Maine Man Sentenced to Almost Six Years for Pharmacy Robbery

James J. Senior, 40-years-old, from Clinton, Maine was sentenced Wednesday to 71 months in prison and three years of supervised release for pharmacy robbery. 

Senior pleaded guilty on June 11, 2015 and was also ordered to pay restitution

Court records show that on March 31, 2015, Senior entered the Rite Aid Pharmacy in Newport, Maine, approached the pharmacy counter, presented a note that demanded oxycodone and threatened that employees would be harmed if they did not comply.  While Senior waited, he told the employees to “hurry up” and “get moving.”  He absconded with three bottles of oxycodone and hydrocodone-ibuprofen pills.

Law enforcement officers released a video of the robbery.  After receiving a tip, they confirmed that Senior was the robber by comparing the video footage to a known photograph of Senior.  Officers also recovered the three pill bottles that Senior had discarded a short distance from the pharmacy.  The next day, Senior surrendered to the Waterville Police Department and admitted that he was the robber.

In imposing sentencing, Judge Woodcock noted the defendant’s “horrendous” criminal history involving 17 convictions -- including felony drug trafficking and felony assault and battery convictions -- and the “chilling” nature of the robbery.

The investigation was conducted by the Newport Police Department, the Maine State Police, the Waterville Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.