STETSONTOWN TOWNSHIP – A Litchfield man faces multiple charges this week after he allegedly stole and damaged a truck as well as removed several items from a camp.
Jacob Mason, 20 of Litchfield, has been charged with burglary and theft by unauthorized taking, both Class B felonies, and aggravated criminal mischief, a Class C felony. He has also been charged with three misdemeanors: theft by unauthorized taking, theft by unauthorized use and violating the conditions of release. All of the charges stem from an incident investigated by Maine State Police on June 16.
According to an affidavit filed with the Franklin County court by MSP Cpl. Jonathan Russell, police became involved after receiving a report of a vehicle off the road on the Kennebago River Road in Lower Cupsuptic Township in Oxford County. Russell was told that the vehicle, a Dodge Ram, had been taken without permission from Grant’s Kennebago Camps in Stetsontown Township. Another individual reportedly informed Russell that the stuck truck could be connected to the same person that had taken a logging truck from a log yard in Davis Township – that vehicle had also gotten stuck on the Kennebago River Road and had been damaged after its drive shaft broke. In the affidavit, Russell found the truck further north on the road and did see that the drive shaft had been sheared off and was hanging from the vehicle.
As Russell was photographing the second scene, another pickup truck arrived. The operator told Russell that the person responsible for the stuck vehicles was in the back of the truck. A man, later identified as Mason, exited the truck and spoke with Russell. According to the affidavit, Mason admitted to taking the Dodge the previous evening. Mason reportedly said that he had been “driving around Kennebago River Road, drinking alcohol and having a good time,” according to Russell’s affidavit, and that he had taken the logging truck to try and free the Dodge after the pickup became stuck. Instead, the logging truck also became stuck and was then damaged.
Upon being questioned by Russell, Mason also reportedly admitted to entering a camp, drinking some beer and hanging out for a while before leaving with a shotgun. Mason showed Russell the camp, explaining that he had entered by removing an exterior screen from a window. Mason also brought Russell to a friend’s vehicle, where he allegedly had stowed the firearm and other items. Per the affidavit, Russell did retrieve a shotgun as well as a red backpack and a green jacket that had also allegedly been taken from the camp. Inside the backpack was several unopened beers that were still cold, loose change, fireworks and three set of binoculars.
Mason was arrested and transported to Franklin County Detention Center. Bail was later set at $500 cash or a Maine Pre-Trial Services Contract, with conditions to include no use or possession of alcohol or burglar tools, with random search and test for same, as well as no contact conditions with Grant’s Kennebago Camps and two people associated with the case.
“the drive shaft had been sheared off and was hanging from the building”.
I never knew buildings had driveshafts! When did that start?
Some people have never had to earn a thing in life, and it shows.
I hope the owner of the logging truck can afford to repair the damage from this little fart’s stupidity.
Fixed the drive shaft reference, thanks!
People do all kinds of dumb stuff when they’re drunk. No one was hurt and he admitted it. Seems like a good example of what to do when you screw up.
@Amanda..I’m sure the trucking company has insurance on their vehicles..minus deductibles..They should make this guy pay for the damage..Every dime of it..He will smarten up..
David, I’m going out on a limb and guessing you’re one of those people I mentioned in my first sentence.
Kee, if the truck was insured for damage caused by theft then maybe but believe it or not, insurance companies are more interested in making money than giving it out. They’ll get their money back, not from this gutless wonder though.
Kee, Him smarten up ? Don’t think so as he violated condition of release.
Ever notice how the most perfect people who have never made a mistake in their life, also tend to be the most unhappy and miserable?
@Amanda actually I’ve worked hard since I was 12. Did my first 50 hour week when I was 13, and I worked my tail off for everything I have. Now what happens when you ASSume?
Jose, we’ve had this talk before.
David, punching a clock might pay your bills and help you buy things, but it’s not the same as earning things.
