influence (alcohol), $500 fine, 30 days in jail; operating vehicle without a license, 30 days in jail; obstructing report of a crime.

According to the police affidavit, Sgt. John Palmer and Deputy Paul Pinkham of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, responded to a call from Knox Regional Communications Center of a domestic complaint in Warren. While they were en route to the scene, dispatch notified them that the man who was allegedly involved in the dispute had driven away from the scene in his SUV. The victim said that he been drinking. 

Baranszek was located in Rockport near routes 17 and 90, by Officer Jim Moore, and was apprehended by Palmer while Pinkham went to the residence where the alleged assault had occurred. 

Police observed that Banaszek smelled of alcohol and showed signs of intoxication, according to the affidavit. They conducted a field sobriety test at the scene. 

At the home in Warren, the victim told the deputies that Banaszek had assaulted her and damaged the couch, broke a table and punched a hole in the bedroom door when she went in there to hide and call police, according to the affidavit. 

The victim told police that she had been together with Banaszek for three years and this was about the 10th time that this type of an incident had taken place. The victim said that she has the children go into another room and tells them to turn up the television so they can't hear him yelling names at her, according to the affidavit. 

Banaszek denied the allegations that he touched the victim, including knocking the phone out of her hand when she called 911. 

Travis L. Bellefountaine, 28, of Vinalhaven, operating under the influence (alcohol), $500 fine, license suspended 150 days.

Patricia J. Benner, 61, of Waldoboro, domestic violence assault, dismissed; domestic violence assault, 364 days in jail with all but 30 days suspended, probation one year; domestic violence terrorizing, dismissed; violating condition of release, 30 days in jail.

Gergory R. Boynton, 52, of Washington, failure to register vehicle, dismissed.

Robert J. Burgess, 30, of Waldoboro, theft by unauthorized taking or transfer, five months in jail.

Richard A. Campbell, 50, of Jefferson, unlawful possession of scheduled drug, $750 fine; unlawful possession of scheduled drug, dismissed; driving to endanger, dismissed.

Robert J. Carroll, 26, of Warren, assault on an officer, 18 months in jail; assault on an officer, dismissed; trafficking in prison contraband, dismissed; assault on an officer, two counts, nine months in jail.

Dwight Collins, 46, of Rockland, operating under the influence (alcohol), dismissed; driving to endanger, $750 fine, license suspended 30 days.

Stephen N. Cowles, 49, of Orland, criminal trespass, $500 fine.

Garold L. Demmons, 63, of Warren, failing to comply with sex offender registration act, first offense, seven days in jail.

Christopher J. Gaffney, 37, of Rockland, operating while license suspended or revoked, two counts, $500 fine; operating without proof or financial responsibility, $250 fine.

William M. Galloway, 52, of Hope, failure to register vehicle, $100 fine.

Amana A. Gerry, 41, of Cushing, operating under the influence (alcohol), dismissed; driving to endanger, $575 fine, license suspended 30 days.

Adam M. Gray, 34, of Charleston, trafficking in prison contraband, six months in prison.

Sergio L. Heese, 31, of Rockport, operating while license suspended or revoked, $500 fine.

Daniel A. Hoffman, 32, of Bremen, operating while license suspended or revoked, $250 fine.

Colleen Hupper, 51, of Rockland, theft by unauthorized taking or transfer, 24 hours in jail, restitution $125.

Jamie R. Johnson, 47, of Rockland, operating while license suspended or revoked, dismissed.

Nicholas Killeran, 19, of Cushing, operating vehicle without license, dismissed.

Jared L. Larsen, 25, of Owls Head, domestic violence assault, priors, three years in jail with all but nine months suspended, probation two years; obstructing report of a crime, 30 days in jail.

Aaron K. Lavoie, 31, of Warren, operating under the influence (alcohol), $750 fine, license suspended 150 days.

Randall S. Maloney Jr., 32, of Cushing, failing to extinguish fire, $100 fine.

Adam P. Miller, 41, of Waldoboro, operating while license suspended or revoked, $250 fine.

Jamie Mondragon, 37, of Lewiston, assault, $300 fine, four months in jail.

Owen Ostergard, 30, of Thomaston, operating vehicle without license, $150 fine.

Derek C. Presha, 38, of Buffalo, aggravated trafficking of scheduled drugs, $400 fine, six years in jail; aggravated trafficking, two counts, dismissed.  

Presha pleaded guilty in Knox County Court before Justice to aggravated trafficking in cocaine May 17. Justice Bruce Mallonee presided at the sentencing hearing.

Three people, including Presha, were arrested by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency in Warren and Waldoboro April 4 following a crack cocaine investigation in Knox and Lincoln counties all remain in jail. 

Also arrested besides Presha were Chamara Cox, 31, of Rochester, New York; and Kenneth Judkins, 32, of Waldoboro. 

For the past two weeks, agents from the MDEA Midcoast District Task Force have been investigating the distribution of crack cocaine and heroin in the Midcoast by a group from New York, according to a news release from the Maine Department of Public Safety. 

According to the affidavit filed in court by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, agents conducted a controlled buy at a motel in Thomaston, with Presha making the drug sale to a confidential police informant. 

Police then saw Presha and Cox, who was driving the car, leave the motel together and get into a rental car. They followed them to a convenience store parking lot in Warren in the afternoon of April 4 where Presha was selling crack cocaine to Judkins. 

Jill Ross, 45, of Warren, operating under the influence (alcohol), $500 fine, 48 hours in jail, license suspended 150 days.

Kerry Rhodes Sabanty, 53, of Rockport, operating under the influence (alcohol), $750 fine, 72 hours in jail, license suspended 150 days.

Timothy N. St. Thomas, 61, of Bangor, criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, three years in jail with all but four months suspended, probation two years; criminal trespass, seven days in jail; disorderly conduct, offensive words, gestures, dismissed; disorderly conduct, loud noise, private place, seven days in jail; police standoff, seven days in jail.

According to the affidavit filed in Knox County Unified Court by Rockland police, they responded to a call from the management at the Trade Winds Inn around 7 a.m. Feb. 11 about a disorderly man in his room.  

When police arrived at the scene, they found St. Thomas barricaded inside the room yelling, making no sense. When Officer Andrew Redden knocked at the door after identifying himself, the man responded with obscenities and said “I’m going to kill you,” according to the court document.  

For more than three hours, state and local police attempted various tactics for talking the man out of his room. 

At one point, St. Thomas stood on the balcony, yelling and cursing at police and at Rockland in general, while bystanders looked on from other hotel rooms, the parking lot, and the street. He then waved a long pole around for a few minutes before retreating back inside.  

Police tried again to draw him to the balcony by shouting to him, offering to help him as much as possible, and reminding him of his disrespect to the badge. They also tried appealing to his sense of hunger, knowing that he hadn’t eaten in a long time. The man did not return to the balcony. 

Around 12:45 p.m., when tactical team members from the Maine State police entered the room, the man began swinging a large stick, about 4-5 feet long at the officers, trying to strike them in the head and facial area and continuing to make more threats, said police.  

St. Thomas was taken into custody and went to Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport for observation, as well as for a possible dog bite. He was then transported to the Knox County Jail. No one else was injured.  

The Rockland Police Department was assisted by the Maine State Police Crisis Negotiating team and the Maine State Police Tactical team. 

Kellen Whitney, 18, of Waldoboro, driving to endanger, $575 fine, license suspended 30 days; operating vehicle without license, 48 hours in jail; failing to make oral or written accident report, 48 hours in jail; failing to notify of motor vehicle accident, 48 hours in jail. 

Reach Sarah Shepherd at news@penbaypilot.com