A Waldo man on probation for a previous firearms conviction was sentenced Wednesday to serve 12 years in prison after a search of his home turned up a firearm and marijuana plants.

Judge John A. Woodcock Jr. imposed the maximum sentence allowed on Jesse Newton, 30, on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and violating conditions of his release.

Woodcock cited Newton’s previous threats to kill a police officer, his injuring of a witness, his use of a firearm in connection with his marijuana growing operation and his failure to accept responsibility for previous crimes, which included attacks on the homes of two police officers.

“Judge Woodcock said he found Newton’s behavior appalling and noted this was the first time (he’d) ever seen a defendant go after a police officer’s house,” U.S. Attorney Halsey Frank said in a release.

Newton was also given three years of probation following completion of his prison term. He pleaded guilty to the charges on July 7, 2017, and was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor.

According to court records, federal probation officers and investigators from the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office searched Newton’s home on July 13, 2016 and found a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol, 9mm shell casings, rifle stocks and 46 marijuana plants.

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At the time, Newton was on probation for a 2013 felony firearms conviction. Investigators learned after the raid that Newton possessed 10 additional firearms.

Newton had prior convictions for four assaults, terrorizing, criminal use of explosives, criminal threatening, criminal mischief, harassment, disorderly conduct, refusing to submit to arrest and obstruction of reporting a crime.

Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:

dhoey@pressherald.com


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