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Police: Hostage taker armed with shotgun, pistol

4 mins read

JAY – Today, local police released details about yesterday’s hostage situation at the Verso Paper Co. mill, in which the mill’s manager was held for several hours by a man armed with two firearms.

Francis "Frank" Smith, 49, of Norridgewock has been charged with kidnapping and terrorizing. (FCSD photo)

According to Jay Police Chief Larry White Sr., his department responded to the mill’s administrative office wing after receiving a report of an armed subject holding an employee hostage at 8:40 a.m. White, Det. Richard Caton IV and Officer Russell Adams responded and secured the area, with the mill going into lock-down moments after the incident began.

“We wanted to ensure that the armed subject could not get into any other area of the mill,” White said in a statement released Thursday.

White noted police were able to contain the subject, reportedly Francis “Frank” Smith, 49, of Norridgewock, in a single room in the administrative wing. Smith was with a single hostage, reported by the Maine Department of Public Safety to be mill manager Marc Connor, 43. Police believe Smith was able to access the mill through a gate left open due to construction workers entering and leaving the facility.

Police were able to monitor conversations between Smith and Connor, White said. Smith was later allegedly found to have been armed with a 12-gauge shotgun and a high-standard .357 Magnum pistol.

Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and off-duty JPD personnel responded to establish a perimeter around the mill itself, while the RSU 73 schools in Jay, Livermore Falls and Livermore were locked down, in keeping with the district’s crisis management plan.

Meanwhile, the Maine State Tactical Team arrived at the request of the Jay Police Department, entering the mill at 10:20 a.m. Maine State Police negotiators began to talk to Smith by telephone, while police worked with mill security supervisor Richard Bean and other mill personnel to gather information about Smith, who was employed by the mill up until September 2011.

Connor was released, unharmed at roughly 3:30 p.m. Three hours later, Smith was taken into custody, without any shots fired throughout the duration of the incident. He was arrested on charges of kidnapping, a Class A felony, and terrorizing, a Class C felony, on a warrant obtained by Caton during the stand-off.

Smith’s firearms and vehicle, a truck, were impounded by police. White said Jay police are continuing to investigate the incident and that the case would be reviewed by the District Attorney’s Office in regards to any possible additional charges. Smith is currently being held on $10,000 cash bail and is expected to appear in court tomorrow.

Throughout the entire incident, both state and local police, as well as mill spokespersons, stressed that all non-involved employees were never in any danger.

“Verso Mill personnel did a great job assisting police,” White said. “It was the efforts of all law enforcement and mill personnel that contributed to a peaceful ending of this incident.”

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28 Comments

  1. This is a side subject to the main story; but why are the schools (at a mininmum of a mile away) of three communities put in lock down because of one man over at the mill complex. Ridiculous over reaction in my opinion, although that seems to be common nowadays with so many school related issues. Glad I don’t have any kids in today’s schools.
    Very glad the incident at the mill ended with no one hurt. Prayers went out to all involved yesterday.

  2. To bad this all happened, but glad noone was hurt in the incident. Hopefully Mr Smith will get the help he needs..
    Feel bad for the hostage..cant imagine how he felt being in there all day with this guy!
    Good work JPD<FCSO, and State police for a great job done

  3. I’ve read about this story in two papers now, but neither of them supplies what I would have thought essential information for making sense of the story: what were Frank Smith’s demands? What was he trying to accomplish? What were he and police negotiating about? Nobody takes a hostage unless he is demanding something.

  4. Great job to all law enforcement agencies involved. I am glad that the schools went into lockdown mode. You never know when if there are possibly more persons working to assist the perp.

  5. No excuse for using a gun AT ALL,,,,,,

    I understand this guy worked at this mill for many many years,
    And was well thought of before,,,whatever happened,,,happened

    Again,,,,No Guns Allowed and this guy will get what he deserves for using a gun,,,

    But Wonder if,,,,,,,,,,,,the managers actions are too harsh over there?

    Save it,,,,,cause IT HAPPENS.

  6. I hope Mr Smith gets the help he needs. I am thankful to know all ended well. Thank you to all who worked so hard to make this a good ending for all concerned. My heart goes out to the family of the hostage.To Jay Police you all did a wonderful job. To the State Police and Sheriffs Department thank you for all you did too.This was a tense day for all ! Thank you for keeping our husbands friends and familys safe who work in the Mill.

  7. i feel so so sorry for all involved,especially for frank.I worked with this man for 25years. many days as his working partner at verso.i can only hope he gets the help he needs.things should never come to this.he had so much to live for.he grows blueberries at his home and had plans to expand his business the last time we talked,whitch was the day he was escorted out of the mill,for turning a wash-up hose on a fellow worker who sprayed him down,after even after. telling him he was working in that area

  8. In response to WHY would they shut down the school….well, with out being informed as to whom the gun man was, it could be assumed that this person is a local member of the community….one who perhaps had a child in the school system or a spouse. Who knows what his intentions were or if he was acting alone. What if the intent had been to bring down the entire mill. You just don’t know and it is far better to be safe then sorry. I for one was very glad to think that my child was safe incase things had gone horribly wrong. I was equally glad at the peaceful resolution to the days events.

