Maine news, sports, weather from Waterville Morning Sentinel

Couple, sister indicted on more than 100 charges

By Betty Adams badams@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

AUGUSTA -- An Augusta man, his girlfriend and his sister have been indicted on more than 100 criminal charges combined in connection with a string of burglaries last fall across central Maine.

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John W. Grotton

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Emily Allen-Perry

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John W. Grotton, 25, faces 93 charges: 40 counts of burglary, 38 counts of theft by unauthorized taking, 13 counts of violation of condition of release and one count each of stealing drugs and attempted burglary.

Grotton's girlfriend, Emily L. Allen-Perry, 22, of Jefferson, faces 46 separate charges that include 22 counts each of burglary and theft by unauthorized taking and one count each of stealing drugs and attempted violation of condition of release.

Grotton's sister, Kiley J. Grotton, 23, of Augusta, faces eight separate charges: three counts each of burglary and theft by unauthorized taking and two counts each of violation of condition of release.

The indictments were handed down by a grand jury on Friday. An indictment is not a determination of guilt, but is an indication that there's enough evidence to proceed with formal charges and a trial in superior court.

Grotton is in jail and scheduled to be in Kennebec County Superior Court today on some of the charges.

Sgt. Frank Hatch, of the Kennebec County Sheriff's Office, said Grotton was the primary burglar and the targets were largely private homes. Hatch also said Grotton's reach stretched into Lincoln and Somerset counties, but no indictments have been handed down yet in those counties.

Hatch said Grotton mainly stole jewelry and some electronics.

"Some of the stuff was pawned, some of the stuff his girlfriend pawned, and some of the stuff he was trading for drugs," Hatch said. "We've recovered a lot of stuff, including four firearms at least, and several other items, but a lot of items he sold we haven't been able to recover."

Grotton was arrested part way through the crime spree and then was freed on $20,000 bail. He then committed more burglaries, Hatch said.

Hatch said Allen-Perry drove Grotten to the homes that were burglarized and then picked him up afterward.

John Grotton's charges span from Sept. 1 to Dec. 25 and the communities where the alleged offenses occurred include Augusta, Belgrade, Benton, Chelsea, China, Clinton, Gardiner, Hallowell, Manchester, Pittston, Readfield, Vassalboro, Waterville, Windsor and Winthrop.

Grotton is scheduled to be in court later this month. Court records show his attorney is Thomas Nale, who could not be reached for comment Monday.

Allen-Perry's charges span Sept. 1 through Dec. 27, and include many of the same communities linked to Grotton, with the addition of Farmingdale. One charge alleges she violated her conditions of release by mailing a letter to John Grotton at the jail on Dec. 27.

Allen-Perry is scheduled to be arraigned today in Kennebec County Superior Court. Her attorney, Walter McKee, said she will enter pleas of not guilty to all the counts.

"It is clear from all of what I've seen so far that the co-defendant, John Grotton, is the primary player in the criminal conduct here," McKee said Monday. "In time this will all be sorted out and a court will have to make the tough decision about how to deal with Emily's role in what happened."

According to the indictment against Kiley Grotton, she became involved with the burglaries late in the fall. All her charges involve crimes allegedly committed between Nov. 17 and Nov. 30, in Pittston, Vassalboro and Waterville.

She is scheduled to appear in court in March.

Betty Adams -- 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com