Two people in Maine have been arrested for some very serious charges. Earlier this week, 20 year old Dylan McPhee and 19 year old Olivia Pope were arrested in Massachusetts for crimes they allegedly committed in Maine. The arrest began when a state trooper spotted their vehicle and noticed that it matched the description of a vehicle broadcast by the Cumberland County sheriff’s department. The suspects were wanted for a pair of violent home invasion incidents that occurred earlier in the day 180 miles away. The officer stopped the vehicle and realized that the drivers were the suspects that Cumberland Police were looking for. The pair was arrested and taken into custody.
Pope and McPhee, along with a third accomplice with who was arrested earlier in the day, allegedly used guns to violently break in to two homes in Casco, Maine. These break ins began with Pope knocking on the door saying she was in distress and begging the homeowners for help. When they responded, the other two accomplices forced their way into the home with guns drawn. Police say the first home invasion was interrupted when a neighbor heard loud noises and, concerned, called the police. Their second attempt when better, however. The trio forced their way into the home and tied up the two residents present. Police also report that the suspects then hit the residents with their guns causing one resident to require hospitalization. After that, they robbed them and left the premises.
Pope and McPhee are currently being held in Massachusetts jail until they can be extradited back to Maine in order to face charges. The two were arrested on charges of being a fugitive from justice but they will likely face many other charges including robbery, assault and possibility others.
The state of Maine takes these type of criminal offenses very seriously. Not only is this a violent crime, it is also a theft crime. Both of which are reported on annual crime data that is used to calculate the crime rate of the state. According to the Maine Department of Safety, violent crime in the state has been on the decrease. In 2012, violent crimes such as aggravated assault decreased by .8% from the previous year. Robberies, however, increased by a very large percent from 2011 to 2012 – 13.8%. In order to decrease the number of robberies that occur, police look to make quick arrests when a case is reported. Prosecutors will also likely look to crackdown on suspects accused of these crimes as a way of encouraging other people to abstain from similar behavior.
These two are facing very serious charges. It will be hard for a jury to be sympathetic towards two young people who are accused of this type of crime. Their best chance of fighting these charges is to hire an experienced criminal in defense attorney who may be able to help them get a plea deal. Even in cases like this where witnesses can attest to a person’s criminal behavior there are still defense options.
