Brazen Casco home invasions may be tied to Fryeburg burglaries

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Dylan McPhee

By Gail Geraghty
Staff Writer

CASCO — A man and woman living at 20 New Road were attacked, tied up and robbed of prescription drugs, a rifle and other property at 4:15 a.m. Tuesday by three people in their early 20s, all of whom were caught later that day.

Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department Capt. Don Goulet said Tuesday the victims knew at least one of the suspects, identifying him as Dylan McPhee, 20, of the Casco area. Since release of McPhee’s photo, members of McPhee’s family provided leads, which led to his arrest shortly after 1 p.m. on Interstate 90 in Sturbridge, Mass.

With McPhee was one of the other suspects, Olivia Pope, 19. Both were stopped by Mass. State Police, acting on information provided by Cumberland County Sheriff’s Detectives. They are being held pending an extradition hearing.

The third suspect has been identified as Merwan Machhout, 21, of the Fryeburg area. Machhout was arrested late Tuesday afternoon by Fryeburg Police, and is being held without bail at the Cumberland County Jail. Fryeburg Sgt. Joshua Potvin said Fryeburg Police are working closely with Sheriff’s Detectives to find out if the Casco home invasions are in any way connected with the East Fryeburg Burglaries.

“I am pleased that we were able to play a part in the apprehension of Machhout,” Potvin said. “We hope that the arrests made in these home invasions bring peace to the victims and a sense of security to those communities involved.”

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Olivia Pope

The names of the victims are not being released. Goulet said the home invaders had earlier, at 3 a.m., tried to force their way into a home on Brown Avenue, by having Pope knock on the door and say she needed help. When the homeowner opened the door, McPhee and Machhout, armed with handguns, forced their way into the house.

However, the nephew of the Brown Avenue homeowner, who lives in an apartment attached to the house, went to investigate and called 911, notifying deputies. The suspects knew the call had been made, and fled. No one was injured at the residence.

Pope allegedly used the same ruse at the residence on the New Road, by knocking on the door stating she needed help. When the door was opened, the two men forced their way into the home, again armed with handguns. The homeowners were “pistol-whipped” and tied up, while the suspects stole prescription drugs, a rifle and other property from the home.

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Merwan Machhout

The residents were able to get free and call police at about 5:30 a.m. The woman was taken to Bridgton Hospital for treatment. Although both were pistol-whipped, their injuries were not considered serious. They recognized McPhee, who was initially wearing a mask but did not wear it when he returned to retrieve his handgun, Goulet said. When McPhee could not find the handgun, he stole a rifle from the residents instead, Goulet said.

Goulet said McPhee is well known to police, and has an outstanding arrest warrant for violating bail conditions related to an earlier weapons charge. The home invaders fled in a car.