The Maine State Police have made an arrest after accusing a teen of trashing a farmer’s cornfield and then posting the video on Facebook. Kristopher Welch, 19, of New Sharon was charged with Aggravated Criminal Mischief, a Class C Felony, and booked into the Somerset County Jail Thursday.
On July 2, the police received word that a Facebook video emerged depicting a Silver Ford spinning it’s tires and tearing up a cornfield somewhere in the Franklin or Somerset County Area. Farmers were urged to check their fields that day. At approximately 6:39 p.m., Maine State Police in Troop C (Skowhegan) received a call from a farmer off of the Sandy River Road in Starks stating his field had been extensively damaged.
Troopers went to the field and confirmed it was indeed the cornfield from the Facebook video. The damage was estimated at over $5,000.
Working in conjunction with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office suspects were identified. Troopers conducted interviews and on July 5, Welch was arrested.
The Maine State Police said in a Facebook post they “want to be clear that this kind of activity towards the hard working farming community is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
