Sen. Collins commends Maine's county sheriffs for their work on scams and illegal marijuana grow operations
- Tammy L Wells
- Sep 10
- 3 min read
By Tammy Wells, York County Government Media
OLD ORCHARD BEACH – An email purportedly from her nephew caught the eye of U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine). Her “nephew,” who was supposedly visiting another country, wrote that all his money had been stolen, and he asked her to wire him $500. Collins didn’t volunteer to send money, and instead advised her nephew to go to the American Embassy.
Then, she told a late summer gathering of the Maine Sheriff’s Association in Old Orchard Beach in the lead-up to the Labor Day holiday, she became suspicious and called his father – and learned her nephew was at work. He hadn’t been the victim of theft, nor had he been traveling out of the country.
It was a scam – one that failed to engage Maine’s senior senator, who has championed strengthened enforcement against scammers, who often target seniors.
“Helping to protect seniors from predators is among my highest priorities,” Collins told the county sheriffs. “You are invaluable allies in this effort.”
She said financial fraud targeting older Americans is a growing epidemic that costs an estimated $3.5 billion annually.
Collins was speaking to an audience who often hears about scams from residents in their counties, where seniors are a target. Late last year, York County Sheriff’s deputies were able to stop a scam targeting an elderly Alfred man, apprehending the three suspects.
“Throughout Maine, our county sheriff departments are key members of the Triad initiative that brings law enforcement, senior advocates, and citizens together to reduce both the incidence of crime against seniors and the fear of crime that they often experience,” she said.
Collins applauded the efforts of sheriffs and their deputies who are working to lessen the impact of illegal drugs, and lamented that some communities are doing away with the DARE program.
“I think its effective,” she said.
Collins spoke of illegal marijuana grow houses linked to transnational criminal organizations.
“I am convinced there is human trafficking going on,” she said.
She commended Maine’s 16 sheriffs, whom she said were the first to take on the grow house issue.
“I feel very strongly we have to get this menace out of our state altogether,” she said, as she pledged to continue to advocate for resources to aid county state and local law enforcement efforts. “Our sheriffs have led the way, working night and day to shut down these grow houses that tend to be located in rural areas of the state.”
The Maine Sheriff’s Association Summer Retreat was hosted by the York County Sheriff’s Office. Attendees heard a number of presentations and spent time networking with each other.
York County Sheriff William L. King said Sen Susan Collins was enthusiastic in her acceptance of the invitation to speak at the MSA event.
“I am very pleased that Senator Collins took the time to meet with us,” said King. “She has always been a great ally to law enforcement, and her work in Washington clearly demonstrates her support of our efforts.”
Collins thanked the sheriffs for their work.
“A lot of times, law enforcement does not get the gratitude expressed, as it should,” she said.
