3 charged in robbery of pharmacy

BANGOR – Two men and a woman face federal charges for the armed robbery of the Hannaford pharmacy in Skowhegan on July 6. The trio allegedly forced the pharmacist to open a locked box and give them bottles of OxyContin.

Terry Lynn Pelotte, age unknown, of Fairfield, Erin N. Hunter, 18, of Clinton and David Sanford, age unknown, of Waterville were arrested three days after the robbery.

They have been charged with violation of the Hobbs Act, which allows federal charges to be filed when a business engaged in interstate commerce, such as Hannaford, is robbed.

The three, who are in custody, are scheduled to appear today at a detention hearing in U.S. District Court in Bangor.

Pelotte allegedly entered the grocery store shortly before 5:30 p.m. July 6 and approached the pharmacy area, according to court documents. He allegedly lifted his shirt and exposed the butt of a handgun that was tucked into his shorts and demanded OxyContin.

The pharmacy clerk told him that she did not have a key to the box where the drugs were kept. The man allegedly told her to get one, according to court documents. She led the suspect to the pharmacist, who was in another location filing documents.

The three returned to the pharmacy, where the pharmacist opened the locked box and gave the alleged robber the pills. Pelotte then fled the store to Hunter’s car, where she and Sanford were waiting.

The gun used in the robbery was reported stolen from an Augusta residence a few hours before the robbery.