PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A Mars Hill school superintendent will return to Presque Isle District Court in August after being charged with three felonies.
Elaine Boulier, 61, of Mars Hill pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to two charges of tampering with a witness and one charge of violating conditions of release, which are Class C felonies, and to a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence stalking.
Boulier appeared before Presque Isle District Court Judge Robert Langner for her arraignment.
No additional statements were presented. Her next court date of July 7 was moved to Aug. 11 at the request of her attorney, Frank Bemis, who cited voluminous discovery and the need for more time.
The Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office arrested Boulier Jan. 25 on the charges, which stemmed from a domestic violence case against her son, Connor Boulier. Court records allege she tried to coerce the victim to drop the charges.
Although the judge named the woman, it is the practice of the Bangor Daily News not to identify the victims of domestic violence.
Connor Boulier, 27, was arrested and jailed in August on charges including domestic violence assault, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and domestic violence criminal threatening. The woman at the time had told a deputy she was afraid, police said.
Police started investigating Elaine Boulier in December upon learning that Connor Boulier had asked her to urge the woman to write to the district attorney and drop the charges against him, court records said.
A sheriff’s deputy reviewed numerous phone calls between Elaine Boulier and Connor Boulier while the son was in jail, according to arrest records. In several calls, the son asked his mother to talk to the woman about dropping the charges. Elaine Boulier told her son she was taking care of it and was urging the woman to write to the district attorney’s office, according to the deputy’s report.
Boulier first appeared at Presque Isle District Court on March 8. She has remained at her post in SAD 42, which serves Mars Hill, Blaine and Bridgewater with Fort Street Elementary School and Central Aroostook High School in Mars Hill.
She said in March that the case was a private family matter and had nothing to do with school business.
School board officials did not respond to numerous requests for comment on Boulier’s arrest and employment status, but at an April 11 meeting, then-chairman Todd Grass told a reporter the district was conducting business as usual.
Under state law, class C felonies are punishable by up to 5 years incarceration and a $5,000 fine. Unless a person has prior convictions, domestic violence stalking is a class D crime punishable by up to 364 days incarceration and a $2,000 fine.
