February 24, 2012

Officials: DNA from cigarette butts ties Waterville man to break

BY BEN MCCANNA Staff Writer

WATERVILLE -- A man has been charged with burglary after DNA evidence linked him to the scene of a December break-in.

Damien Fellows, 33, of 28 Western Ave., Apt. 1, was arrested Wednesday after two cigarette butts left at the scene of a Dec. 4 burglary were matched to his DNA profile and a footprint at the scene matched one of his shoes.

Fellows allegedly dropped through a hatch in the roof of Goodwill Industries on the Concourse at night to steal about $600 worth of computer equipment, according to police chief Joseph Massey.

Detective Chris Paradis discovered that a burglar climbed a metal ladder attached to the rear of the building to get to the roof, then broke the screws off the roof hatch to get inside.

The cigarette butts Paradis found on the roof and inside the store were sent to the State Police Crime Laboratory in Augusta for DNA testing.

Paradis also made a cast impression of a shoe print he found on the roof, Massey said.

After the crime lab reported that the DNA on the cigarette matched Fellows, Paradis found a shoe matching the footprint during a search of his apartment.

"It's the wonders of advanced forensics," Massey said. "And it was darn good police work."

Fellows was arrested at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday and taken to Kennebec County Jail where he later posted $2,500 bail. He is scheduled to appear April 24 at Kennebec County Superior Court.

Fellows faces charges for burglary, a class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and $5,000 in fines; theft by unauthorized taking or transfer, a class E misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and up to $1,000 in fines; and criminal mischief for damaging the roof, a class D misdemeanor punishable by up to three years in prison.

Ben McCanna -- 861-9239

bmccanna@centralmaine.com

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