Case against Franklin County prosecutor to move forward

BANGOR — The scenario versus Kayla Alves, a Franklin County assistant district lawyer, will transfer ahead in relationship with expenses in a criticism of tampering with files and proceedings alleged in an illicit Farmington spot cannabis expand, distribution and revenue laundering plan.

Alves, 36, of Farmington experienced a preliminary evaluation listening to Nov. 5 ahead of Magistrate Choose John Nivison, with her law firm, Walter McKee of Augusta, existing.

Alves waived her suitable Thursday to a choice by the federal courtroom concerning the query of probable induce, and waived her suitable to additional proceedings with respect to the preliminary assessment.

The court “finds possible lead to to feel that the defendant dedicated the crimes” alleged in counts eight and 9 of the grievance, according to the buy, signed Thursday by Nivison.

“This was just a straightforward settlement that lets the circumstance to go forward, absolutely nothing additional. Possible induce is the lowest of all legal specifications,” McKee wrote in an e-mail Monday.

Alves is charged with tampering with proceedings and tampering with paperwork.

She is the only 1 of 12 defendants named in the federal criticism Oct. 27 who was not indicted Nov. 9 by a federal grand jury.

According to the grievance, Alves on or about July 8, 2020, allegedly “did corruptly try to impede, impact, and impede a federal criminal grand jury investigation, an official proceeding, by informing targets of the criminal investigation.”

She is also accused of tampering with documents July 21, 2020. Alves allegedly “did corruptly change, ruin, mutilate, and conceal electronic messages amongst herself” and co-defendant Bradley Scovil, a previous Franklin County Sheriff’s deputy, “with the intent to impair their integrity and availability for use in a federal prison grand jury investigation.”

Alves was placed on administrative go away from the Franklin County District Attorney’s Office in August.

Eleven defendants who were being indicted pleaded not guilty Thursday to the alleged charges: Businessman and alleged leader of the procedure Lucas Sirois, 41, of Farmington former Rangeley Selectman David Burgess, 53, of Rangeley Ryan Nezol, 38, of Farmington Sirois’ father, Robert Sioris, 68, of Farmington former Franklin County Deputy Derrick Doucette, 29, of Jay Scovil Lucas Sirois’ estranged spouse, Alisa Sirois, 43, of Kingfield Brandon Dagnese, 27, of Scarborough tax preparer Kenneth Allen, 48, of Farmington previous Oxford County Sheriff’s Deputy James McLamb, 29, of Auburn and Wilton police Officer Kevin Lemay, 33, of Farmington.

Guide law firm for Lucas Sirois, Timothy Parlatore of New York, explained to the federal court Thursday he planned to file a preliminary injunction dependent on the Rohrabacher-Farr Modification. It prohibits the Department of Justice from expending funds interfering with a state’s medical cannabis legislation implementation, Parlatore instructed the court.

Based on people recommendations, Sirois reported he has been performing in accordance with the state regulation all through the court docket listening to.

Lucas Sirois and his co-conspirators are accused of creating a lot more than $13 million more than six yrs through the illicit sale of cannabis, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Workplace.

Sirois reportedly structured functions to appear they complied with Maine’s professional medical cannabis guidelines though he often sold bulk marijuana on the illicit market place, like $1 million really worth of marijuana for out-of-state distribution among 2018 and 2019, in accordance to prosecutors.

Sirois also pleaded not guilty Friday on behalf of a few corporations he co-owns — Lakemont LLC, Sandy River Properties LLC and Spruce Valley LLC — that were being also indicted Nov. 9 for allegedly sustaining a drug-involved premises.

Farmington businessman Randal Cousineau, 69, reportedly the principal financier, pleaded guilty Oct. 27 to conspiring to possess and distribute additional than 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) of cannabis and 1,000 marijuana vegetation.

Cousineau signed a plea arrangement in April that, if approved by the court docket, would make it possible for him to serve no far more than 63 months in federal prison and to forfeit approximately $650,000 in illegal drug proceeds.

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