A South Carolina man wanted by the FBI and federal postal investigators turned himself in to Brewer police Wednesday morning.

Robert Holton, 21, came into the police station, confessing to Officer Fred Luce that he had rented a car in Las Vegas in May 2001 and never returned it. Holton also admitted he took money from two laptops he sold on eBay without actually sending the laptops to the bidders.

There was more to the story, however, as Luce learned from federal authorities. A special agent with the U.S. Postal Service told police that Holton is wanted in connection with more than $30,000 in thefts. A federal warrant had been issued by authorities in Charleston, S.C., for his arrest for mail fraud.

Brewer police arrested Holton on a charge of receiving stolen property. He was arraigned in 3rd District Court in Bangor on Thursday afternoon when bail was set at $10,000 single surety or $2,000 cash, said Brewer Sgt. Arden Jones.

Even if he could make bail, federal authorities have put a hold on Holton for the federal charge.

A Massachusetts motorist who was stopped by police early Wednesday morning wasn’t who he claimed to be.

Bangor police Sgt. Ed Potter stopped the pickup truck about midnight Wednesday on Valley Avenue, noting that the vehicle had been proceeding quickly along the winding road, even though the truck was packed high with construction materials. Potter also said there have been recent burglaries at construction sites and that the vehicle appeared suspicious because of what it was hauling and the lateness of the hour.

The motorist pulled into a closed park along the road and told police he was looking for Route 1A in Hampden. He provided a three-page receipt from Home Depot for the materials he had in the bed of the pickup truck and claimed that he was Charles Johnson, the name listed on the receipts as the purchaser.

Some problems arose with his story, however. The man calling himself Johnson gave several dates of birth until finally committing to one, Potter reported. A computer check on Johnson indicated he was significantly taller – about 8 inches – than the man police had in front of them. He also had a different hair color.

Officer Chris Desmond reported that the man eventually confessed to his real identity, Robert Butcher, 44, an employee in Johnson’s construction company. Butcher’s license was suspended in Massachusetts and he was arrested on a charge of operating a motor vehicle without a license.

Desmond said Butcher’s eyes were watery and bloodshot, his speech was slurred and he swayed, although an Intoxilyzer test registered his blood-alcohol content at 0.06 percent, less than the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

Compiled by NEWS reporter Doug Kesseli