  9. In Response to Co-Worker: I think that it is especially traumatic for friends and co-workers to absorb the extreme behavioral outcome of Franks’ mental health crisis. To know Frank as an honest hardworking man who gave over half of his life to his job; only to be dismissed frivolously for a minor infarction. What horrific betrayal and distress to be faced with as every plea, grievance and negotiation effort fell on deaf ears. Being denied financial payoffs and loss of livelihood seem to serve as the catalyst that drove Frank into the darkness of retaliation and retribution. One can only hope that this terrifying incident can lead to review of current management practices so that fellow employees don’t have to face the daily fear of dismissal. I hope you all can take advantage of the counseling services being offered.

  10. Ditto what Bonnie said. His mugshot is heart-breaking. Not an excuse for his behavior, but there is more to the story at times.

  11. I’ve worked at the mill for several year’s, and watched the way verso has treated it’s employee’s. They do not treat people equally or fairly! Frank is a friend and a great guy, Knowing him I do not believe he could harm anyone, and I believe he was making a statement in the only way he thought he could! Yes this is very wrong, but verso pushes their employee’s tp the limit! To work there people would know that! We are worked too much with little rest, They have cut the help and have raised their expectation’s to a point where safety is an issue! They , like most corporations are driven by greed! This is sad and frank was wrong, but so wasn’t Verso! They need to understand that us hourly employee’s are the back bone of the company and would like to be respected! Hat’s off to all those involved for making this terrible thing end with no injury’s

  12. In the Sun Journal it said that he didn’t have any demands at all. I think he was just distraught beyond control. I really hope he gets the help that he needs.

  13. Glad Francis was not taken down and no one was hurt. There is always two sides to any action taken

  14. I agree with Bonnie and Vig. I fear we are going to see more and more of this as corporations try to lower the salaries,remove the rights,and crush the spirits of those who actually toil for their living. That was truly a picture of a broken man. How have we come to this point? Some clues may be found by listening to AM talk radio.

  15. sorry that it had to happen the way that it did but maybe now the mill manager and HR people in the mill will think about an employee as an individual person instead of just a body with an ID number that can be replaced. a lot of the individuals in that mill work shift work, nights, weekend, holidays, birthdays, etc. and sacrifice a lot to earn a living.

  16. If a new mill manager (in his first week) states that he is “NOT HERE TO MAKE FRIENDS”…..

    What else could be expected as an eventual outcome other than someone snapping into irrationality???

    I only wonder if anything was said during the hostage time that might make a manager RETHINK THEIR BEHAVIOR?

    That manager might be blinded by personal ambition and is CLUELESS about how to treat people.
    Happens all the time.

    What is heartening in these comments is that it seems generally folks are very open to the idea that Frank IS A VICTIM FIRST,,,then Made a Terrible Criminal mistake.

    I knew Frank a little and I am astonished he did anything like this. But looking at that picture really says it all,,,SAD SAD SAD.

    Glad No One was Hurt.

  17. I, too, am thankful that nobody was hurt. I congratulate the negotiator and am so glad that people stayed calm and didn’t overreact. I think that the schools did exactly the right thing. It could have been a scenario with multiple people heading for the places in town with the greatest number of potential victims — one never knows, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.

  18. Please have cosideration for the person who had a loaded gun aimed at him. He also is just a worker, who is trying to make a living and is very grateful to work at Verso where the pay scale is probably the highest of any place in the area.

  19. JUST A SUGGESTION:
    MAYBE FRANK SHOULD HAVE TAKEN HIS REPORT OF UNJUST TREATMENT THAT HE FELT TO THE LABOR BOARD ,LETTING THEM INVESTIGATE THE CASE.. THUS AVOIDING THIS SITUATION..
    ANY EMPLOYEES IF THEY FEEL THEY ARE BEING MISTREATED BEYOND DEGREE BY THEIR EMPLOYER AT ANY TIME HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THE SAME.

  20. I have to wonder just how the manager found it a good idea to fire a man for something as small as what we have been told happened. Did the other man who watered Frank down first get fired? Executives now days don’t care about employees, hell they never have, all they care about are profits and if they can eliminate someone’s benefits they are getting a bonus for it. Think I am wrong just look at the banks that are destroying us now.

    Whether the executive was new at his job or came up from the ranks there are always 2 sides to every story. I have to wonder just how all those mill employees feel now about voting their union out. If it was still there none of this would have happened, they would have had to gone through a process to fire him before they could have fired him.

