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Michael Hoffman |
By Abigail W. Adams
A Waldoboro man was arrested for allegedly exposing himself to a customer at The Mad Hatter’s Smoke Shop, formerly Hoffman Collectibles, in Wiscasset the afternoon of Friday, Sept. 18, according to a Wiscasset Police Department press release. Michael Hoffman, 39, was charged with indecent conduct and violation of condition of release.
According to the press release, a customer in The Mad Hatter’s Smoke Shop was checking out when she allegedly saw Hoffman, behind the counter, with his erect penis exposed. “I was in the shop alone,” the customer said.
The customer asked Hoffman to put away his genitals, which he did. She finished checking out and immediately drove to the Wiscasset Police Department to report the incident, she said.
Upon questioning from the responding police officer, Hoffman admitted his genitals were exposed, according to the press release. However, Hoffman claimed his shorts fell down because he was not wearing a belt.
He was charged with indecent conduct and violation of condition of release and transported to Two Bridges Regional Jail.
The customer had no connection to Hoffman, she said.
Hoffman was on bail and subject to a deferred-disposition agreement for charges related to a 2014 Maine Drug Enforcement Agency operation which targeted Hoffman Collectibles, located in Waldoboro at the time, and owner Herman Hoffman’s Spruce Head home.
Michael Hoffman is Herman Hoffman’s brother and works as a clerk for the store, which relocated to Wiscasset in February. Hoffman Collectibles previously planned on moving to Damariscotta, which prompted Damariscotta to adopt adult entertainment regulations.
In its Waldoboro location, Hoffman Collectibles sold adult toys. In its new location in Wiscasset, adult toys were not included in the inventory, due to the difficulties involved in obtaining a store location with the merchandise, the Hoffmans said in a previous interview.
The store hoped to rebrand itself as an eclectic mix of tobacco products, glass pipes, used DVDs, clothes, shoes, makeup, and new and used hobby products to attract a new customer base and distance itself from its previous publicity. The store was renamed The Mad Hatter’s Smoke Shop.
Michael Hoffman is no longer employed at the Mad Hatter’s Smoke Shop, Herman Hoffman said Monday, Sept. 21.
Michael Hoffman pleaded guilty in May to two charges of class D unlawful possession of schedule W drugs, a class C charge of unlawfully furnishing schedule W drugs, and a class E charge of violation of condition of release.
His sentencing was delayed for one year as part of a deferred-disposition agreement. If Hoffman complied with his bail conditions and the terms of his deferred disposition, the furnishing charge against him would have been dismissed and he would have been sentenced to 30 days for the other charges, The Lincoln County News previously reported.
If Hoffman violates his bail conditions and the terms of the deferred disposition, he would face an open sentence on the charges.
Hoffman has been held at Two Bridges Regional Jail since his arrest Friday. He was arraigned on the new charges on Sept. 21 and he is next scheduled to appear in court Oct. 29.