Father, son arrested in Illinois, Florida in Auburn armed robbery case

AUBURN — Police say two arrests have been made in last month’s burglary and robbery on Park Avenue.

John Michaud, 49, of Lewiston, was arrested Tuesday in Illinois, while his son, John Michaud Jr., 19, of Lewiston, was arrested earlier this month in Florida.

The woman who lived in the Park Avenue home was tied up at gunpoint by the two suspects during the robbery, police said.

Detectives developed enough evidence and probable cause in the case to charge both suspects with robbery, burglary, criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, theft and a misdemeanor charge of obstructing the report of a crime.

John Michaud Jr. was arrested by the Jacksonville County Sheriff’s Department in Jacksonville, Florida, on Nov. 5 on Auburn’s arrest warrants and Florida charges of carrying a concealed weapon, possessing a firearm with an altered or removed serial number and loitering. He is being held at the Jacksonville County Jail awaiting trial on the Florida charges and extradition back to Maine on the Auburn charges.

John Michaud Sr. was arrested Tuesday in Eureka, Illinois, by the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force as a fugitive from justice, and on the Auburn charges. He is being held at the Woodford County Jail in Eureka awaiting extradition back to Maine.

The victim’s Ford Explorer was recovered Oct. 15 on Torrey Road in New Gloucester after it was set ablaze.

After learning that both suspects fled the state shortly after the burglary, detectives applied for arrest warrants. Partnering with the U.S. Marshals Maine Fugitive Task Force, investigators began looking for the suspects.

“These arrests were made possible by the hard work and dedication of the investigators who worked tirelessly on this case, from the day this incident occurred until yesterday’s arrest and to our successful partnerships with our federal agencies,” Auburn Deputy Chief Jason Moen said.

“This is a prime example of how collaboration among local and federal partners shows that these offenders will be pursued and brought to justice,” he said.

The Androscoggin County District Attorney’s Office is working on extraditing both Michauds back to Maine.

According to local records, the junior Michaud had a minor criminal record in the Lewiston-Auburn area. He was charged in 2016 with being a minor in possession of alcohol and violating bail conditions. His juvenile record was not available.

The elder Michaud, who shared custody of his son after a divorce in 2012, was listed as a witness to a 2011 murder in Portland.

He has been convicted of several thefts and burglaries dating back to 2012, according to the Maine State Bureau of Identification.