BANGOR — An Oakland man who was scheduled to plead guilty to robbing a Skowhegan credit union in 2009, changed his mind Thursday and asked that the case be continued, according to a federal prosecutor.
The case against Paul J. Garland, 26, now has been scheduled for May 1, said Assistant U.S. Attorney James McCarthy.
Garland previously pleaded not guilty to the charge of armed bank robbery.
Garland and Forrest T. Goodwin Jr., 33, of Fairfield, are charged together for the robbery of Taconnet Federal Credit Union on U.S. Route 201 on June 10, 2009. Witnesses told police the institution was robbed by a man wielding a knife and wearing a hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses.
Police said the man escaped as a passenger on a Yamaha motorcycle, which later was discovered, along with clothing the men were wearing, ditched on a tote road off Middle Road in Fairfield.
At least one of the robbers was said to have left in a red pickup truck.
No one was hurt in the robbery.
According to the prosecution’s version of the case, Garland was the one holding the knife and yelling “faster, faster” to tellers as he banged on the counter. Garland allegedly left with $9,147 in cash.
The prosecution alleges that Goodwin drove the motorcycle.
They were arrested in Fairfield in November and later were indicted by a U.S. District Court grand jury in Bangor. Goodwin also is scheduled to go on trial May 1.
Both men faced federal charges of armed bank robbery, which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution.
Garland’s lawyer, Joseph Bethony of Bangor, did not returns calls for comment Thursday. Attorney Stephen C. Smith of Bangor, who is representing Goodwin, also did not return calls placed to his office.
Doug Harlow — 612-2367
dharlow@centralmaine.com
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