FARMINGTON – A local couple recently pleaded guilty to charges associated with a methamphetamine lab that operated out of a residence on the Knowlton Corner Road earlier this year.
Douglas S. Theriault, 38 of Dover-Foxcroft, pleaded guilty to aggravated operation of a meth lab, a Class A felony; conspiracy to commit unlawful operation of a meth lab, a Class B felony; and three misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Katherine A. Theriault, 29 of Farmington, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit unlawful operation of a meth lab, a Class C felony.
The charges relate to the Farmington police discovering a jug, believed to have been utilized in the “one-pot” method of manufacturing meth, as well as ingredients relating to the creation of the drug on May 15. Police responded to the address after receiving a report of a possible drug overdose, with FPD Sgt. Edward Hastings IV administering Narcan, an opioid blocker drug, and rescue breaths to Douglas Theriault prior to the resident’s transportation to Franklin Memorial Hospital.
Per the arrest affidavit filed with the court system, there were three children in the house, ages 7, 3 and 1. Hastings wrote that the children were in the living room, with a short dividing wall between them and the kitchen where Douglas Theriault had collapsed.
Police Officer Jacob Richards saw a “one-pot meth lab” jug on the lawn to the left of the entryway door. Later, after executing a search warrant, police found the ingredients to make meth in Douglas Theriault’s bedroom. An agent with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency interviewed Katherine Theriault, who reportedly admitted to buying Pseudoephedrine, an ingredient used in the manufacture of meth.
Katherine S. Theriault received an 18-month, deferred sentence on the felony conspiracy charge. If she refrains from further criminal conduct and does not use or possess illegal drugs and/or meth precursor drugs, such as Pseudoephedrine, she will be allowed to withdraw her guilty plea and instead plead to a misdemeanor conspiracy charge, receiving credit for time served. If she doesn’t abide by the deferred disposition conditions, the felony plea will stand and she could receive up to a five-year prison sentence. She would also have to pay a $500 fine.
Douglas Theriault was not sentenced, allowing him time to complete a residential treatment program. The terms of his arranged plea would include a five-year Department of Corrections sentence, with all but 18 months suspended, followed by two years of probation. He would also need to pay $360 in restitution and a $400 fine.
Yeeeeeep, here we go again…..slap their hands. Meanwhile the kids are all messed up because of their actions and the trailer owner lost ( had to dispose of ) his rental property that he rented to them. DHS and the court system have failed again. Let’s see how long before they are back at it.
Mr. Theriault seems happy in his mug shot….must be because F.P.D saved his life!!
Wow only two comments ! Guess its easy to talk about others until its your family.
Pretty pathetic endangering three children. But hey at least they weren’t stealing off everyone to get high.
Hope they get the help they need.(Even if its a slap on the wrist)
What a joke, why oh why with this problem being so big are we allowing them back on the streets – give them 6 months before we read their names in the court news again
I don’t know how much you know about these people but they do not deserve to have their kids, and how do you know they haven’t stolen off others. I just think it’s wrong to Slap their hands meanwhile who gets to pick up the tab?????. That’s my opinion.
People are complaining that they were not punished harshly enough. They have a drug problem, throwing them in jail isn’t going to solve anything. Yes, the fact that kids were involved is horrifying but you know what really traumatizes kids? Taking them away from their parents. Even if the parents aren’t what you consider good. Now they are on the radar of the police who will be watching them, the man is in drug treatment and hopefully getting help. Maybe they’ll slip up and be right back here in a few months but maybe not. Why not give them the chance to better themselves? Why not try to treat the drug addiction, which is the root of the problem, before considering them both a lost cause, throwing them in jail, and taking their kids away?
Maine drug problem is going to get worse,, yes they need treatment , but they will serve no time to speak of and pay nothing in restitution. They get away with breaking the law. If you get pulled over with a DUI you pay a lot more than these two fine citizens. Let’s see the next time they are famous ,, perhaps it will be your home the break into . or maybe their dealers will sell to your family. Drug violence will get worse by allowing people to use drugs funnel money to criminals. Allowing crime to go unpunished is idiotic. Why have laws at all ,,
@jail,I agree with you.They shouldn’t even have been arrested,they should have been offered treatment for their self induced problem and hopefully become regular upstanding citizens.Maybe there’s sarcasm here,but think of the money saved.
You get what you tolerate in your community. If you don’t like this act, get elected officials in the system that will start locking the offenders up. Crime and punishment, ie. act and consequence. Simple solution, Don’t like the act, increase severity of consequence. I always recall driving by the old MSP in Thomaston as a youngster, it was a good reminder of the downside of breaking the law. If you hand out stiff sentences, people get the message pretty fast. Don’t know if the dog will censor this for being to straightforward.