Maine EMT Boss Sentenced in $150K Fraud Scheme

PORTLAND, Maine – Joshua Cory Frances, 46, of Falmouth, Maine, is headed to federal prison after a damning sentencing in U.S. District Court today. Frances received five years behind bars and two years of supervised release for his elaborate scheme of federal program fraud and wire fraud, a case that exposes a shocking betrayal of public trust.

Judge Nancy Torresen didn’t mince words, ordering Frances to pay $87,351 in restitution and to forfeit a 27-foot Boston Whaler boat, two marine outboard engines, and a trailer – the ill-gotten gains from a years-long deception. Frances pleaded guilty back on October 27, 2021, but the full scope of his greed is now coming to light.

Court records paint a picture of a man abusing his position as Commander of Maine Task Force One (MTF1), a crucial emergency medical response team overseen by the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). Funded by FEMA grants and Maine Medical Center (MMC), MTF1 relied on dedicated physician assistants and EMTs to bolster emergency services across Maine and northern New England. Instead of serving the public, Frances exploited the system for personal enrichment.

Between 2015 and 2016, Frances brazenly converted property entrusted to MTF1 and MMC for his own use. This included a 44-foot sailing vessel, the aforementioned Boston Whaler, and the accompanying outboard engines. But the fraud didn’t stop there. Frances falsely claimed to be affiliated with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and posed as law enforcement to the Defense Logistics Agency and other victims, swindling them out of over $150,000 in property, much of which he then pocketed.

“The DHS Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG) will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and bring to justice individuals who fraudulently claim affiliation with DHS for personal gain,” stated Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General of DHS. “This sentence should send a clear message that these fraudsters will be held accountable.” Patrick J. Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that Frances’s actions “undermined the integrity of the DoD’s disposition services program.”

The investigation was a collaborative effort, involving DHS-OIG, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Maine Attorney General’s Office, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, the Falmouth Police Department, and valuable support from the FBI, MEMA, the Towns of Falmouth and Brunswick, FEMA, and MMC. The case serves as a stark reminder that those entrusted with public resources will be held accountable for their actions, no matter how cleverly concealed.