The office of District Attorney Geoff Rushlau dismissed 38 charges of burglary and theft, including 35 felonies, against Brian Brown, 36, of Winthrop, on Oct. 7.
The office also dismissed four charges against one of Brown’s three alleged accomplices, Stephen Dingus, 29, of Hallowell, on Oct. 11.
A Lincoln County grand jury indicted Brown, Dingus and co-defendants Corey Dionne, 22, of Augusta, and Troy Hallett, 43, of Hallowell, earlier this year.
The charges stemmed from a nearly three-year spree of burglaries and thefts at 15 residences and one business in seven Lincoln County towns.
According to the indictments, the men – mostly Brown – allegedly stole guns, televisions, computers, cameras, a Wii console, an iPod, two stereos, cash, credit cards, savings bonds and jewelry.
According to the indictments, the men allegedly stole more than $10,000 in pipes, steel plates and wiring; computer software, DVDs, a printer, three safes, video games, a pair of binoculars, coins and miscellaneous clothing, electronics, papers and other “personal affects.”
The dismissal, on file in Lincoln County Superior Court, cites “insufficient evidence” and “witness unavailable” as the factors leading to the state’s decision in the Brown and Dingus matters.
“Our case relied almost exclusively on the testimony of someone who has been found to be unreliable,” Assistant District Attorney Andrew Wright said.
Hallett, the “unreliable” witness in question, faces 16 charges, 13 felonies, which would have made him Brown’s primary accomplice. Dionne faces only two charges.
The state built its case on Hallett’s statements and lacks physical evidence, such as DNA or fingerprints, to place Brown and Dingus at the scenes of the crimes, Wright said.
A Lincoln County Superior Court justice issued warrants for Dionne and Hallett after they failed to appear for court dates. A court employee said Dionne is incarcerated in another county.
