WATERVILLE – Four Thomas College students, including three criminal justice majors, face felony charges in connection with a rash of BB-gun shootings that blew out dozens of car windows in six communities in central Maine.

About 65 vehicles were hit Tuesday night and early Wednesday in the Waterville area, and 30 more were damaged the following night in and around Augusta, causing losses in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Scott Shuler, 18, of Chatham, N.H.; Matthew Labbe, 18, of Livermore Falls; Jason DeCampos, 18, of Hallowell; and Derek Murphy, 18, of Lamoine were charged with aggravated criminal mischief, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Three of the men were studying criminal justice in hopes of becoming police officers, a career police said would be closed to them if they were convicted.

“These guys are finished. These guys are being charged with a Class C felony. They stand no chance of being hired in law enforcement,” said Waterville police Chief John Morris.

Two of the suspects were arrested and two were issued summonses Thursday after investigators broke the case by spotting CO2 cartridges and plastic containers of BBs inside a car belonging to DeCampos that fit the description of a vehicle seen during the vandalism spree in Augusta.

The men allegedly used CO2 pistols and, in some cases, a small spring-loaded window punch during the two-night escapade. Police seized four pellet guns, a variety of CO2 cartridges and BBs, the window punch, a paint-ball gun, black gloves and a paint-ball mask.

Investigators were at a loss to explain the vandalism.

“It is a mindless, senseless criminal act,” said Deputy Chief Joseph Massey. “There’s no gain to that, and when you ask them why they did it, you get a shrug of the shoulders.”

The men were released on unsecured bond pending their court appearances.

Massey said police will press the district attorney to seek jail time for those involved in the vandalism and require payment of restitution to the victims.