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A University of Maine student faces felony charges that carry a punishment of up to 40 years in prison after Public Safety officials discovered files for producing false identification cards on the student’s computer last spring.
Gerald Johnson’s, 19, and Ryan Shook’s, 20, Gannett Hall dorm room was searched by Public Safety officials last spring following a call made by an anonymous individual regarding a sheet of paper found outside the hall. The paper had numerous false Maine license printouts on it, according to UMaine Public Safety.
Officers searched all the trash from Gannett and a few surrounding areas. Roughly 30 garbage bags were transported to Public Safety for thorough investigation. Chris Gardner, an investigator with UMaine Public Safety, said officers found a small bag that contained gloss paper, similar to the sheet found in the hall, as well as more attempted false identification cards and numerous personal documents giving evidence of what room the trash had come from.
A search warrant for the room was issued and Johnson’s and Shook’s computers were both confiscated. The computers, one with an elaborate system including a camera and a laminating machine, were brought to the Maine Computer Crime Task Force in Lewiston. Through the use of forensic imaging, the computers were thoroughly investigated.
Shook’s computer was found to contain nothing of interest to the case; however, Johnson’s computer contained 217 files that contained photos of clients, templates for licenses from every state and holograms. There were also several other forms of ID, including a template for Canadian citizenship, Sunday River Ski Resort passes and media passes.
Public Safety was assisted by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles Investigation Unit. Officials with the unit said these ID’s were some of the best fakes they had seen.
After a summer-long investigation, Johnson, the suspected creator of most of the false IDs, was charged with aggravated forgery, a class B felony, Gardner said. He was also charged for possession of a schedule W drug, because two pills, identified as the drug ecstasy, were found during the search of his room.
“Making the fake IDs was a big mistake on my part,” Johnson said. “I didn’t realize the consequences and was basically messing around with them. No one intended to use them.”
Shook was charged with possession of a false ID, which is a civil offense.
Johnson pled not guilty to all charges in Maine District Court and Shook received a fine of $250. The outcome of Johnson’s case has not been decided.
The case is still under active investigation because several pictures and IDs, which are believed to be clients of Johnson, are still being identified. Once these people are identified, there is a possibility more charges will be filed, Gardner said.
Public Safety urges anyone with a connection to this case, mainly those who still have a false ID in their possession, to come forward and turn in the IDs in order to avoid the possibility of being identified and charged.
Bangor Daily News