Search continues as Washburn officer charged with lying about taking missing person to hospital

Washburn Police Sgt. Chandler Cole said he had no comment when reached by The Associated Press

Maine police officer arrested after accusation of lying about missing person: Reports
Sgt. Chandler Cole with the Washburn, Maine police resigned after he was arrested on March 29, according to reports.

A Maine police officer has been charged with multiple crimes after he was accused of falsifying and forging evidence related to a missing-persons case, according to reports.

Washburn Police Sgt. Chandler Cole resigned after his arrest March 29. He was charged with aggravated forgery, tampering with public records or information, falsifying physical evidence and unsworn falsification, according to The Associated Press.

His arrest came after an investigation by the Aroostook County Sheriff's Office into the disappearance of 39-year-old Erik Foote. Foote, from Washburn, was reported missing Feb. 6 and was last seen walking along a road in Jan. 30. According to reporting from WAGM, the last person known to have interacted with Foote was Cole.


After the Washburn police chief retired in January, the town with a population of just over 1,600 is deciding whether to keep a police department.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/04/15/chandler-cole-police-sergeant-arrested-washburn-maine/73324518007/

Search continues as Washburn officer charged with lying about taking missing person to hospital
Police Sgt. Chandler Cole reported he had picked up Erik Foote and dropped him off at a convenience store, but he told Foote's parents he took him to the hospital.

WASHBURN — A police officer accused of lying about a missing-person case was charged with several crimes, including falsifying a report in which he claimed he had taken the missing man to a hospital, police said.

Washburn Police Sgt. Chandler Cole resigned after being charged with aggravated forgery, tampering with public records or information, falsifying physical evidence, and unsworn falsification, according to court records. He was arrested on March 29.

Cole said he had no comment when reached by the Associated Press.

The charges, first reported by WAGM-TV, stem from the case of a missing person who appeared to be distressed when seen walking along a road on Jan. 30.


Cole reported that he had picked up Erik Foote and dropped him off at a convenience store, but he told Foote’s parents he took him to the hospital.

An investigation concluded Cole altered his report to reflect a hospital drop-off. However, there is no hospital record to support the claim.

https://www.pressherald.com/2024/04/13/search-continues-as-washburn-officer-is-charged-with-lying-about-taking-missing-person-to-hospital/