Couple from New Mexico charged in theft from Calais home

BREWER – A New Mexico couple suspected of felony theft in Calais also could face drug charges after police raided a hotel room in which they were staying and found evidence of drug activity, a Washington County deputy said.

Claire Jordan, 25, and Joseph Godfrey, 29, both of Albuquerque, N.M., were arrested Monday night at the Brewer Motor Inn on felony theft charges. The couple was connected to items stolen from a home in Calais that turned up at businesses in the Bangor area, Washington County Deputy Adam Davis said.

Brewer police, who assisted Washington County deputies, also found drug paraphernalia and other drug activity at their hotel room, Davis said, but he declined to comment on specifics.

“There is still more work they have to do, and that will probably lead to more charges,” he said. “I don’t want anything to do with the drug aspect of it.”

Brewer police Sgt. Chris Martin said Tuesday that his department is investigating the case but no drug-related charges have been filed yet against Jordan or Godfrey.

“There is a drug-related aspect to this case, but we’re not releasing it at this time,” Martin said. “There is still some follow-up stuff we have to do. If we were to comment, it would be premature.”

Jordan and Godfrey are being held at Washington County Jail, each on $10,000 cash bail. They will make their initial appearance today in District Court in Calais, Davis said.

Jordan and Godfrey were transferred Monday from Brewer after their arrests. Davis said he and Sheriff Deputy Dennis Perry questioned the couple on the ride to Washington County Jail.

“My questioning of them was strictly on the theft charges, although in our discussions, some of the drug stuff came up,” Davis said. “But I have no jurisdiction on that.”

Davis said Jordan and Godfrey became primary suspects in the thefts when he learned the pair was in Maine visiting Jordan’s relative in Calais. A neighbor of Jordan’s relative – who didn’t want to be identified – reported property missing on June 23 to Washington County deputies.

Davis tracked the couple down by contacting pawnshops where Jordan had sold three old coins that were among the reported missing items. A clerk at a Brewer pawnbroker identified her, Davis said.

In addition to Brewer Motor Inn, Jordan and Godfrey had stayed in at least two other motels in the Bangor area, Davis said. The couple has been in Maine since June 15.

“A search of their room [at Brewer Motor Inn] recovered a small amount of stolen property,” Davis said. “There is a lot of other property still out there.”

Davis said silver certificates taken from the Calais home most likely were placed in circulation in the Bangor area. He was in the process Tuesday of contacting local businesses to locate some of that currency.

Anyone who has information regarding the silver certificates should contact Deputy Sheriff Adam Davis at 255-4643.