Kennebec County Men Plead Guilty to Pharmacy Robbery Charges

Contact: F. Todd Lowell
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Steven C. Chaput, 39, of Mount Vernon, Maine pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to pharmacy robberies charges.  Rudger S. Ellis, 22, of Gardiner, Maine pleaded guilty to the same charges on August 12, 2015.

On February 7, 2015, Ellis entered the Rite Aid Pharmacy located on North Belfast Avenue in Augusta, Maine, wearing a hooded gray sweatshirt, blue and white athletic pants, and gloves and covering his face with a plaid cloth.  Ellis approached the counter and demanded that the pharmacist give him oxycodone, oxycontin, and Ritalin.  He told the pharmacy employees to hurry up.  Ellis absconded with six bottles containing oxycodone.

On February 18, 2015, Ellis robbed the Rite Aid Pharmacy located on Spring Street in Gardiner, again wearing a hooded sweatshirt and gloves and covering his face with a plaid cloth.  He approached the pharmacy counter and demanded oxycodone 30 milligram pills.  He repeatedly told pharmacy employees to “hurry” and several times commanded: “now, now, now!” Ellis absconded with 11 bottles of oxycodone.

Chaput and Ellis had planned the pharmacy robberies together.  Chaput was the getaway driver for both robberies, parking near each pharmacy and waiting as Ellis robbed them. 

The defendants face up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and restitution.  They will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The investigation was conducted by the Augusta and Gardiner Police Departments and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.