ELLSWORTH, Maine — In December 2021, a tip to Maine State Police from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sparked a police investigation that led to the eventual arrest of two-time failed gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler.
Fast forward to March 23, when police began searching Cutler's homes in Portland and Brooklin for days before arresting him March 25 at his Brooklin home.
Cutler faces four counts of possessing unlawful sexually explicit material, which in this case is a class C felony because the images allegedly were of children younger than 12 years old.
On Saturday, Cutler was released from the Hancock County Jail after posting $50,000 cash bail. Bail conditions restrict Cutler from having any device that can connect to the internet, and he cannot access or possess sexually explicit material.
The criminal complaint filed at the Hancock County Courthouse states further details on this case are in a sealed affidavit, which will not be made public until early May or when a grand jury is picked, whichever comes first.
Cutler's first court date has not yet been scheduled.
Cutler's attorney, Walter McKee, and Hancock County District Attorney Matt Foster did not respond to NEWS CENTER Maine's request for comment March 28.