By Dominik Lobkowicz
Three local men accused of burning a boathouse and lobster boat in Waldoboro in 2012 were each indicted by grand jury on a pair of class A felony arson charges Sept. 11.
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Fredrick Campbell |
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Jeffrey Luce |
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James Simmons |
James Simmons, 39, and Fredrick Campbell, 30, both of Friendship, and Jeffrey Luce, 36, of Whitefield, are alleged to have committed the June 21, 2012 arson of a boathouse on Friendship Road in Waldoboro which also destroyed another man’s 36-foot lobster boat stored inside.
At the time, according to court documents and media reports James Simmons was involved in an on-going commercial fishing feud at the time with the owner of the boathouse, Donald Simmons. The feud involved hundreds of lobster trap lines owned by both men being cut. James Simmons agreed to a plea deal after he was charged with shooting a rifle in the direction of Donald Simmons in 2011.
Two buildings at James Simmons’ home burned down on June 10, 2012, and he accused Donald Simmons of starting the fire, according to the affidavit of Kenneth MacMaster, an investigator for the Office of the State Fire Marshall.
James Simmons and Donald Simmons have no claimed relation, according to the affidavit. Luce and Campbell were working as sternmen for James Simmons at the time.
Less than two weeks later, the fire on Donald Simmons’ property occurred, and a nearly two-year-long investigation ensued.
Kenneth MacMaster, Investigator Mary MacMaster, and Sgt. (now Lt.) Rene Cloutier, of the Maine Marine Patrol, conducted a number of interviews during the weeks following the boathouse fire, but the big break came when Luce was arrested in May 2014 for allegedly stealing batteries from a Whitefield business.
According to Kenneth MacMaster’s affidavit, during an interview at Two Bridges Regional Jail, Luce said he and James Simmons went to Campbell’s home the night of June 21, 2012.
Luce alleged Campbell made statements about “burning something” and getting retaliation against Donald Simmons, and “all were in agreement,” according to the affidavit.
The three men traveled to Donald Simmons’ property and dropped Campbell off with a couple of bleach containers filled with kerosene, and Luce and James Simmons left, according to the affidavit.
Some of the kerosene had spilled in the rear of the SUV the men were in, Luce said, and he took the vehicle back to Whitefield and threw a floor mat and Campbell’s sweatshirt into the woods, according to the affidavit.
The vehicle was owned by James Simmons and his wife, Jill.
After the interview with Luce this past May, Cloutier was able to locate a floor mat in a wooded area near Luce’s residence, and a canine certified in accelerant detection made a positive indication for ignitable liquid on a corner of the mat.
Law enforcement was able to track down the vehicle, which the Simmonses had traded in earlier in 2014, and determined the floor mat fit the third row seat of the SUV, MacMaster wrote.
Luce, Campbell, and James Simmons were arrested June 20, 2014.
For each Class A arson charge, the three men could face up to 30 years in prison and a $50,000 fine, according to the Office of Maine Attorney General.
In addition to the arson charges, Luce was also indicted on charges related to the alleged battery theft: theft by unauthorized taking and escape, both class C felonies, and violation of condition of relief, class E.
According to a press release from Lt. Michael Murphy, of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Detective Sgt. Ronald Rollins interviewed Luce at his home May 20.
“After a brief interview, Mr. Luce admitted his involvement, saying ‘it was all a mistake’ and he would return the batteries to the owner,” Murphy said in the release.
Luce was allowed to go into another room to change, and as Luce’s wife, Naomi Luce, argued with Rollins, Luce allegedly escaped through the basement and led deputies on a two hour chase before he was captured, according to an affidavit by Rollins.
Lenny Sharon, James Simmons’ attorney, said he and his client intend to the contest the charges.
“We haven’t seen discovery, and we intend to fight the case. We just don’t know what evidence they have that points in the direction of an indictment,” Sharon said.
Luce’s attorney, William Avantaggio, had no comment on the cases against his client, and a message left for Peter Rodway, Campbell’s attorney, was not immediately returned.
Luce and Simmons are both due to be arraigned on his charges in Lincoln County Superior Court on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 8:30 a.m. Campbell’s arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 30 at 8:30 a.m.
