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Man accused of leading police on chase through Skowhegan, damaging several vehicles

He's accused of hitting two sheriff's office cruisers, one police cruiser, and three civilian vehicles during the chase, and he's also facing drug and gun charges.

SKOWHEGAN, Maine — A man from Skowhegan is facing several charges after allegedly leading police on a chase Wednesday afternoon.

In a release Thursday, the Somerset County Sheriff's Office said Raymond Ellis, Jr., 34, has been charged with the following:

  • Aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs (class A)
  • Possession of a firearm by a prohibited person (class C)
  • Two counts of reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon (class C) 

The sheriff's office said it located Ellis at Laney's Pit Stop and tried to execute a drug search warrant that it had previously obtained due to Ellis allegedly selling drugs and being in possession of firearms. Ellis is a convicted felon prohibited from possessing guns, the release stated.

Ellis reportedly refused to cooperate with authorities and a brief physical struggle ensued, followed by Ellis fleeing the area in his pickup truck. Sheriff's office officials and Skowhegan police officers chased Ellis through several Skowhegan streets before eventually catching him, according to the release. During the chase, Ellis hit two sheriff's office cruisers, causing extensive damage, officials said. He also hit three civilian vehicles and one Skowhegan police cruiser.

A search of Ellis and his truck yielded a loaded shotgun, ammunition, fentanyl, crack cocaine, suboxone strips, digital scales, and drug-related paraphernalia, the release stated.

The drug trafficking charge Ellis faces is aggravated due to the presence of a firearm along with the amount of fentanyl seized, the sheriff's office said, adding Ellis has previous felony convictions for stealing a firearm from a licensed dealer, burglary, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Ellis’ initial court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 7, 2024, in the Somerset County Unified Criminal Court, according to the release. As of Thursday, he was being held at the Somerset County Jail on $250,000 cash bail.

The sheriff's office said additional charges could be forthcoming once the case has been reviewed by the Somerset County District Attorney’s Office.

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