ROCKLAND — The Knox County grand jury met March 23-27 and issued 103 counts against 47 defendants. An indictment does not imply guilt.

Audria Ariza, 34, of Bangor, aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs (methadone) May 13, 2020. Police said that the drug provided to Raymond Merrifield, 38, of Rockland, contributed to his death in May 2020.

Daniel S. Barrows, 21, of Waldoboro, unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs (fentanyl and methamphetamine) Jan. 6, 2021.

Brittany R. Barton, 35, of Thomaston, operating after revocation in Thomaston May 28, 2020.

Andrew H. Black, 57, of Tenants Harbor, aggravated trafficking in drugs (fentanyl and cocaine), two counts, importation of drugs, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, criminal forfeiture (currency) and criminal forfeiture of firearm Nov. 6, 2019.

 Christopher M. Beckwith, 22, of Windsor, operating after revocation in Rockland June 6, 2020.

Stacie M. Bennett, 50, of Rockland, aggravated criminal operating under the influence.

Matthew Joseph Bradley, 37, Maine State Prison, trafficking in prison contraband (suboxone) in Warren July 13, 2019.

Jamie Lamont Brown, 32, Maine State Prison, assault on an officer in Warren June 7, 2019.

Robert J. Carroll, 30, Maine State Prison, assault on an officer in Warren April 23, 2020.

Vincent Michael Cole, 30, Maine State Prison, trafficking in prison contraband in Warren (suboxone) in Warren March 14, 2019 and June 8, 2020.

Jeremy Julian Lee Cruz, 32, Maine State Prison, trafficking in prison contraband (heroin) and aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs in Warren Jan. 24, 2020.

Maurice X. Darres, 38, of Belfast, theft by unauthorized taking or transfer on Vinalhaven April 2, 2019.

Jeffrey H. Dorr Jr., 40, of Warren, theft by unauthorized taking or transfer of items valued at $336.81 from Shaw’s Supermarket in Rockland and violation of condition of release in Rockland March 25, 2020.

Carlton J. Elliott, 32, of Augusta, operating after revocation and improper plates in Rockland Sept. 2, 2020.

Victor E. Frascone, 44, Maine State Prison, assault on an officer in Warren March 30, 2020.

Samuel Joseph Geary, 22, Maine State Prison, aggravated attempted murder and elevated aggravated assault in Warren April 2, 2020.

Zachary A. Genthner, 29, of South Bristol, operating after revocation in Washington Aug. 8, 2020.

Jason L. Goucher-Hewett, 36, Maine State Prison, aggravated assault in Warren Aug. 3, 2019.

Christopher C. Hildings, 35, of Vinalhaven, assault, criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon (firearm) on Vinalhaven March 17, 2020; criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon (firearm), possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and violation of condition of release all on Vinalhaven Oct. 25, 2020.

Wayne E. Hooper, 62, of Owls Head, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal threatening and obstructing a report of a crime or injury in Owls Head Sept. 9, 2020.

Mark A. Hupper, 36, of Rockport, kidnapping, creating a police standoff, domestic violence assault aggravated assault, aggravated criminal trespass and criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon (knife), all in Rockland Oct. 21, 2020.

Samuel T. Iserbyt, 52, of Dresden, criminal operating under the influence, operating after suspension, two counts, and operating without a license in Rockport.

Melissa E. James, 50, of Thomaston, aggravated assault, three counts, and criminal mischief in Thomaston Nov. 13, 2020.

George W. King III, 61, of Warren, criminal operating under the influence, driving to endanger, leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage, failure to report accident and aggravated criminal operating under the influence in Warren July 26, 2020.

Ronald Kurzius, 57, of Camden, reckless conduct with a firearm, domestic violence assault and obstructing report of a crime in Camden Aug. 26, 2020.

Andrew F. McLain, 24, of Owls Head, domestic violence criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon (BB gun), criminal restraint, criminal mischief, obstructing a report of a crime and violation of a protective order all in Owls Head Nov. 2, 2020.

Rebecca A. McLaughlin, 45, of Winthrop, trafficking in prison contraband (suboxone) in Warren Feb. 29, 2020.

