BELFAST — A Belfast man facing 38 charges related to a streak of theft crimes beginning Nov. 30, 2016, and ending in mid-January 2017, was sentenced in Waldo County Unified Court July 9. 

Randy Elwell, 21, was indicted in May 2017 on 38 counts, including 34 counts of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer, three counts of burglary, and one count of burglary of a motor vehicle.

Elwell entered into a deferred disposition Nov. 28, 2017, which required him to successfully complete 18 months of conditions set forth by the court.

During that time he was required to comply with a number of conditions, including to refrain from all criminal conduct, identify himself as being on deferred disposition if arrested or questioned by law enforcement, and completing a program by Restorative Justice Project. He will also pay a total of $3,150 in restitution to his victims. 

For successfully completing the conditions of his deferment the State dropped counts five and nine, which are one count of burglary and one count of burglary of a motor vehicle, while the sentence for the remaining charges will be time served. Had he not been successful Elwell would have had to wait until sentencing to learn his fate. 

Elwell was sentenced to 30 days in jail for eight counts of theft, with the remainder of the 30 charges dismissed. The sentences will be served concurrently with credit given for time already served.  

Elwell was also charged with burglary in several of the cases because they involved entering or surreptitiously remaining in a dwelling/structure with the intent to commit theft, despite knowing he was not licensed or privileged to do so. 

The items were stolen from a number of residential homes or structures with victims in Northport, Swanville, Morrill, and Winterport. The items taken ranged from alcohol to a television, five chainsaws, tools, a generator, a purse, and cash, among other things. 

Covered in the charges are also multiple theft counts related to stealing other people’s mail, including residents of Monroe and Winterport.

While some of his crimes involved entering or remaining in a dwelling, the majority of theft charges were in relation to the alleged mail thefts, with the dates for each count listed as Dec. 26, 2016. Each of the 20 counts corresponds with a different person’s mail having been stolen. All mail related charges were dismissed.

Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com