A Maine police officer in Washburn, Sgt. Chandler Cole, has resigned after being charged with several crimes related to lying about a missing-person case. The charges include aggravated forgery, tampering with public records or information, falsifying physical evidence, and unsworn falsification. Cole reported that he had taken the missing man, Erik Foote, to a hospital, but an investigation revealed that he altered his report to reflect a hospital drop-off without any record to support the claim.
The missing-person case of Erik Foote, who was last seen walking along a road in distress on March 30, has captivated the small community of 1,500 people in Washburn. Despite organized search parties and efforts to locate Foote, he has yet to be found. The Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office has taken over the investigation as the town is in the midst of deciding whether to maintain a police department following the retirement of the police chief, resignation of Sgt. Cole, and the departure of a young officer.
With Washburn currently without a police force, the Sheriff’s Office is providing coverage for the town. The situation has cast a shadow over the community as they grapple with the implications of the charges against Sgt. Cole and the mysterious disappearance of Erik Foote. As the investigation continues and efforts to find Foote persist, the future of law enforcement in Washburn remains uncertain.