Chelsea woman to pay $25,000, serve 15 months for mail theft

BANGOR – A Chelsea woman recently was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 15 months in prison and three years probation for mail theft.

Michelle L. Laflin, 32, also was ordered to pay nearly $25,000 in restitution to at least eight victims. She pleaded guilty late last year.

Laflin’s former roommate, Tammy Peaslee, 31, also was charged with mail theft in the incident. Peaslee’s case has not been resolved, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Gail Fisk Malone.

Both women were convicted in 2001 on charges of attempting to pass forged OxyContin prescriptions.

Wayne Foote, Laflin’s Bangor attorney, told Judge George Singal last week that his client stole incoming and outgoing mail containing personal checks and credit card courtesy checks to get money for her drug habit.

Singal issued a stern warning to Laflin at her sentencing.

“I suggest you use your time in jail to think about your life,” he said. “Right now, your life’s going right down the toilet and you’re going right down with it. If you come back into federal court, you should not depend on the good will of this court. I have a lifetime appointment and I will outlast you.”

Two men also were sentenced in federal court last week.

Robert Robinson, 33, of Waterville was sentenced to 27 months in prison and three years probation for possession of child pornography. His Bangor attorney, Jeffrey Silverstein, immediately filed an appeal with the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston arguing that there was not enough probable cause for a judge to issue the search warrant used to seize materials from Robinson.

Allen Potter, 41, of Winslow was sentenced to 21 months in prison with three years probation for possession of a sawed-off shotgun.