Search continues in Maine as officer is charged with mendacity about taking lacking particular person to hospital

WASHBURN, Maine (AP) — A Maine police officer accused of mendacity a couple of missing-person case was charged with a number of crimes, together with falsifying a report through which he claimed he had taken the lacking man to a hospital, police mentioned.

Washburn Police Sgt. Chandler Cole resigned after being charged with aggravated forgery, tampering with public data or info, falsifying bodily proof, and unsworn falsification, in response to courtroom data.

Cole mentioned he had no remark when reached by The Related Press.

The costs, first reported by WAGM-TV, stem from the case of a lacking one that gave the impression to be distressed when seen strolling alongside a street March 30.

Cole reported that he had picked up Erik Foote and dropped him off at a comfort retailer, however he instructed Foote’s mother and father he took him to the hospital.

An investigation concluded Cole altered his report back to mirror a hospital drop-off. However there isn’t a hospital document to help the declare.

Foote has but to be positioned in a case that has riveted the group of 1,500 folks, which has organized one other search get together to search for him this weekend.

The Aroostook County Sheriff’s Workplace is now dealing with the investigation.

The city is within the technique of deciding whether or not to maintain a police division. Washburn’s police chief retired Jan. 31, Cole resigned in February and a younger officer is working elsewhere, City Supervisor Donna Turner mentioned.

For now, the Sheriff’s Workplace is offering protection whereas Washburn is with out police.