Bangor man accused of terrorizing

BANGOR – Penobscot County District Attorney R. Christopher Almy vowed Tuesday to push for jail time for anyone arrested and convicted of threatening others based on a person’s race or religious beliefs, especially during these “difficult times.”

On Tuesday, Almy’s office filed a complaint of terrorizing against 44-year-old Jeff Saulnier of Bangor, who was arrested Saturday night after allegedly threatening the owner of Bahaar Pakistani Food, a downtown restaurant.

Almy said the incident report also had been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Office to be investigated as a possible hate crime.

“We will ask the court to impose a jail sentence because of the serious nature of this offense,” Almy said. “We have a responsibility to this community and people need to understand that we need to set a high standard when it comes to these crimes. … We will vigilantly protect the rights of all of the people of our community.”

Almy said that Saulnier became angry while at the restaurant Saturday night, because his meal was not ready quickly enough.

Almy said witnesses heard Saulnier threaten to kill the owners of the Pakistani restaurant and tell them “to go back to their country.”

Almy said he was not making an example of Saulnier, but said everyone should understand how seriously his office will take such threats.

“We will hold people accountable,” he said.

Terrorizing is a Class D misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.

Meanwhile, friends of Saulnier said he is not a violent man or a racist and has a history of mental health problems.

Almy said Saturday night’s alleged threatening was the only such incident he knew of in the area since last week’s terrorist attacks in New York, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania.

“This is a time of crisis and we all have to treat each other with respect,” he said.

Saulnier was arrested at the restaurant and was released on bail from Penobscot County Jail shortly after the incident.