Woman accused of helping Bangor slaying suspect escape released on condition that she testify at his trial
Sep. 29—A Bangor woman charged with helping her boyfriend escape prosecution for a December slaying at a house on Union Street pleaded guilty Wednesday to hindering apprehension and prosecution and violating her bail, both Class C crimes.
When Mariah Krueger, 22, was arrested in February in Georgia, the suspected killer, 28-year-old Khalid Harris, was with her but police hadn't issued a warrant for his arrest.
Krueger initially was charged with Class B hindering the apprehension or prosecution of Harris, even though police didn't issue a warrant for his arrest until May, three months after her arrest.
Harris, who is now charged in the Dec. 10, 2020, shooting death of Syies Adams, 29, was eventually arrested in New York City for murder on Sept. 16. He has not yet been returned to Maine to face prosecution.
Krueger has been held at the Penobscot County Jail since she was returned to Maine in March unable to post bail.
On Wednesday at the Penobscot Judicial Center, she admitted to leaving the state with Harris and violating her bail by calling him from the jail.
In exchange for her guilty plea, Assistant Attorney General Lisa Bogue, who is prosecuting Krueger and Harris, recommended that Krueger be released on a two-year deferred disposition. At the end of two years, she would be able to change her pleas and be convicted of misdemeanors rather than felonies.
Conditions of her release include testifying if called as a witness in Harris' trial, not leaving Maine, not using drugs, not contacting Harris or other witnesses and abiding by conditions in a supervision contract with Maine Pretrial Services, a private firm.
Krueger's attorney, Harris Mattson, said that the deferred disposition calls on his client to testify truthfully.
"The State's evidence is that Syies Adams attempted to retrieve a firearm and was shot after he threatened to harm Ms. Krueger and another woman," Mattson said after the hearing. "This information would be part of Ms. Krueger's truthful testimony if she is called as a witness in any proceeding involving Mr. Harris."
Justice William Anderson accepted the plea agreement.
Adams died of a gunshot wound to the right side of his chest, according to the Maine Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Harris allegedly shot and killed Adams in the living room of a Union Street residence, described by Bangor police as a drug house. Krueger was dating Harris at the time, according to the affidavit filed in her case.
Krueger allegedly drove Harris to New York and stayed with him for two weeks after the shooting before returning to Bangor. Her car was spotted in New York City nine days after the shooting, the affidavit said.
She returned to Maine and was interviewed by police on Jan. 5, according to the affidavit. Police suspected she was moving to Florida to live with Harris. A warrant was issued for Krueger's arrest two weeks later.
The next month, she was arrested in Georgia as she and Harris were returning to the Northeast following a visit to her family in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, her attorney, Harris Mattson of Bangor, said previously.
The investigation into Adams' slaying began when Bangor police were called to the Union Street house for the report of a possible death at about 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 10, according to court documents. When they arrived, officers found Adams dead with a gunshot wound in the right side of his chest but did not find a gun or any other people in the home.
The house is owned by Brenda Shaboski, 65. She was charged in April with maintaining a drug-involved premises and distribution of fentanyl. Shaboski agreed to be held without bail while her case is resolved in U.S. District Court in Bangor.
If Krueger fails to abide by conditions of her deferred disposition, she would face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 on the felony charges. She would face less prison time if she successfully abides by the conditions of her release.
Harris would face between 25 years and life if convicted of murder.
