PORTLAND — In October 2013, there were two armed bank robberies one week apart in York County. One was at Kennebunk Savings Bank in Eliot, the other at Ocean Communities Federal Credit Union in Sanford.

The two heists were described by U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine Thomas Delahanty II as “Bonnie and Clyde” style bank robberies. In both, a man brandished a large revolver, threatening bank tellers, and in the Eliot robbery, one of the robbers vaulted over the teller counter, according to Delahanty’s account.

The investigation determined that the robberies were connected to bank heists in Somersworth, Exeter and Alton, New Hampshire. Several agencies worked together to solve the case, and the four people charged all pled guilty and were sentenced to federal prison in an investigation that was recognized by the U.S. District Attorney’s Office along with six other cases as being “outstanding examples of the dedication and skills of our law enforcement partners.”

Sanford, Eliot and Kittery Police, their counterparts in New Hampshire, local FBI agents, the Maine State Police and its crime lab were recognized for their efforts in the bank robberies case that saw Philip Gage, Daniel Barry, Brianne Mone and Marvin Ansteth ordered to pay restitution and sentenced to prison for 22 years, 63 months, 45 months and nearly five years respectively. Sanford officers recognized were Det. Sgt. Matthew Jones and Detectives Chad Allen, John Flewelling, Eric Small and Sarah Howe.

In total, 47 law enforcement officers from 24 local, county, state and federal agencies for their work in seven cases. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine handles more than 250 cases a year.

In a separate Portland case, two law enforcement officers who work for York County agencies took part in an operation that led to the shutdown of a gang that dealt drugs, trafficked firearms and committed violent crimes, according to Delahanty.

Steve Borst, now of Kennebunk Police and Biddeford Police Officer Tom LaPierre, along with officers from several other agencies, were part of an operation that involved what Delahanty described as the investigation of a “local violent gang” led by Hamadi Hassan and consisted of more than a dozen people. Hassan and his associates threatened and intimidated those suspected of cooperating with law enforcement. This made locating witnesses and keeping them safe was a “difficult, delicate and resources intensive task.” But the investigation captured and analyzed more than 10,000 calls by wiretapping Hasan’s phone, he said. Police also used surveillance and other undercover techniques to pursue the perpetrators.

Ultimately, Hassan was arrested, pled guilty to drug and other charges, and was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison. As well, 10 others were convicted and sentenced, Delahanty said.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].