FARMINGTON – Four men accused of stealing more than $100,000 utilizing fraudulent gas reward points were indicted on felony theft charges by the Franklin County grand jury Thursday.
Kevin Farrington, 19 of Jay; Zachary Armstrong, 19 of Wilton; Scott Lavoie, 54 of Wilton; and Preston Riley, 18 of Wilton; were all indicted on one count of theft by unauthorized taking. Those charges are Class B felonies, as the alleged thefts exceeded $10,000.
According to police, the alleged theft was perpetrated against Gould’s Service Station by six employees: the four adults and two juveniles. According to arrest affidavits filed with the Franklin Court system by Wilton Police Officer Ethan Kyes, the investigation began in early March with a complaint from the owner of Gould’s Service Station. Exxon Mobil had contacted the owner to inform him about allegedly fraudulently redeemed reward points, with the value of those points exceeding $100,000. The owner located receipts that he believe may have been involved in fraud: each reflected large purchases of propane at close to zero real-money cost.
Kyes began investigating the various elements of the rewards program and the business, determining that the total value of redeemed reward points claimed at the service station was in excess of $100,000. In May, Kyes received information from Exxon Mobile regarding the Internet Protocol addresses used to set up reward cards connected to the alleged theft.
Kyes used those IP addresses to locate local-area addresses and then interviewed employees of the service station. Per the affidavit filed by Kyes, a number of those individuals admitted to their own and other’s culpability.
The four men and one juvenile was arrested in relation to the alleged theft. Another juvenile was issued a summons.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, both juveniles previously admitted to misdemeanors through the juvenile court system in relation to the case.
An indictment means that after considering the evidence a district attorney has presented, a grand jury believes there is probable cause, or a “reasonable belief” that the crime occurred.
There are Attorneys out there in ‘La Law Land’ that can Indict a ham sandwich should they so desire.
Indicted does not mean a person is guilty of a crime. Convicted by a jury of their peers means they are guilty. Until then, a person is innocent under the law and should be treated as such by Law enforcement and the media. The Bulldog should not plaster photographs of innocent citizens on the internet before they are convicted. We must respect that right to answer charges and provide evidence of guilt in front of a jury not in front of a computer screen for personal entertainment or information. Posting these photographs prior to conviction shows a total disrespect for individual freedom and demeans us all as a lawful society.
In case the shaming prevents DB from posting mugshots, here’s the link for Frankling County Arrest Log.
https://www.franklincounty.maine.gov/october-2019-inmates
Arrests are public record. Facebook, Hollywood & Washington DC do more to “show a total disrespect for individual freedom and demean us all as a lawful society”.
@roars,attorneys do not indict people,indictments are handed down by the grand jury.As to whether an indicted person’s photo should be displayed by the DB, that’s another argument that i personally see both sides of.
I don’t see any problem with publishing mugshots. It helps make sure the rocks fly the right way at the stoning. Wouldn’t want to get beaned by mistake!
Eagles soar you should contact every news source written and broadcast and make your demands heard.
“Stop being mean to law breakers” maybe they will want to listen.
Arrest records are a matter of public record, along with mugshots. If you don’t like it, convince your local elected officials to change the law.
What’s really sad is that I was told the gas station owner was being required to repay the money and not the offenders. How brain dead is that for a ruling?
Shouldn’t believe everything you hear or read bc only parts of the truth are told and certain versions of the actual facts are revealed! You know only the parts that keep people reading, gossiping, and posting biased opinions! How has anyone been “ruled” to do anything if they haven’t even been to court!? Therefore if these men haven’t gone to court no one knows who has done what or is responsible for what… but everyone knows what they look like and are ACCUSED (not convicted) of thanks to the media! I’m not sure if it’s because there is nothing better to report about or that people are just have nothing better to do then judge people they don’t know…. maybe it’s because in small towns everyone is so nosy… But yes please… let’s keep posting these individuals and effecting their lives and families for the entertainment of others!
Townie, I don’t know all that might come down in time, but the owner said that’s what he was told by a lawyer when he checked into it. It may not come down that way in the end, but it wouldn’t surprise me given the gutless wonders we have running our judicial system theses days.