United States v. Robert L. Newell and James J. Parisi, Jr.
The case of United States v. Robert L. Newell and James J. Parisi, Jr. is assigned to Chief U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal.
Robert Newell served as the Governor of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, Indian Township Reservation from September 2002 to September 2006. James J. Parisi, Jr. was the Finance Director at the tribe from 2003 to 2006. In March 2008, a federal grand jury returned an indictment that charged Defendant Newell with thirty counts and Defendant Parisi with twenty-one counts. Click here for a copy the Indictment.
On November 20, 2008, after a jury trial, Defendant Newell was convicted of twenty-nine counts and Defendant Parisi was convicted of eleven counts. Each defendant was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to commit certain offenses, intentionally misapplying funds of the Indian Township Tribal Government, intentionally misapplying funds of a health care benefit program, and making false statements and false claims to the United States. Click here for a copy of the news release announcing the jury verdicts.
On April 24, 2009, U.S. District Court Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Robert L. Newell to five years in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. He also ordered Newell to pay restitution in the amount of $1,741,876.18 and special assessments totaling $2,900.
On April 27, 2009, James J. Parisi, Jr. was sentenced to serve a prison term of one year and one day, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Parisi was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,602,516.13 and special assessments totaling $1,100. Click here for a copy of the Robert L. Newell sentencing news release or for the James J, Parisi, Jr. sentencing news release.
Judge Singal ordered the defendants to begin serving their prison sentences on May 27, 2009.
Both defendants have filed notices of appeal with the court indicating that they intended to appeal their convictions to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston.
Robert L. Newell, register # 11268-036, is currently assigned to Canaan United States Penitentiary, Waymart, Pennsylvania. His estimated release date is October 2013.
James L. Parisi, register # 11266-036, is currently assigned to Devens Federal Medical Facility in Ayer, Massachusetts. His estimated release date is April 2010.
Potential release dates are frequently adjusted to reflect earned good time and participation in certain federal programs. Inmates are occasionally moved to different facilities. To obtain the most accurate release date and to learn more about these federal facilities, please go to www.bop.gov and click on the link for Inmate Locator.
(If you want an official copy of the Indictment please contact the Clerk of Courts for the United States District Court, District of Maine.)
(In order to open the above copy of the indictment or news releases you must have Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® installed on your computer. You may obtain a free copy of Acrobat® Reader® through http://www.adobe.com.)
Victim/Witness Contact Information
Marilyn DiBonaventuro, Victim Witness Specialist
United States Attorneys Office
Bangor, ME 04401
(207) 945-0373
Fax: (207) 945-0319
Heather Putnam, Victim Witness Coordinator
United States Attorneys Office
Portland, ME 04104-5018
(207) 780-3257
Fax: (207) 780-3304