Wednesday, May 16, 2012
BY MEGHAN V. MALLOY Staff Writer
AUGUSTA -- When Maine State Police officers pounded on Daniel Fortune's door at 5:30 Tuesday morning, he said he was shocked as anyone to hear tragedy had befallen a Pittston family.
But the 20-year-old Augusta man admitted he wasn't completely surprised police were at his house: He had pleaded not guilty to charges of theft for his alleged role in stealing a safe containing more than $100,000 in cash, rare coins and currency last November after a party at William Guerrette's Pittston home.
Hours before police came to Fortune's door Tuesday, Guerrette, a former legislator, and his young daughter, Nicole, had been viciously attacked in their home. No charges have been filed in the assault.
"Because of that connection, I mean, I understand why the police would come here and want to check things out," Fortune said in an interview Wednesday morning. "It's natural they would want to question me."
But Fortune said he was not capable of causing physical harm to anyone.
When asked about the attack on the Guerrettes, Fortune said he had "nothing to do with it."
"I've lost loved ones in the past," he said. "You don't wish something like this upon anyone."
Fortune said State Police visited his Sewall Street apartment twice Tuesday, once at 5:30 a.m. and again in the evening.
Officers asked him "normal questions," he said, declining to elaborate.
"I'd never do something like that to anyone," Fortune said of the attack. "I think it's terrible."
Court records indicate a warrant for Fortune's arrest has been issued for not appearing at a jury selection proceeding in connection with the theft charges. His trial concerning the theft charges was supposed to be heard this month.
Fortune was released on bail in February.
He said he had not seen or spoken with William Guerrette's teenage son, Ryan, since the party when the safe and its contents were reported missing.
A second man, 19-year-old William Darrell Page, of Manchester pleaded guilty last month to the theft charges. He remains in jail.
Pamela Ames, Fortune's attorney, did not have much to add to her client's statement.
"I think he summed it up pretty well himself," Ames, who was not Fortune's attorney at the time he is accused of failing to appear in court.
"My question is why the police did not arrest him if he has an outstanding warrant," Ames added. "He has been cooperative with law enforcement. It'll be interesting to see what (the police's) explanation is."
Meghan V. Malloy -- 623-3811 Ext. 431
mmalloy@centralmaine.com
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