James A. Soule Charged In Alexis Wright Prostitution Case

Former South Portland Mayor James A. Soule is among those charged with paying a Zumba instructor, Alexis Wright, for sex.

James Soule, 58, is the best-known figure among the 21 men charged so far with engaging a prostitute in the case against Alexis Wright of Wells and her alleged business partner, Mark Strong Sr. of Thomaston.

James A. Soule

"There are people that know Jim well and won't judge him badly," said Soule's attorney, Peter DeTroy. "There will be people who don't know him well and may judge him badly."

James Soule was South Portland's mayor - a largely ceremonial post in which city councilors take turns serving -- most recently in 2008. He also served in 1990-91 and 1992-93.

James Soule, who comes from a prominent Portland family, has appeared often in television advertisements for his business, A-Best Windows.

He could not be reached on Tuesday.

James Soule was first elected to the council in 1988 and served for several years. After a hiatus, he was elected in 2006 and served until 2009.

James Soule made national news with his inaugural speech as mayor in 2007, when he said southern Maine should secede from the rest of the state.

James Soule is a member of the Maine Sports Hall of Fame. He led Morse High School in Bath to three state football championships before graduating in 1972 and setting rushing records at Bowdoin College.

He was a teacher at Westbrook High School from 1978 to 1979. He is married and has three children.

The highly anticipated list of names of those charged by Kennebunk police has been the subject of national attention in a case that has roiled the town.

DeTroy said the case against James Soule has been blown out of proportion.

"I have never in 40 years seen so much ado about so little, but that's more ... a function of the times we live in than anything else," DeTroy said. "It's a Class E misdemeanor, which never generates any jail time. It's a fine."

General Motors Dealer Best Chevrolet-Kia Easley vs William Clark

 Best Chevrolet Kia Easley South Carolia versus William Clark

Best Chevrolet Kia Easley and William Clark

 This is the audio recorded in my car while in the care of the a Service Department. This Audio file is of the Service Manager driving my car like he stole it. It has approximately 38,777 miles on it. It was taken to get evaluated because the gears would grind at parking lot speeds and up to 35mph. I made it clear what the symptoms were. Yet the Service Manager and his crew took the car for a twenty minute, tire squealing; drive it like you stole it, all out thrashing. They self admittedly melted the clutch, then tried to sell me a clutch job.

Have you ever felt cheated, lied to, put upon, and taken advantage of? Have you ever been bullied by a new car dealer? Have you ever had someone look you in the eye and you know they are lying, but you don't have that thread of proof you so desperately need?! Then ask yourself. What should you do? What can you do?

GET PROOF!!!!! PROTECT YOURSELF!!!

These people drove this car harder in 20 minutes than by me in 3 years.
It was taken to get evaluated because the gears would grind at parking lot speeds and up to 35mph. I made it clear what the symptoms were. Yet the Service Manager and his crew took the car for a twenty minute, tire squealing; drive it like you stole it, all out thrashing. They Launched the car over and over again. They did high speed low gear decelereactions. When confronted with the facts and evidence the Fixed Operations Director, REFUSED to acknowledge any wrong doing. He offered his personal reassessment and if he found things not in order then he may repair it for free. Or maybe, perhaps they would let me trade it in. Can you believe this guy?! He is trying to sell me a car because mine is DAMAGED now!! The BBB was of no help. And the Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center (CAC) refused to assist. They stated, "It's a dealership issue." CAC set this up then stepped away wiping their hands clean. In my book they are just as guilty, bc it seems that all they wanted to hear was, "customer was at fault." They plotted their lies about me thrashing the transmission and clutch, while they were doing just that. Once their lies were invalidated by the recording, CAC@chevrolet.com hung me out to dry, and stepped away. The service manager and at least two others drove it like they stole it, so THEY CAN BUY IT!!!!

I suggested, the dealership buy it, repair it, CPO it, sell it, and then take the difference out ot the offending parties pay. Previous to this incident, another dealership in Greenville, SC did a similar thing at 16,000 miles. They gave it back to me damaged, I left, and ten minutes later it had to be towed back to that dealership. Accusations flew but no one was man enough to admit it. Sound familiar? Anyway, the crappy end of the stick was pointed at yours truly. They supposedly fixed it, but not really. That's when the Chevy customer assistance center (CAC) called and wanted to know why their survey was so bad. A prompt explanation of the above described events initiated CAC to contact another dealer in Easley. An appointment was scheduled, and the dysfunction reappeared, only this time they were busted red handed. They burned the clutch up, then tried to sell me a clutch, and then two days later bill GM for the same work. Then the Fixed Operations Director tried to sell me a car and convince me that HIS mechanics actions were acceptable trouble shooting pracitce. He had ample opportunity to do the honorable, decent thing. He was politely informed that HE was not the only option.

Enjoy!!!!

Reference: Youtube Video

Kennebunk Police Department Plays Defense

Kennebunk Police Department plays defense against Mark Strong allegations in Alexis Wright prostitution case

The Town of Kennebunk has again been drawn into the media headlines regarding criminal activity at the Zumba dance studio, this time by the issuance of an inaccurate press release by Mark Strong, one of the principal defendants charged with the promotion of prostitution at that facility. While it would be inappropriate for the Town to try the case in the media, and it will not do so, Mr. Mark Strong's press release is inaccurate in many instances that portray both the Department and several of its sworn officers in a false light and that must be corrected.

