Posted inFranklin

Franklin County man sentenced to two years in insurance theft case

FARMINGTON — A Franklin County Superior Court justice on Wednesday sentenced a man previously convicted of having sawed-off shotguns to two years in prison for torching his house in June 2010. Joseph T. Smith, 66, of Township 6 North of Weld, pleaded no contest to a charge of theft by insurance deception. He will serve […]

Posted inFranklin, The Franklin Journal

Four men indicted in connection to meth lab, fire

FARMINGTON — A grand jury indicted four of five people Thursday in connection with a methamphetamine lab at a mobile home at 8 Winter Hill Road in Kingfield. Three of them were indicted on arson charges in connection to a “one-pot” meth lab explosion and fire at the home Feb. 8. Joshua Bartlett, 25, of […]

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Posted inOxford Hills

Second arson at Norway boarding house investigated

NORWAY — Investigators from three different agencies are taking a closer look at last week’s suspected arson at a local boarding house after someone tried to burn the place down again late Sunday night. Norway Assistant Fire Chief James Tibbetts said the fire was called in at 11:30 p.m. Sunday at 7 King St. The […]

Posted inOxford Hills, River Valley

Gilead woman to serve three months for arson

PARIS — A Gilead woman will serve three months and work 400 hours of public service for helping her mother burn down several buildings in Albany Township in 2010. Lisa Thurston, 38, pleaded guilty to arson in January in Oxford County Superior Court. On Friday, her attorney, Kelly McMorran, argued that Thurston was her mother’s […]

Posted inMaine, sj-web

Man sentenced to 30 years for topless coffee shop arson

AUGUSTA, Maine — The man convicted of setting fire to a topless coffee shop in Vassalboro was sentenced Thursday to the maximum sentence of 30 years. Raymond Bellavance Jr., 51, was convicted Dec. 30, 2011, of class A arson for setting fire on June 3, 2009, to the building — a former motel — that housed the coffee […]

Posted inOxford Hills

Boarding house blaze being investigated as arson

NORWAY — Two police officers are being credited with saving lives, as well as a building, by pulling a burning mattress from the entrance to a boarding house in Norway late Saturday night. Norway fire Chief Dennis Yates said the blaze is being investigated by the Maine Fire Marshal’s Office as arson. The two police […]

Posted inMaine

Another arson fire hits Gorham

GORHAM — A fire reported Wednesday night is being blamed on arson, the fifth suspicious fire in the community in two weeks. The fire, involving a house under construction at 54 Dingley Spring Road, was reported about 8:40 p.m., according to Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety. McCausland said damage to […]

Posted inMaine, sj-web

Third arson hits Maine town

GORHAM, Maine (AP) — The Maine Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the third arson fire to strike the town of Gorham in the past week. Sunday morning’s fire destroyed an abandoned house on Great Falls Road and caused an injury to a Gorham firefighter, who was knocked to the ground by a fire hose that […]

Posted inFranklin, sj-web

Five arrested in connection to Kingfield meth lab

KINGFIELD – Five people have been arrested in connection to manufacturing methamphetamine in a laboratory at a mobile home at 8 Winter Hill Road that was destroyed by fire on Feb. 8. All five are accused of making the drug in a so-called “one-pot” lab or “Shake’N Bake” lab, Maine Drug Enforcement Supervisor Special Agent […]

Posted inMaine, sj-web

Brunswick police charge 13-year-old boy with arson

BRUNSWICK — Police say a 13 year-old Brunswick youth has been charged with arson in connection with a brush fire that burned approximately two acres of blueberry fields. Police say three 13-year-old boys were allegedly involved in the incident Tuesday, but charges were only filed against the boy believed to have started the blaze. That […]