Rockland Man Pleads Guilty to Pharmacy Robbery

Contact: Halsey B. Frank
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Elbert
Ranquist, 43, of Rockland, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to interfering with
commerce by robbery.

According to court documents, on the evening of August 5, 2013, Ranquist drove to
Jensen’s Pharmacy in Rockland in his wife’s distinctive vehicle. He entered the pharmacy
wearing sunglasses, a hooded sweatshirt pulled tight around his face, a small blue backpack and
blue surgical gloves. He went to the counter holding a knife in his left hand and demanded
oxycodone from the pharmacist. The pharmacist, who recognized the defendant as a regular
customer, asked out loud if he was really being robbed by “Elbert Ranquist.” The defendant
absconded with 10 5mg oxycodone pills.

Ranquist faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or both. He will be
sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Rockland Police
Department and the Maine State Police.