MACHIAS – A Franklin man was indicted by a Washington County grand jury Tuesday for allegedly presenting forged letters to a court from two law enforcement agencies requesting that the judge not send him to jail.

According to First Assistant District Attorney Paul Cavanaugh, David L. Pooler, 45, was facing a probation revocation on drug offenses when in November 2007 he presented the letters to the court in Machias.

“At the time of the sentencing on those probation violations he produced two letters – one from the [Maine] Drug Enforcement Agency and one from the [Washington County] Sheriff’s Department – talking about what a swell fellow he was and how he ought not to have to go to jail,” Cavanaugh said Wednesday.

It was “pretty clear” to court officials at the time that the documents were forgeries, the assistant district attorney said.

On Tuesday, the grand jury agreed and indicted Pooler for aggravated forgery.

Cavanaugh said it appears that Pooler got the letterhead from the agencies’ Web sites.

If convicted, the Franklin man could be sentenced up to 10 years in prison.

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