FARMINGTON — Three New York men were arrested this week on a federal indictment alleging they conspired to steal controlled substances during a home invasion in Rangeley in which a fourth man was shot and killed.
U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced Thursday that Hector Munoz, 51, Andre “Dre” Muller, 48, and Robert “Kurt” Holland, 39, were charged with conspiracy to commit robbery under the Hobbs Act, which prohibits robbery or extortion affecting interstate or foreign commerce, according to the U.S. Department of Justice website.
Munoz was also charged with attempted robbery under the same law.
“Specifically, the defendants agreed with each other and others to steal controlled substances from the Rangeley residence and developed a plan to carry out the crime,” according to the June 12 indictment.
The indictment alleges that in July 2016, the three men and others conspired to steal controlled substances from the home of Jordan Richard, 26, on Main Street in Rangeley.
Munoz and Michael Brokun, 29, broke into the home armed with knives and a baseball bat, according to federal documents.
Police said a neighbor heard the commotion, went to the apartment and a fight ensued. Richard, who is serving 13 years in prison on drug and gun charges, shot and killed Brokun.
Stabbed and beaten with a bat, Richard gave Munoz a bag of cocaine and a bag of oxycodone tablets from a safe, according to federal court documents filed in Richard’s case.
Munoz was also injured in the melee.
If convicted, Munoz, Muller and Holland each face up to 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Maine State Police and the Rangeley Police Department, with assistance provided by the Maine Office of the Attorney General.
Richard pleaded guilty in 2018 to charges of conspiring to distribute illegal drugs and discharging a gun in relation to drug-trafficking.
According to the federal prosecution’s version of the drug offense, Richard would obtain cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and oxycodone from an out-of-state supplier, weigh and package the drugs for resale from his home on Main Street.
After the invasion, Richard moved to New Vineyard and continued to buy drugs from out of state and to sell them from his home, according to federal prosecutors. In March, April and September 2017, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency used a confidential source to conduct controlled purchases of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl from Richard. Law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Richard’s New Vineyard residence where they recovered evidence of his continued drug-trafficking, including a bag of oxycodone tablets.
He was sentenced Jan. 28 to 10 years on the gun charge and 40 months on the drug offense, to be served consecutively. He also forfeited $20,883 and a Beretta 9 mm semi-automatic handgun.
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