Tools worth thousands of dollars were stolen from the Fairbanks Museum construction project

Tools worth thousands of dollars were stolen from the Fairbanks Museum construction project. And when a search warrant was issued by Judge Michael R. Kainen, police say they found a five-gallon bucket filled with drug needles in the suspect’s bedroom. Stephen Turcotte, 45, pleaded not guilty to four felony charges, including aggravated assault with a weapon, burglary, grand larceny, and unlawful mischief. Judge Kainen held Turcotte on conditions and $10,000 bail. St. Johnsbury Police Capt. Jason Gray was alerted on Feb. 13, at 6:13 a.m., that there was a break-in at the Fairbanks Museum.  There was damage to a steel door casing from where it had been pried open. A broken clasp and padlock were sitting just inside the door.  Capt. Gray was then advised that someone had located some power tools behind one of the other buildings on the museum property.  “I saw a male in a brown coat running away,” wrote Capt. Gray. Capt. Gray and workers had chased the male down to Kingdom Taproom & Table and the male ran inside the building. Several state troopers arrived and helped search.  After several minutes, St. Johnsbury Police Chief Joel Pierce came downstairs and said the male was in custody. Stephen Turcotte was hiding in a small half-room off some stairs. Detective Sgt. Lester Cleary then applied for a search warrant at Turcotte’s residence at 1214 Main Street, across from the police station. The search warrant was granted by Judge Kainen and police found lots and lots of needles in Turcotte’s bedroom and a gun. Turcotte faces a possible sentence of up to 45 years in prison and $21,000 in fines.