Joseph Salatka

An Oxford County man has been charged with making death threats against the recently appointed sheriff of Oxford County, state police say.

Police say they charged Joseph Salatka, 56, of Mexico, with one count of terrorizing after he called the state fire marshal’s office in Augusta and made threats against incoming Oxford County Sheriff James Theriault.

Theriault was appointed by Gov. Paul LePage last week to fill the position after Wayne Gallant resigned the office following a sexting scandal.

Fire marshals made Maine State Police aware of the call and Theriault was also notified. Troopers assisted in locating Salatka because his phone number registered on the fire marshal’s caller ID, state police said.

He was arrested on Roxbury Road in Rumford, a short distance from his home in Mexico. Salatka had an air pistol on him when he was taken into custody.

He is being held at the Oxford County Jail in South Paris.


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