The former director of Maine Task Force One, a disaster medical assistance team, has been found guilty of federal program fraud and wire fraud and sentenced to five years in prison with two years of supervised release.
Maine Task Force One is overseen by the Maine Emergency Management Agency and funded by grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Maine Medical Center, based in Portland. The team overseen by Joshua Frances, 46, was composed primarily of emergency medical technicians and physician assistants, according to a Feb. 8 news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the District of Maine.
In 2015 and 2016, Mr. Frances converted property cared for by Maine Task Force One for his personal use, including a 44-foot sailing vessel and 27-foot Boston Whaler boat, and used Maine Medical Center's funds to transport the property. Additionally, he falsely represented himself as an employee of the Department of Homeland Security and law enforcement to the Defense Logistics Agency to collect more than $150,000 of property, some of which was converted for personal use.
In addition to prison time, Mr. Frances was ordered to pay $87,351 in restitution and forfeit the 27-foot boat, two marine outboard engines and a trailer.
Maine Medical Center has declined to comment on the sentencing, a representative told Becker's.