Bail jumper held on $10G cash after pickup by Fugitive Task Force

Harrison Thorp 7:06 a.m.


Bail jumper held on $10G cash after pickup by Fugitive Task Force

A Strafford County public defender speaks with Scott Pelletier at the conclusion of his arraignment and bail hearing on Monday at Strafford County Superior Court. (Rochester Voice photo)

DOVER - A Middleton man who skipped out on an upcoming drug possession trial last January and was on the lam until U.S. Marshals picked him up last week in Farmington will be held on high bail for now on a variety of local drug and assault charges.

Scott Pelletier, 47, of 113 Ridge Road, appeared in Strafford County Superior Court on Monday for his arraignment to set bail on bail jumping charges in connection with several capias warrants.

During oral arguments, a Strafford County public defender told the court Pelletier had strong ties to the area in asking for $5,000 cash bail to be converted to personal recognizance upon acceptance in a Community Corrections program.

However, Assistant County Attorney Chelsea Lane reminded the court two of the three cases before Judge Mark S. Howard were in connection with alleged crimes Pelletier committed while on personal recognizance bail. She argued for $25,000 cash bail.

Howard ultimately decided on a $10,000 cash bail, with any forthcoming funds from Pelletier to be verified as not being drug profits.

Pelletier was arrested for alleged buprenorphine possession on Dec. 29, 2016, and released on personal recognizance. He was indicted on the felony charge the following April.

But before that indictment even was handed down, he was charged with fentanyl and meth possession in Middleton on Feb. 6. An indictment on those two special felony charges was handed down in June 2017.

As those three charges headed to trail this past January, Pelletier suddenly turned a no-show at a final pretrial hearing, Lane said.

Just days after Pelletier was tagged as U.S. Marshals Fugitive of the Week, the tips began coming in he was in the local area.

Last Thursday he was located in a remote section of Meaderboro Road in Farmington where members of the Fugitive Task Force, along with several officers from the Farmington Police Department took him into custody without incident.

In addition to Pelletier, two associates found with him were found to have outstanding arrest warrants and were also arrested.