Kennebunk Maine Police Department

First, the department has never “harassed” either Ms. Alexis Wright or Mr. Mark Strong. Both have been investigated because of the existence of probable cause that one or more crimes may have been committed at the dance studio. All subsequent searches of Ms. Alexis Wright's properties in Kennebunk and Mr. Mark Strong's properties in Thomaston were pursuant to valid search warrants approved in advance by the District Attorney's office and authorized by a State court judge. The Department's efforts here were all the result of professional police investigation, based on probable cause, and pursued with the approval of the District Attorney's office.

Second, Mr. Mark Strong's suggestion that his investigative efforts “disclosed” misconduct by Department personnel and that he was then targeted for retaliation is completely false. The fatal shooting he references was fully reported in the press at the time, and a subsequent in-depth investigation by the Maine Attorney General's office--as is customary under Maine law--exonerated the police officer completely. For Mr. Mark Strong now to say that he “discovered” this incident is not only false, but an inappropriate exploitation of an incident that remains tragic for all involved. It has absolutely nothing to do with the dance studio investigation and illegal activities there.

Third, Officer Audra Presby was selected to investigate the dance studio incidents, in part, because the Department felt it appropriate to have one of its three female officers on the investigation team (along with two male State Police Officers) and, in part, because at the time the dance studio investigation began in earnest she was working days on a patrol shift and the Chief felt that her shift position could be covered more easily than other shift positions. Three years ago, unrelated to the dance studio investigation, she was given a written reprimand for having a romantic relationship with another officer in the Department; pursuant to State law, the reprimand was a public record. She was never suspended. The other officer elected to resign from the Department; he was not fired. The two are now engaged to be married. This incident did not then, nor now, have anything to do with the dance studio investigation.

And finally, the Department has returned to Mr. Mark Strong those computers seized from him that were determined not to have any information on them relevant to the dance studio investigations. Others determined to have information on them relevant to the criminal investigations, have not been returned for obvious reasons after consultation with the District Attorney's office.

Kennebunk's Alexis Wright Prostitution Case's Johns List

Kennebunk Police Department releases a list of individuals charged in Alexis Wright prostitution case

Late Tuesday afternoon, via a telephonic conference call with counsel for the interested parties in the civil action seeking a protective order to keep confidential the names of the “johns” in the Alexis Wright prostitution case, Maine Superior Court (Cumberland County) Justice Thomas Warren has revised his October 15, 2012, Order, which had limited the public disclosure to names only of the first group of defendants, to allow the Police Department to disclose also the home addresses and ages of the defendants.

Alexis Wright of Pura Vida Studio.  Source: Pura Vida Studio, Kennebunk

 As a result, the Police Department has now amended its disclosures as shown below.
Please also note that the criminal charge issued against those listed below is Engaging a Prostitute, a Class E crime under Maine law, as provided in Title 17A MRSA §853-B. All those issued a summons to date are scheduled to appear in Maine Tenth District Court in Biddeford on December 5, 2012, at 1pm.

The following have been charged:

• Gary D. Bahlkow, 57, of 15 Lawrence Road, North Yarmouth, ME
• Jens W. Bergen, 54, of 79 Portland Road, Kennebunk, ME
• Norman P. Crepeau Jr., 46, of 2 Channel Cove Lane, Biddeford, ME
• Joseph P. Cuetara, 63, of 10 Commercial Wharf, Suite 511, Boston, MA
• Kenneth A. Fairbanks, 54, of 177 Ridge Road, Lisbon Falls, ME
• Donald F. Hill, 52, of 139 Union Avenue, Old Orchard Beach, ME
• Monie B. Hobbs Jr., 43, of 11 Aaron's Way, North Berwick, ME
• David Kline, 51, of 870 Central Road, Rye Beach, NH
• Robert R. Labonte, 61, of 8 New County Road, Saco, ME
• Dale P. Madore, 34, of 242 West Pownal Road, North Yarmouth, ME
• Paul A. Main, 43, of 153 South Street, Biddeford, ME
• Harry J. McMann, 55, of 76 Morning Street, Portland, ME
• Kevin L. Pagliccia, 39, 200 Frost Road, Lyman, ME
• Claude S. Palmer Jr., 47, of 117 Pottle Road, Oxford, ME
• Philip K. Parker, 65, of 125 Ross Road, Kennebunk, ME
• Colin P. Powers, 39, of 4 Ramsay Terrace, Scarborough, ME
• Clinton J. Ray, 42, of 150 Falmouth Street, Portland, ME
• James A. Soule, 58, of 23 Whitworth Drive, South Portland, ME*
  9077 Shadow Glen Way, Ft. Myers, FL
• John D. Verreault, 50, of 1 Seafields Lane, Saco, ME
• James P. White, 38, of 50 Lord Road, Buxton, ME
• Peter M. Wormell Sr., 61, of 200 Brook Street, Westbrook, ME

*UPDATE 10/17/12: The Kennebunk Police Department's most recent press release listed the incorrect address for James A. Soule, 58. That was Mr. James A. Soule's previous address. His current address should have been listed as 9077 Shadow Glen Way, Ft. Myers, FL. The current residents of the South Portland residence respectfully request media personnel refrain from contacting them or arriving at that residence for further news coverage regarding James A. Soule.

Source: Kennebunk Police Department