MECHANIC FALLS — A game warden from Mechanic Falls was placed on administrative leave Monday after he was issued a criminal summons for assault last week while off duty and attending a concert, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife.

Jeremy Judd, 41, who has been with the Maine Warden Service since 2003 and currently serves as a K-9 handler, was issued a summons Thursday evening for a Class D assault.

Class D crimes, which are misdemeanors, carry a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail.

Sgt. Wade Betters of the Bangor Police Department said officers investigated an incident at about 7:20 p.m. at Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion, where country band Florida-Georgia Line was performing.

“As a result of the investigation, we issued (Judd) of Mechanic Falls a criminal summons for assault,” Betters said.

Commissioner Judy Camuso of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife said the department takes “any allegations of this type of behavior very seriously.” She said Judd will remain on administrative leave until the allegation against him is fully investigated.

Laurel Shippee, director of investigations at the state’s Office of Employee Relations, will conduct an investigation separate from one being done by Bangor police.

In 2011, Judd was involved in an armed confrontation with part-time Officer Eric Richard of the Rumford Police department.

Richard was shot and killed by Judd behind Richard’s residence in Rumford after Richard reportedly pointed a handgun at Judd and several other officers.

The Office of the Maine Attorney General ruled in 2012 that Judd’s use of deadly force against Richard was justified.

Judd has also received several K9 Search and Rescue of the Year Awards from the Maine Warden Service, including one in March 2019 for his rescue of a 58-year old woman in Sanford.

mdaigle@sunmediagroup.net

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