PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — During the open comment portion of the Jan. 2 council meeting, one resident expressed concern about alleged drug dealing in his neighborhood and related how early that same morning he had been standing inside his home pointing a loaded shotgun toward a man police believe may have been high on crack cocaine.
“He was standing on our porch and kept yelling for help. The only thing that separated us was the glass on the front door,” Jonathan Guerrette told the councilors. “In my 35 years, I never felt the need to own a gun to protect my family until we moved to Presque Isle.”
Guerrette and his wife, Deanne, live on State Street in Presque Isle. During the alleged incident, the couple called 911 and local police responded soon afterward. Deanne Guerrette told councilors on Wednesday that although her children remained asleep through the incident, the man’s constant shouting woke up others in the neighborhood.
The couple described how since they moved to their current home from Mapleton one year ago, they have become increasingly scared due to alleged drug dealings happening at 36 Oak Street near their home. More than once, Deanne Guerrette said, she and her husband have seen close to 10 vehicles lined up and down Oak and State streets, with drivers going in and out of that house on Oak Street at various times of the day.
Deanne Guerrette said she and her husband initially did not want to go public with their concerns out of fear of retaliation from people who frequent that alleged drug house. But the early morning confrontation with the alleged drug addict prompted them to speak up to increase awareness of how the national drug epidemic has hit closer to home than many might like to think.
“It’s gotten to the point where I’m scared to go home,” Deanne Guerrette said. “And of course we were both scared the entire time the man was on our front porch. We didn’t know if somebody had been chasing him or if he would try to break into our home.”
Jonathan Guerrette said he doesn’t like to think about what might have happened if the man tried to break in.
“I guarantee that if he had broken the glass on that front door, there would have been shots fired,” Jonathan Guerrette told the councilors.
Presque Isle deputy police chief Laurie Kelley told councilors that the man was not arrested or charged in connection with the incident but that officers took him to Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital for examination. The man, Kelley said, had been walking the streets barefoot and began calling for help because he couldn’t find his shoes.
Kelley confirmed that the house at 36 Oak Street has indeed been on the police department’s radar for many years. She said that last year, police arrested the home’s owner, Dustin McGillan, on drug-related charges and that he is currently serving time in prison. But people whom police suspect are family members and acquaintances of McGillan have allegedly been using the home for drug dealings, although there is no operating water or sewage there.
Following an alleged shooting at 36 Oak Street in May 2018, the Presque Isle Police Department issued an alert to the public seeking help in locating a suspect wanted for reckless conduct with a firearm. The suspect, 36-year-old Bobby L. Nightingale, who has an extensive criminal record that dates back to 2000, turned himself in to the police eight days after the incident but denied his involvement. Former police chief Matt Irwin said at the time that no alleged victim had come forward but that the department suspected the incident was drug-related. That case is still pending with Nightingale, who remains incarcerated at the Aroostook County Jail, scheduled for another appearance in Houlton District Court on Jan. 8.
“The person the Guerrettes encountered [Wednesday] is someone that we’ve been aware of for a while,” Kelley told councilors. She stated that because no arrest was made, the man’s name could not be made public. “We’ve conducted search warrants inside the home (on Oak Street) and made arrests for OUIs on that street, but there have been no drugs present in the home at the time of our warrants.”
She added that the police department has received numerous calls regarding activity at 36 Oak Street for the past several years and has done everything legally possible to investigate the alleged drug-related issues inside the home.
“We’ve shared information with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and they consider this a priority. We plan to have more patrol cars in the neighborhood and have asked people to make us aware of anyone coming and going from that home.”
Even with the local police department regularly investigating the neighborhood, Frank Bemis, a friend of the Guerrettes and a local attorney from Presque Isle, stated that he would like to see city officials become more involved with combating illegal drug usage within the community.
“There is no water or sewage system in that home (on Oak Street) and no outhouse set up outside. Perhaps the city should look into condemning or buying the property,” Bemis said. “I know how shocking it is for you to hear about incidents like this happening, but we need to be equipped for things that will happen in the future.”
City Manager Martin Puckett noted that he has spoken with both Kelley and the Guerrettes about their concerns and that as of right now, there is no further legal action the city can take unless drug activity at the residence is proven.
“This is an ongoing issue that the city has been made aware of and that we’ve been concerned about,” Puckett said. “As someone who lives near that home, this is something that affects my family as well.”
Richard James, a neighbor of the Guerrettes who lives on the corner of Oaks and State streets, shared Bemis’ views and stated that he also has seen a large number of vehicles parked near 36 Oak Street at various times.
“I’ve had a front row seat to all of this,” James said. “Once, I saw at least nine cars parked down the street to pick up the goods. They brought drugs into the house in broad daylight.”
He added, “Since 2003, I’ve lived in that neighborhood. I graduated from Presque Isle High School and I came back because I wanted to raise my family here. But it’s not the neighborhood it used to be.”
Throughout the testimonies, city councilors expressed sadness over hearing the residents’ stories. Councilor Randy Smith thanked the Guerrettes for sharing their story and personally requested that they and Kelley come to the next council meeting on Feb. 6 to share an update on drug-related concerns or incidents happening near Oak and State streets.
“My heart goes out to you and your family and I hope that the city can become part of the solution to this issue,” Smith said.
Meanwhile, Kelley encouraged members of the public to come forward with any information that they might have in regards to possible drug-related activities or incidents.
“We never want people to think that they’re bothering us by reporting their complaints or suspicions. That’s why we are open 24/7, 365 days a year,” Kelley said. “Knowing about these issues is the only way that we can look to take action.”
