Jason Begin faces up to 40 years in prison for sex crime charges and 10 more for the alleged theft.
By Lindsay Tice
Staff Writer

AUBURN – The 25-year-old Lewiston man charged with stealing an airplane and flying it to Canada in an effort to escape sexual assault charges pleaded innocent Tuesday.

Dressed in bright orange jail shirt and pants, his brown hair long and shaggy, Jason Begin said only “not guilty” as the Androscoggin County Superior Court judge read off the charges.

Investigators believe Begin’s odyssey began on Sept. 27, when they say he used a screwdriver and pliers to hot-wire a 1976 Cessna that was parked at Twitchell’s Airport in Turner. Police say Begin, who does not have a pilot’s license, flew the plane over the Canadian border.

Police believe Begin was headed for Montreal in an attempt to escape charges of unlawful sexual contact and gross sexual assault. He had been scheduled to appear in Androscoggin County Superior Court on those charges in November.

Police say his attempt to flee failed when he ran out of gas. The plane crashed in a field outside Montreal.

The $24,000 plane, which belonged to Buckfield airplane mechanic Cedric Abbott, was totaled. Begin survived the crash with minor injuries and was immediately captured by Canadian authorities.

Begin, who lives on Howe Street in Lewiston, spent the last three months in a Canadian jail. He was detained there on immigration and stolen-property charges, but police later agreed to turn him over to investigators in this country. He was returned to the United States last week.

Begin could face up to 40 years in prison if he is convicted of the sex assault charges. The theft charge could add up to 10 years, and it may not end there.

Police said more charges could be added if they find evidence connecting Begin with two earlier airplane break-ins.

ltice@sunjournal.com

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