[MSN] EX-GARDINER STAR AMONG ACCUSED; Pair charged in theft of obsolete bills, Coins

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EX-GARDINER STAR AMONG ACCUSED; Pair charged in theft of obsolete bills,
Coins

By BETTY ADAMS
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel 12/22/2007


A former star athlete at Gardiner Area High School is behind bars, charged
with stealing a fortune in coins, paper money and cash from the home of a
former legislator in Pittston.

Daniel L. Fortune, 20, of Augusta, and another man, William Darrell Page
Jr., 19, of Manchester are accused of stealing a safe containing $30,000 in
hundred-dollar bills, rare coins and historic bank notes printed in central
Maine between 1800 and 1920.

The safe and other items were stolen from the Pittston home office of
William G. Guerrette Jr., who said Friday he is offering a $5,000 reward for
recovery of his property.

According to affidavits filed by sheriff's investigators, Guerrette's son,
Ryan, 18, hosted an unauthorized party involving alcohol on Nov. 17 while
Guerrette and other family members were out of state.

Staying overnight after the party, among others, were Fortune, a former
standout football and baseball player at Gardiner; and Page, according to
police.

A woman arriving to clean the home the next day found several individuals
younger than 21 and empty alcohol bottles in the home, according to an
arrest warrant affidavit filed with Augusta District Court. The woman called
Guerrette, who called police.

A sheriff's deputy interviewed Fortune, Page and another person who were
still at the home. The deputy and housekeeper then searched the home and
found a small Sentry safe missing from the second-floor office.

Guerrette said the safe contained items worth $175,000 to $200,000, plus
$30,200 in $100 bills. The affidavit said the newer bills were Guerrette's
winnings as a professional poker player.

When Guerrette returned to Maine from a family vacation, he went to
Fortune's apartment in Augusta, where he found the stolen safe in a closet,
the affidavit said.

The safe was open and empty, except for a photo of Guerrette at a Las Vegas
casino.

Guerrette then contacted the sheriff's office, and they obtained a search
warrant.

Seized from Fortune's apartment were the safe, a crowbar, a knife, and a
Verizon bill.

Guerrette said Fortune, who graduated from Gardiner Area High School in
June, was a friend and teammate of his son's and is familiar with the home
and its contents. He said Fortune stayed overnight in the Guerrette home
more than two dozen times. Ryan Guerrette graduated from Gardiner Area High
School in June.

An arrest warrant for Fortune noted he took a bus to North Carolina and did
not return until early December, when he turned himself in to county
deputies on Dec. 4.

Fortune told detectives he believed Page had stolen the safe and put it in
Fortune's apartment.

Page was arrested at the Greyhound bus depot in Augusta on Dec. 8. He
remains in Kennebec County jail in lieu of $50,000 cash bail.

Dennis Jones, an attorney appointed to represent Page, did not return a call
for comment on Friday.

Fortune, who has no prior criminal record, also remains in jail in lieu of
$3,000 cash bail.

Kevin Sullivan, an attorney representing him, was out of the office on
Friday.

According to a news release from Sheriff Randall Liberty, Page has several
prior convictions for drug and weapons offenses and two pending warrants
from Maryland and North Carolina for possession of drugs and possession of a
concealed firearm.

"Very little of the money has been recovered and the investigation reveals
that much of the money was used to purchase crack cocaine," Liberty said.
"This is another example of drug users stealing from others to feed their
illegal drug use."

Guerrette said the collection of obsolete currency included bills printed by
banks in central Maine in the early 1800s, and federal currency printed up
until 1920.

He said he had 10 "one-of-a-kind" items in the collection, plus half-cent
and two-cent coins and two collectors' books full of Morgan silver dollars.

"I'm willing to put up $5,000 for information leading to the recovery of my
property," he said.

Anyone with information can call Guerrette at 582-8884 or the Kennebec
Sheriff's Office at 623-3591.

Betty Adams -- 621-5631

badams at centralmaine.com