Slap ends in domestic assault charge

A New York man came to Bangor to be with his girlfriend and he followed her into police custody Thursday after authorities were called to their residence on a report of a fight.

Bangor police charged Tabatha S. Baker, 19, with domestic assault for slapping her boyfriend, 20-year-old Corey Semo, according to a police report. Upon seeing Baker carted off to jail, Semo protested and became belligerent, yelling and swearing at police and sitting down in front of a cruiser trying to leave the scene, police said.

Semo was charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing a public way.

Three police officers were at the couple’s residence at 76 Fruit St. about 12:15 p.m. for a report of a domestic fight. Officer Jason McAmbley was one of the officers and it was a return visit for him. He had been there three days earlier and found the two had been involved in an argument.

Semo agreed to leave and stay somewhere else. At the time, McAmbley had warned the two that if the police returned, someone would be arrested.

On Thursday, Semo said they argued again and Baker struck him in the face and ripped his shirt, according to police. Baker said she really didn’t hit Semo, she “just sort of smacked him,” reported McAmbley, who explained to Baker that smacking someone was technically still hitting and an assault.

McAmbley arrested Baker against the protests of Semo, who said he wanted to go with her. He stood outside the residence, pacing and swinging his arms around, reported Officer Shawn Green.

Green warned Semo about the disturbance and reported that as he was pulling his cruiser out and facing inbound on Garland Street, Semo ran into the road and sat down. He was about 10 feet from the cruiser. Told that if he didn’t move in three seconds he’d be arrested, Semo stood up, turned around and put his hands behind his back, according to the police report.

A four-year employee of Sears at the Bangor Mall is accused of taking $2,500 from cash registers over a five-month period.

A store official, and later police, confronted 43-year-old Anthony D. Godfrey on Monday and he confessed, according to a police report. The thefts from the cash registers took place from Jan. 1 through Monday and ranged from $25 to $900, reported Officer Jason McAmbley.

For his part, Godfrey said he regretted taking the money, which he stated was used for paying bills, child support, rent and food. Before this year, the store official said that to his knowledge Godfrey had not taken any money from any of the store’s registers.

An Orono man claimed he took three articles of clothing from the Filene’s store at the Bangor Mall because he really didn’t like them and didn’t want to spend money on them.

On Monday, Bangor police were called to the store where a store detective reported seeing Ernst F. Hunter, 19, go into a changing room with 10 items and a backpack and come out with only seven of those items, according to a police report. After leaving the changing room, Hunter returned some items and paid for others.

The store detective reported finding three coat hangers inside the changing room and three ripped tags in a pair of pants that Hunter opted not to purchase and returned.

Confronted about the missing pair of orange pants, a white tank top and a blue shirt, Hunter confessed to the theft but told Officer Jason McAmbley that he didn’t want to purchase the three items because he didn’t really like them and didn’t want to spend the money on them.

He was charged with theft.

– Compiled by NEWS reporter Doug Kesseli