Grand jury indicts mall robbery suspect

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BANGOR – A Bradford man convicted in 1983 of murdering a city cabdriver was indicted Monday on charges that he robbed a Hampden woman outside the Bangor Mall last week.

A Penobscot County grand jury handed up the indictment against Scott Allard, 37, on a felony robbery charge as well as a charge of criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon.

Allard is accused of grabbing a woman’s purse in a parking lot outside the mall and attempting to run away. He also allegedly threatened a Dixmont man with a knife after the passer-by confronted him.

The woman was not injured and recovered her purse.

Monday night, Allard remained in the Penobscot County Jail on $100,000 surety or $50,000 cash bail.

The robbery charge, the most serious facing Allard, carries with it a maximum 20 years or 40 years in prison depending on the seriousness of the crime.

Allard had been released in 1996 from the Maine State Prison in Thomaston after serving 13 years of a 20-year prison sentence for the Christmas Eve slaying of John Hermon, 46.

Allard was sent back to prison in 1998 on burglary and theft charges and was released again last February.

Also on Monday, a volunteer firefighter and her husband were each indicted on felony arson charges stemming from a November fire that gutted an abandoned convenience store in Medway.

Heidi Carey, 23, of Millinocket, a volunteer firefighter with the Medway Fire Department, and her husband, James Carey 36, also of Millinocket, were charged soon after the nighttime blaze destroyed the vacant, two-story building on Nov. 16.

An arson charge carries with it a maximum 40 years in prison.

The grand jury also handed up indictments against the following:

Carlton Albert, 45, Portland, failure to appear.

Gary Andrews, 42, Bangor, eluding an officer, operating under the influence, criminal speed, driving to endanger.

Jason Baker, 18, Bangor, burglary to a motor vehicle, unauthorized use of property, theft.

Eric Becker, 20, Bangor, two counts burglary, two counts theft, aggravated criminal mischief.

Allen Cole, 18, burglary, theft.

Roderick Grose, 29, Augusta, aggravated forgery, operating after revocation, operating under the influence, failure to give correct name.

Bruce P. Herbert, 25, Old Town, operating after revocation, operating under the influence.

Larry Huggins, 21, Bangor, assault.

Ralph Millette, 54, Hudson, operating after revocation, operating under the influence;

Jonathan Mitchell, 19, Alton, burglary to a motor vehicle, theft.

Edward Myshrall, 41, Bangor, theft.

Nathaniel Palozej, 19, burglary to a motor vehicle, unauthorized use of property, theft.

Craig J. Pelkey, 33, Brewer, operating after revocation, operating under the influence.

Stephen Powers, 27, Greenfield, criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon.

Kelly Prince, 21, Levant, theft.

Wendy Reed, 30, Orono, arson.

Don W. Richards, 42, Pittsfield, operating after revocation.

Matthew Simmons, 29, Greenfield, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Terrode James Sipp, 27, Millinocket, aggravated assault.

Robert Stilphen, 18, Old Town, four counts burglary, Class B theft, three counts Class E theft, criminal mischief.

Eric L. Tatro, 22, Bradford, operating after revocation, operating under the influence.

Robert Twitchell, 22, Bangor, forgery, burglary, theft.

Christopher Vydas, 24, Brewer, burglary, theft, unlawful possession of scheduled drugs.

A grand jury does not determine the guilt or innocence of a defendant – only whether the state has enough evidence to proceed to trial.