Wallet leads to man’s capture> Oregonian faces sodomy charges

BUCKSPORT — A lost wallet and a good Samaritan’s decision to turn it over to police helped authorities track down a 22-year-old man who had fled Oregon after allegedly sexually abusing two male youths in his hometown.

Robin W. Davidson was charged with five counts of sodomy and two counts of sexual abuse. The charges stem from alleged sexual encounters between Davidson and two boys, ages 12 and 14, in Gresham, Ore., a suburb of Portland.

Lt. Carla Piluso, Gresham public information officer, said Sunday that police there had been searching for Davidson since December.

Bucksport police arrested Davidson without incident around 8 p.m. Friday.

Earlier Friday evening, an Orland woman called the Bucksport police to report that she had seen Davidson at a Little League baseball game. She was able to make the identification because she had seen a photograph police had circulated in the community.

Bucksport police are uncertain how long Davidson has been in Maine. It was only by chance that they learned Oregon police were searching for him.

On May 13, Davidson apparently lost his wallet on Pond Street Extension, a residential street in the center of Bucksport. The wallet later was turned in to the Bucksport Police Department.

In an effort to return the wallet to its owner, police sent Davidson a letter at the Oregon address listed on the driver’s license in the wallet, according to Bucksport Dispatcher Roxann Clapper.

Davidson’s family, who have cooperated with the Gresham Police Department, Piluso said, received the letter and contacted police there. Gresham police notified Bucksport police that they were investigating Davidson and planned to issue a warrant for his arrest.

The Oregon police also sent Bucksport police a color photograph of Davidson that was circulated in the community.

After getting the call from the Orland woman Friday, Officer Robert Findlay went to the baseball field and found Davidson still there. When he approached Davidson, the Oregon man claimed to be someone else, but after Findlay showed him the Oregon photograph, Davidson admitted he was the same man, the Bucksport dispatcher said.

As of Sunday evening, Davidson remained in the Hancock County jail awaiting extradition to Oregon. Bail was set at $1.75 million.