FARMINGTON — Two people accused in a drive-by shooting at an apartment building on Main Street in April 2020 were indicted Wednesday on felony charges by a Franklin County grand jury.
Arthur Cohen Franklin County Detention Center photo
Arthur M. Cohen, 36, formerly of Waterbury, Connecticut, and now of Farmington, was indicted on a charges of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs-heroin and, or fentanyl, unlawful possession of scheduled drug-cocaine, reckless conduct with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Alicia L. Beck, 36, of Bangor was indicted on a charge of reckless conduct with a firearm.
An indictment is not an indication of guilt but does indicate there is enough evidence for a case to proceed to trial.
Police responded to a complaint of shots fired about 2:40 p.m. April 23 at 35 Main St. Witnesses advised dispatchers they could hear gunshots and saw a white vehicle leaving Otis Street, which runs beside the apartment house, according to a Jay police affidavit.
Three shots hit the residence on Main Street and three shell casings from a 9 mm were found on the roadway, according to the affidavit.
One bullet hole was found underneath a roof of a doorway and two others were on the second-story wall.
“The bullet holes appeared to be fresh,” Police Chief Richard Caton IV wrote.
A woman was in the second-floor apartment.
It appears the shots would have come from the passenger side of a vehicle, according to the affidavit.
Alicia Beck Franklin County Detention Center
Police stopped the suspect car in front of Western Auto on Main Street in Livermore Falls, and Jay and Livermore Falls officers detained three people inside but determined the back seat passenger was picked up after the shooting.
Police allegedly found a 9 mm handgun hidden between Beck’s thighs as she sat in the driver’s seat. The other gun was in the driver’s door console, according to Caton.
The handgun in Beck’s possession contained a Sig full-metal jacket round in the chamber. The casings found at the scene were confirmed to be Sigs, he wrote.
Beck who was initially charged with reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon was released from the Franklin County jail in Farmington on $5,000 unsecured bail and a supervised release agreement.
Cohen who has been held on $20,000 cash bail at the jail since the shooting, was initially charged with reckless conduct with a firearm, and illegal possession of a firearm.
According to the indictment, Cohen has convictions in Connecticut for attempted burglary 2017 in Connecticut.
Convictions for reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and illegal possession of a firearm are each punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
Police had been investigating for possible further charges last year.
According to Wednesday’s indictment, Cohen allegedly had a quantity of 6 grams or more or 270 or more individual bags, folds, packages, envelopes or containers of heroin and/or fentanyl on April 23.
Convictions on the charges range from up to 5 to up to 30 years.
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