FARMINGTON — A Massachusetts man waived extradition Friday to clear the way for law enforcement from there to return him to face charges in the burglary of New England Patriot’s player Rob Gronkowski’s home.
Maine officials declined to prosecute Shayne Denn, 26, formerly of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, now listed as a transient in court documents. He was arrested Thursday in Chesterville on charges of driving without a license, giving a false name and date of birth to a law enforcement officer and being a fugitive from justice.
Denn is wanted in Massachusetts in several attempted robberies and a burglary at a home Gronkowski shared with others in Foxborough, and who were all at the Super Bowl in Minneapolis on Feb. 4. Reported taken in the break-in were handguns, a Rolex watch, rare coins and an Apple watch.
Two other Massachusetts men have been charged in the case: Anthony Almeida, 31, of Randolph, and Eric Tyrell, 28, of Foxborough.
Denn appeared Friday before a judge in 11th District Court in Paris via video-conference from the Franklin County jail in Farmington.
Denn will be held without bail until he is extradited, according to court documents.
Denn was stopped Thursday morning in Chesterville by Franklin County Lt. David Rackliffe after a resident reported a man trying to force his way into a home in the area. The caller gave a detailed description of the driver, who had a dark-haired woman in the passenger seat.
Rackliffe saw the car stopped in the middle of the road, a lot of movement in the front seat and the female in the driver’s seat, according to Rackliffe’s affidavit filed with the Farmington court. The woman provided the vehicle registration and her driver’s license. He asked the male in the passenger seat for his license and told him he saw him driving.
Denn gave the name of Michael Shaw with a birth date of Oct. 5, 1992, and said he lived in Boston. When Rackliffe asked him for his Social Security number, Denn gave five numbers and said he couldn’t remember the last four, according to the affidavit.
After Franklin County dispatcher could not find a Michael Shaw with that information on file, Rackliffe asked Denn to confirm his name and birth date. Denn said he had no identifying information on him He was arrested on a charge of operating without a license because he could not provide proof that he had one.
Driver Kristen Wieners of Boston told Rackliffe she thought Shaw’s name was Shayne Denn.
“We had a good idea who he was soon after the stop,” sheriff’s Chief Deputy Steven Lowell said Friday. “He did not confirm his identity until he was at the jail.”
Authorities discovered there were numerous felony warrants issued for Denn from Massachusetts police, according to Rackliffe’s affidavit. It was also confirmed that Denn did not have a driver’s license in either Maine or Massachusetts.
Denn was charged with giving a false name and date of birth to a law enforcement officer and being a fugitive from justice.
dperry@sunmediagroup.net
Shane Denn (Franklin County Detention Center)
Send questions/comments to the editors.
