Weapon and Theft Charges Filed

Ismael Andujar, 34, of Portland was arrested a little after 8 PM on July 23rd and charged with carrying a concealed weapon -a folding box cutter - after police were called to a disturbance on Grant Street in the Parkside neighborhood. Andujar had allegedly threatened a drug dealer with the knife and police had been given his description.


Andujar had also been a suspect in a theft from an office at Maine Medical Center a couple of weeks prior, in which some items had been stolen from a pocketbook. Within hours of this incident, he had been videotaped in a local bank trying to complete a transaction with one of the stolen items. Police viewing the videotape recognized him from prior contacts. He will also face charges pertaining to that theft.

Marge Niblock

Shoplifting Leads to Other Charges

Portland police say Donald F. Stain, 47, of Portland, was arrested for shoplifting when he was caught stealing eye makeup from Hannaford's on July 21st, a little before 1 PM. It was then discovered that he had an assortment of miscellaneous pills in his possession, for which he had no prescriptions.

Stain also had outstanding warrants from 2006 for a residential burglary and burglary of a motor vehicle.

He was charged with theft by unauthorized taking or transfer, unlawful possession of schedule drugs, and will also have to face the burglary charges on the warrants.
Marge Niblock

Masked Gunman Caught in West End
Portland police arrested James Cahill, 20, on July 28th, charging him with armed robbery. Cahill was being sought for the robbery of a Kittery convenience store that had occurred less than 24 hours earlier.

Wearing a mask, and exhibiting a hand gun, Cahill had attempted to rob the clerk, who jumped him and was able to wrest the gun from him. During the scuffle, Cahill was recognized after his mask was pulled off, and his name was provided to authorities.

Kittery police contacted the Portland Police Department to make them aware of the situation as part of the newly- formed Southern Maine Violent Crimes Task Force, which began operating July 9th.

Police in Portland staked out the West End house of Cahill’s girlfriend at 19 Salem Street. When they were both seen leaving in a cab, a traffic stop was made of the taxi and Cahill was arrested without incident. The investigation continues regarding possible accomplices.
Marge Niblock

Dudley to Head Maine Civic Engagement Project

Former Portland legislator Ben Dudley has been hired as Executive Director of the Maine Civic Engagement Project (also known as Maine Blueprint). Dudley will begin his duties on August 13th.

Dudley served for eight years in the Maine Legislature representing Portland’s East End, downtown, and the islands. During his term in office, Dudley served on the Appropriations, Banking and Insurance and Health and Human Services Committees. He also served on the Property Tax Reform Committee and the 2003 Select Committee on Health Care Reform.

Dudley most recently served as Chairman and CEO of the Maine Democratic Party. He has also worked with the Maine Legal Services for the Elderly as their MaineCare Outreach Specialist to boost enrollment in Maine’s Medicaid and drug assistance programs, and was the Political Director for Chellie Pingree’s U.S. Senate race.

The Maine Civic Engagement Project was launched one year ago by 40 Maine non-profit organizations to work together more effectively for sustainable social change and to advance public policies.