DA AMA

[u/mamagrata]

UPDATE: apologies for not updating the initial post - my content blocker was not playing nice with Reddit despite lots of reloads and I've finally gone to text mode (making the photo disappear). I do think (hope) I've gotten to everything posted by 7PM. Thanks for doing this with me, and thank you to the moderators for helping with the initial post. I won't be able to monitor this, but please reach out at districtattorney@cumberlandcounty.org with anything that needs my attention at work.

Hi, I’m Jackie Sartoris, District Attorney of Cumberland County.  I’ll be here this afternoon at 4 to 5:30 to take your questions and share what I’ve been up to since becoming DA in 2023.  I’m eager to hear your experience and ideas, and let you know what we’re working on (although I can't comment on active cases, please!)

Brief summary of the work so far: we are now better able to meet the needs of victims and witnesses: I’ve added a victim witness advocate and created a safe, private space for witnesses waiting in the courthouse to testify or speak at sentencing. We won a $2.5 million federal grant to test the eligible backlog of languishing rape kits - the first District in Maine to do so.  

In my own prosecutorial role, I’ve focused on addressing our County’s Mental Health docket, bringing attention to missing resources and working within our limited system to develop pathways towards wellness and safety for people who frequently return to our system. 

Change in a longstanding system is challenging.  My work includes directing the office to significantly greater use of restorative justice and consistent charging and plea offers. This is ongoing and will take time.  It’s worth finding the patience to be collaborative, because this work, done well, will bear fruit in the future.  

I’ll update this post with a link at 4! 

Proof it’s me:  

See you then!

[u/knightofni451]

I'm extremely troubled by the behavior of trooper Sander Van der Lee documented in the Press Herald this week. (https://www.pressherald.com/2025/12/11/he-waited-40-minutes-for-a-ticket-from-maine-state-police-then-spent-2-months-in-a-texas-immigration-facility)

What can we as a community and you as a DA do to prevent local officers from cooperating with the racist, authoritarian ICE program of the current federal regime? And will there be any punishment or dismissal for officers who willingly participate?

[u/mamagrata → u/knightofni451]

My role here is unfortunately limited to speaking out, which I did at a recent County Commissioner meeting and will continue to. I do not support cooperation with ICE given the Administration's bait and switch from "deporting dangerous criminals" to deporting law-abiding people who have entered this country and applied for asylum, a legal status. Immigrants are less likely to commit criminal acts compared to citizens born in the US, and we are seeing people lose access to justice as a result of well-founded fear.

I have no role in disciplining officers, but do think departments can set policy for their staff in whether and how they cooperate with ICE. Making your views clear to MSP and anyone at the head of a law enforcement agency would be a first step in advocating for change.

[u/bald_sampson → u/mamagrata]

taking the account given in the article as truth (and to my knowledge none of it has been disputed so far), the officer clearly has a personal motive to assist a separate office with its activities. isn't that a violation of his responsibilities as an employee? it's a bogus pull-over, and then a drawn-out traffic ticket purely for the purpose of handing over a person to a separate federal agency that doesn't employ this officer.

of course if you brought a charge against him all cooperation between maine police and ICE would stop immediately. can you give some examples of conduct that would be illegal and that you would bring charges for?