AUGUSTA — A Gardiner man arrested late Saturday night in a Chelsea garage had an initial court appearance Monday on charges of burglary, criminal restraint and criminal threatening for allegedly holding people at gunpoint Jan. 13, in Gardiner.
Scott Edward York, 42, was seen at the Capital Judicial Center via video from the Kennebec County jail on those charges, as well as a charge of violating probation. A judge ordered him held without bail on the probation revocation motion and $8,000 cash bail on the new charges.
York apparently had been sought in connection with the Gardiner home invasion since early February.
Maine state troopers had been looking for York all last week because “they received credible information from multiple informants that York was making statements he was going to kill police if he was to be taken into custody,” according to the Maine State Police Facebook page. Police also believed he was in possession of a handgun.
York was taken into custody without incident, and during the search of the Ferry Road property where he was found, officers reported seizing drugs and drug paraphernalia.
An affidavit by Gardiner Police Officer Samuel Quintana, filed at the courthouse, says York was one of two men who went into a Highland Avenue apartment on Jan. 13 looking for a safe that contained drugs belonging to one of them and threatening to shoot several people there, including a child.
A woman resident told police she did not believe the men had a gun until she saw York pass it to the other man, whom Quintana’s affidavit identified as Edwin Lazarus Lawrence, 25, of Gardiner. A Gardiner police detective later said the gun was not real, but “a very good replica” that police recovered. Lawrence, who formerly lived there, demanded the safe where he kept his drugs and his $22,000, according to the woman, who later was able to grab Lawrence’s phone and alert her mother via Facebook to call police.
According to Quintana, the woman said York fled out a balcony window when police arrived.
A third man found at the home, Jesse Knox, told police he hid after an altercation with Lawrence during which he was threated by him as well. Knox, 27, also of Gardiner, was arrested on a warrant.
Lawrence had been sentenced in March on an unlawful drug trafficking conviction to an initial year in jail, with the remainder of the five-year sentenced suspended during two years’ probation.
York was sentenced in Augusta in May 2017 on a felony charge of reckless conduct to an initial seven months in jail, with the remainder of the three-year sentence suspended during two years’ probation. He allegedly absconded and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
On Monday, York sought to admit violating that probation and asked to do 22 of the remaining 29 months of the suspended sentence, with probation to terminate.
“He’s looking for some consideration for taking responsibility early,” said attorney Matthew Kanwit, serving as lawyer of the day. “He’s looking for a global resolution; he wants to get it done today.”
Justice William Stokes recommended York wait at least a couple of days since that plan did not resolve the three charges from January, and Kanwit said York had yet to see those new charges.
The prosecutor at the hearing, Assistant District Attorney Kristen Murray-James, said she was unwilling to accept the deal York was proposing since his prior case was handled by the Attorney General’s Office. She also said the new charges involved a Class B burglary.
“It wouldn’t be a global resolution to this situation,” Murray-James said. “It’s not a simple case.”
Conviction on a Class B burglary carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
York ended up changing his mind about admitting the violation, and Kanwit said, “Your honor, he’s willing to wait until Wednesday” for the next in-custody hearing.
In the meantime, Stokes said he would appoint an attorney to represent York if he qualified for one.
Betty Adams — 621-5631
Twitter: @betadams
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