  21. Jean Doughty . . . I don’t feel frank had the right to point the gun at anyone but I work for a company that thinks we should be just happy that we have a job. Maybe they should be happy that they have good employees who make them money as well. It is a two way street. These companies would not be where there at without good dedicated employees. I take pride in my work only to have new bosses come and and act like you don’t know what your doing.

    To STRONG RESIDENT WHO LIKES THE CAP LOCKS. . .I KNOW OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE LEGIT COMPLAINTS TO THE LABOR BOARD AND NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT THE SITUATION. IT IS ALL IN WHO YOU KNOW.

    I personally don’t know frank but I hope he gets the help he needs and I would hope that people think before doing what frank has done. You do not gain anything by handling the situation this way. You really cause more pain to your family and friends.

  22. In Response to b enzite. Thank you for having the courage to speak up and speak out in reference to your hostile work environment. I hope that you can come together as co-workers and not fall prey to corporate tactics of conquer and divide. Don’t loose sight of your importance to your family, friends and community. We appreciate the hard work that you do.

  23. His picture says it all, heartbreaking. For everyone’s sake I am grateful to all the State Police and local police who were able to keep the situation under control, and get everyone out safe, my gratitude goes out to all of you.

  24. I believe putting the school in lock down was just being safe. If anything it gave all involved some practice in a very serious situation. It shows the kids that there are situations out there that you are better to be safe then sorry. Great Job to everyone. I feel for the hostage and for all the people who’s lives were disrupted. But i am glad it all turned out without anyone getting hurt. Hopefully Frank will get the help he needs.

  25. The Mill Manager also has said in a meeting that his job is “not a popularity contest”. How arogant is that? As a worker there I am furious that this happened. But sadly I am not surprised…. They have fired many people over the last couple of years that have made threats. But Frank was the last one I expected to do this…. When you treat people inhumanly they will act inhumanly. It was a horrible day inside the mill to see a coworker reach this point.

  26. The Snake and the Mouse
    I visited the pet store the other day. I dont care for pet stores. Too many cages, too many restrictions. Why are we selling animals? Animals are meant to be free, to live in their natural habitat. I observed the snake. Curled up in a tank. I observed the birds in their cages. The cute little bunnies that will be sold for Easter, and the puppies, awaiting a home. And then the mice. Way too many mice for the size of the tank. Way too many mice for one wheel, one dish and one water container . I then looked more closely at the mice. Mice piled on top of one another, the closer I looked the sadder I felt. On the bottom of the pile were mice that were not moving, their faces were pressed against the glass. They had no way to move. They were stuck, they were forced to the bottom. I then thought of the snake. When a mouse is chosen to feed the snake, which mouse is chosen to be the next meal? The one on top or the one on the bottom? Which mouse will be the easiest to catch? The one on the bottom. Easy catch, the mouse is already beaten down and has no fight. The mouse on the bottom will go first, but then maybe not. Maybe the snake would like a little challenge to his meal, in the wild he would have to work to get the mouse. Not in the tank, the mouse is just food.
    As I stood there looking at the snake, a person who loved snakes came along and stood beside me. I asked them, ” What is the point of having a snake ?” I asked. The person told me that “they like snakes, they are easy to take care of, and all you have to do is feed them a mouse.” I then asked them,” which mouse would you choose to feed the snake, one that is a fighter or the one that is not?”” Well what do you mean, the fighter?” he asked. ” Well would you choose the mouse that is on the bottom of the pile or the one that is on the top of the pile?” His response was the one at the top. His next response did not surprise me.”Why would I choose a mouse that has no fight in them, I like to watch the snake catch the mouse and slowly eat it, it is cool !” I want the mouse that has fight in it, so I can watch it suffer. ”
    We all are like the mice. We all will end up in the same place eventually. Food for the snake. Why not work together to make it together ? Why do we have to push ourselves to the top, what have we really gained? We all end up in the same place,so why not be kinder to one another, help someone else get to the food dish, the water spout and the exercise wheel. Why cant we help one another? Why cant we be kind and caring and considerate of others? What have we lost people? It is the snake that is the enemy of the mouse, not one another. We should be working together to make changes, to figure out what is really wrong with our system. Lets look at what is not working and stand together to fix the problems we all face. The snake, not each other.
    We cant be kind, we cant be honest, we cant be a person of integrity any longer. We cant. If we fight for what is right and speak out against the things that are wrong, we are not heard or quickly disposed of. We are told to shut up, look the other way or you will be the next one to be loose your job. We say, but this is wrong! IT NO LONGER MATTTERS PEOPLE, we have been conditioned to believe that we have to protect ourselves first and worry about the next person last. What have we become? What are we doing to each other? Our system needs to be fixed. Someone needs to hear what is really going on in the tank. We all need to look at the reality of what we are forced to do to survive and keep our jobs. We all are expendible, there is another mouse that will fill your spot when you are gone. We all dont really matter, people as long as the snake gets fed. What have we become to one another?

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