PORTLAND — A former Fayette woman at the center of an 8½-hour standoff in 2005 was sentenced in federal court today for telephone harassment of state and federal officials, including judges involved in the dismissal of lawsuits over the incident.
Charlotte Bea Palm, 50, was sentenced to time served and one year of supervised release. Palm, who now lives in Cape Coral, Fla., has been in custody since her arrest in July. She pleaded guilty last month.
Judge Joseph Laplante noted that Palm has battled mental illness for much of her life and does not appear to be a lifelong troublemaker.
In 2005, Palm’s husband, Jason, told authorities she was in their Fayette home and was armed, homicidal and suicidal. Palm surrendered after authorities used tear gas on the house. Authorities found a rifle, a pistol and spent cartridges in the house. Palm was committed for psychological evaluation.
In 2007, Jason Palm filed lawsuits against officials involved. The following year, U.S. District Court Judge D. Brock Hornby dismissed the suits at the recommendation of Magistrate Judge Margaret Kravchuk.
Earlier this year, the judges and law enforcement officials were the subjects of threatening phone messages. The calls were traced to a Florida number that belonged to Palm’s husband.
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