A monthslong investigation by the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies has landed one person in prison. Two others have been indicted, and the investigation is expected to result in charges against more people, according to Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster.

Money, drugs, firearms, tools, a gun safe, checks and other items were recovered in several counties as part of the investigation, Lancaster said Tuesday in a press release.

Searches conducted by the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office and associated police departments found tools, power tools, chain saws, personal property, a large gun safe, firearms, stolen checks and reported stolen motor vehicles, and a large amount of Fentanyl in July 2019. Somerset County Sheriff’s Office photo

To date, three people have been charged with various offenses related to some of the reported burglaries, thefts, firearm thefts, vehicle thefts and aggravated drug trafficking, he said. They have either been sentenced to prison or are in custody and two recently were indicted by the Somerset County Grand Jury.

They are Robert Tucker, 49, of Moscow, who was arrested July 19 and recently was indicted on three counts of burglary, three counts of burglary of a motor vehicle, seven counts of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer, and three counts of unauthorized use of property, according to Lancaster. The counts total 16.

Justin Stevens, 28, of Skowhegan, was arrested on July 26 and recently was indicted on three counts of burglary, three counts of burglary of a motor vehicle, eight counts of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer and three counts of unauthorized use of property, he said. The counts total 17.

Scott Jones, 53, of Skowhegan, was arrested July 19 and charged with aggravated trafficking in a schedule W drug, Class A; possession of a schedule W drug, Class C; and receiving stolen property. Jones’ probation officer filed a motion for revocation of probation based on these new charges, according to Lancaster. On Sept. 18, Jones was convicted on the charges, admitted to the probation violation, and was sentenced to two years in prison, according to the sheriff.

“Between the months of March 2019 and July 2019 several car burglaries, thefts, firearm thefts, criminal mischiefs, residential burglaries and motor vehicle thefts were reported in Somerset County, in the Towns of Harmony, Skowhegan, Fairfield, Anson, Madison and Bingham, as well as locations in Piscataquis County,” Lancaster’s press release says. “The original cases were investigated by the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office, the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office, the Fairfield Police Department, the Skowhegan Police Department, the Maine State Police, and the Maine Forest Service.”

During the investigations, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office’s criminal division gathered information about possible suspects in the cases, according to Lancaster.

“Subsequent to the suspect information being gathered, several search warrants-area searches were executed, with residences-locations being searched in the towns of Moscow, Madison, Skowhegan, Solon, and Fairfield in July, 2019,” he said in the press release. “The searches were completed by the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Skowhegan and Fairfield Police Departments, the Maine State Police, and the Maine Department of Probation.”

During the searches, officials recovered thousands of dollars worth of reported stolen property, which included tools, power tools, chain saws, personal property, a large gun safe, firearms, stolen checks and reported stolen vehicles, along with a large amount of fentanyl, Lancaster said. The property recovered was reported stolen in Somerset, Piscataquis and Knox Counties, he said.

One of the burglaries that was solved occurred in May at a home on Route 43 in Madison, where nine firearms, including rifles, shotguns and pistols, as well as credit cards, personal checks, more than $4,000 in cash, chainsaws and a large gun safe were stolen, according to Lancaster.

“More charges are being reviewed by the Somerset County District Attorney’s Office and are expected to be levied against other individuals that are reportedly involved in these and other cases,” he said.

He said the investigation was a result of a coordinated effort involving the Somerset County Detective Division, other agencies, and the District Attorney’s Office.