An Eastbrook man who exposed himself more than once to workers at an Ellsworth Dunkin’ drive-thru window was fined $850 on Thursday.
William E. Trowell, 72, appeared in Hancock County District Court for sentencing on a 2025 indecent conduct conviction. He had been scheduled for a bench trial but abruptly changed his plea to no contest.
At the time of his conviction, in September 2025, Trowell was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation and stay away from all Ellsworth Dunkin’ locations. Trowell was not incarcerated between his court appearances.
Trowell was convicted of a misdemeanor Class E charge, which is punishable by an up to $1,000 fine and six month jail sentence.
A Hancock County judge considered Trowell’s mental health evaluation during his sentencing hearing on Thursday. Judge Terrence Harrigan said Trowell had cooperated with the court-ordered evaluation, though the assessment questioned if Trowell was completely “candid” during the interview.
The evaluation noted that Trowell believes he is innocent of the charges of which he has been convicted, Harrigan said.
“I don’t think he’s taken responsibility,” the judge said.
Still, Harrigan acknowledged that Trowell had no prior criminal record and had not reoffended since the incident. The judge warned that any similar future offense would result in jail time.
“This is above the garden-variety indecent conduct,” Harrigan said.
The Hancock County District Attorney’s office offered no sentencing recommendation but said Trowell “just doesn’t get it,” citing his refusal to take responsibility.
Gene Sullivan, Trowell’s attorney, said his client, who has spent 55 years in the “music business,” had abided by the court’s orders and had not re-offended since his arrest. Should the court find that a fine would be insufficient, Sullivan said, Trowell offered to make a charitable donation to Emmaus House, an Ellsworth homeless shelter.
Sullivan declined to comment when contacted after the hearing by the Bangor Daily News.
Trowell was charged in June 2023 after Ellsworth police received multiple complaints that he was “driving through the drive-thru unclothed, exposing himself to staff numerous times,” according to a police report. A plainclothed Ellsworth police officer — who was assigned to the donut shop because of the staff complaints — witnessed one of the incidents.
