BANGOR – Terrorism isn’t a joke anymore – especially not in downtown Etna.

The fake wanted poster allegedly displayed in May on the cash register of the Country Corner Variety store has resulted in a lawsuit.

Brad Graves sued Ronald Hicks last week in Penobscot County Superior Court, claiming that Hicks damaged his reputation by displaying a fake wanted poster that called him a “terrorist.”

Both men are lifelong residents of Etna, according to Graves’ attorney, Brett Baber of Bangor.

The poster included a photograph of Graves with the words “Mohammed Abdul Graves, suspected leader of the outlaw organization Extreme Activist Terrorism Militia of Etna” or “EATME” displayed under his picture, according to court documents. The poster also allegedly stated that Graves was “Assumed to be armed and dangerous.”

Baber said Thursday that Graves was “mortified” by the poster.

“In this day and age, anytime one is alleged to be a terrorist and part of a terrorist group, it does inherent damage to one’s reputation,” Baber said. “He’s fortunate that he saw this fairly soon after it was posted.”

Country Corner Variety is located at the intersection of Routes 2 and 143 in the town of 1,000 people nestled between Carmel and Newport.

Efforts to reach Hicks, the owner of the store, were unsuccessful Thursday. It was unclear whether he had been served with the lawsuit.

Graves learned from a friend on May 14 that the poster was on the cash register in the store, Baber said.

That day, Graves removed the poster, which appeared to have been created on a home computer using a picture taken at a wedding both Etna men attended last year.

Baber said that a store employee told Graves that Hicks had put the wanted poster on the cash register. The attorney estimated that it was displayed on the cash register for seven hours before Graves removed it.

The Bangor attorney said that he was unaware of any previous disagreements between his client and Hicks.

The lawsuit seeks reasonable compensatory and punitive damages and costs.