Charles W. Merrill, 45, of St. George, aggravated criminal mischief to an ambulance in St. George July 21, 2020.

Michael P. Moore, 37, of Warren, trafficking in prison contraband (suboxone) in Warren Dec. 13, 2018.

Joseph Bub Peter Nguany, 33, Maine State prison, trafficking in prison contraband (suboxone) in Warren July 13, 2019.

Marianne Prescott, 56, of Lewiston, trafficking in prison contraband (suboxone) in Warren July 13, 2019.

Howard Edward Pulsifer, 64, Maine State Prison, assault on an officer in Warren March 26, 2019.

Robert A. Rein, 62, of Rockland, violation of sex offender registration in Rockland from March 15, 2018 through Jan. 1, 2020.

Elezabeta Aleksandrov Romaov, 30, of Lewiston, trafficking in prison contraband (suboxone) in Warren July 13, 2019.

Esther A. Romanov, 25, of Lewiston, trafficking in prison contraband (suboxone) in Warren July 13, 2019.

Daniel Paul Roberts, 51, Maine State Prison, trafficking in prison contraband (naxolone) in Warren Aug. 29, 2018.

Lisa M. Shumway, 55, of Naples, trafficking in prison contraband (suboxone) in Warren Dec. 13, 2018.

Justin Michael Sinclair, 34, Maine State Prison, trafficking in prison contraband (suboxone) in Warren Feb. 29, 2020.

Christopher N. Snow, 31, of Thomaston, assault on an officer, criminal threatening, assault, two counts, disorderly conduct, terrorizing and violating of condition of release in Rockland July 30, 2020.

Nicholas Tyler Sparrow, 30, of Scarborough, trafficking in prison contraband (suboxone) in Warren Dec. 13, 2018.

Malcolm Stewart, 56, of Pelzer, S.C., theft by deception, two counts.

The Knox County Grand Jury returned an indictment against Stewart who did business as Castle Builders, for theft by deception from consumers throughout the Midcoast, said Maine Attorney General Aaron M. Frey on March 25. 

The indictment alleges that Stewart induced 57 consumers to pay deposits in the aggregate amount of over $400,000 for home construction projects that he knew he did not have the capacity to complete, in a news release from the AG’s office.

“In most of the transactions listed in the indictment, Stewart performed no work in return for the money,” the release said.  “In a few of the transactions, he performed only a minimal amount of substandard work.”

The indictment also alleges that Stewart induced two consumers to advance him a loan of $50,000 in December 2018, by falsely claiming he had cash flow problems because customers were not paying him and he had the capacity to repay the loan, beginning the following month. Stewart never made a single payment on the so-called loan.

Stewart closed the business without notice to the consumers after he collected his last deposit on September 6, 2019 and left Maine for Pelzer, South Carolina.

The Court issued a warrant for Stewart's arrest and set bail at $50,000 cash.

"A contractor who knowingly induces consumers to pay him money without intending to perform the promised services commits a criminal offense," said Frey. "Obtaining money through deception is not just bad business; its theft, and it directly harms consumers who have in many cases saved money over time to pay for these services."

The Office of Attorney General also filed a civil action against Stewart and his wife, Elizabeth Stewart, under the Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act on December 20, 2019. That lawsuit remains pending.

Zachary Samuel Robert Swain, 25, Maine State Prison, assault on a officer and terrorizing in Warren June 6, 2020; assault on an officer in Warren on July 28, 2020, Sept. 12, 2020, Sept. 23, 2020 and Oct. 25, 2020.

Anthony Edward Vandeventer, 24, Maine State Prison, assault on an officer in Warren Feb. 8, 2020.

Terry L. Weaver, 53, of Rockland, criminal operating under the influence in Rockland.

Natasha L. West, 32, of Scarborough, trafficking in prison contraband, two counts, in Warren March 14, 2019 and June 8, 2020.

Charles Wesley Whitehouse, 51, Maine State Prison, trafficking in prison contraband (suboxone) in Warren April 5, 2019.

Steven E. Williams, 55, of Lincolnville, aggravated criminal operating under the influence, operating after suspension and operating beyond license condition or restriction in Appleton May 13, 2019.

Sarah Shepherd can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com