@Amanda. I taught myself my trade and built a business up from being homeless at 19. No punching a clock involved. Pretty sure that counts as earning it. Way to double down on the ASSumption.
It’s a good thing they included his bail conditions to include no use or possession of alcohol. At least now he (being 20 years old) won’t be able to have alcohol and drink so much that he might do this again while out on bail.
Wait…..
He’s 20. I re-read the article on his charges, …..
Did I miss the charge about alcohol for an individual being under 21? Isn’t that illegal too?
Wow David, you got me. I have a hard time believing that anyone who truly understands the sacrifices made to build a sustainable business in Maine would be okay with some little drunken dirt bag taking and breaking a person’s money maker for his own entertainment but here you are, selling it like a champ.
And why shouldn’t I take your word? I’m sure you’re giving an unbiased account of your life. And since you think it’s okay to break the law multiple times so long as you don’t physically harm anyone and you confess once you get caught, I have to believe that you’re in good moral standing.
I stand by my statement that punching a clock does not equal earning it because I know a stay at home mom that earns it without making a penny. I could give multiple examples of people who earn it or don’t.
Enjoy your lunch break playing on your phone.
Maybe he should have been rioting, vandalizing and looting and nothing would have been done about it.
@Amanda, you love to ASSume. I never said I was ok wth any of it. I said that sounds like an appropriate way to deal with it when you messed up. What have you accomplished?
David, what have I accomplished? Probably not much. The slow march towards a nation of pampered, entitled & offended won’t be hindered by me or my support of values like hard work and respect for others because of people like you showing soft acceptance to criminals by saying they did the right thing after doing the wrong thing. By the way, if you reread the 4th paragraph you’ll see that he didn’t admit to it until after he was busted.
My grandpa told me when given the choice, always choose the right one.
I believe this conversation brought on that memory & for that I thank you David. You see, I was just a kid when he died & to know I can still remember his voice, or at least I think it was his, well that’s my answer to the sign at Fairbanks Union Church.
The reason I believe it was this conversation is because you’re right, sort of. I wouldn’t say I love to ASSume, but I guess I tend to.
I ASSumed you were asking what I’ve accomplished with this conversation & after hearing his advice again I just had to find a stopping point to ask, were you asking what I’ve accomplished in my life? If that’s the case, I would love to toot my own horn. It looked like fun when you were doing it. LMK, I’ll check back on my coffee break tomorrow.
David & Amanda, perhaps you could carry on this conversation privately.
Thank you Bud!
Well shucks David, we’re no longer welcome here.
Bud and Old Crone, apologies. I’m not sure what bothered you, or why you chose to read it, but what an opportunity for introspection.
When you point your ” I am always right ” finger at someone else there are three fingers pointing right back at you. It is bullying Amanda.
Ouch! Bullying? Really? Guess I have more to reflect on than I thought.
I’d tell you a sad story to explain why I’m so insistent that it’s not okay to play with someone else’s things but frankly it’s not my story to tell.
I will tell you this though, witnessing the ripple effects of a teenager’s Friday night fun with a young family’s means of financial stability left a bitter taste in my mouth that reared it’s ugly head when David said “no one was hurt”.
Sorry if you felt bullied David. I thought you were playing along with your clever capitalization. I’m sure you’ve worked your tail of for everything you have but the subject of this article probably hasn’t and that’s where I should’ve focused my attention. Some of what I said wasn’t directed at you, it was just a part of the conversation meant to make you and anyone else reading this think outside the box.
For example, earning it isn’t the same as punching a clock… While shopping at a store in Farmington once I overheard two employees talking. One was complaining about having to do something that wasn’t in their job description, saying the task was beneath them. Me, thinking I’m always right, spoke up and said “at least you still get paid the same, just like they’re paying you to talk right now instead of working.”
One more thing, Olde Crone, I could be wrong but I feel like advocating for a private conversation between a bully and their victim is a terrible idea. But thank you for the calling me out and reminding me I still have much to learn.