Old Orchard Beach man sentenced to 20 years for robbing Biddeford cheese shop

An Old Orchard Beach man with a history of convictions for robbery has been sentenced to serve 20 years in state prison for robbing a Biddeford cheese shop on Dec. 17, 2023.

York County District Attorney Kathryn Slattery said Russell Pease, 52, appeared before Judge Matthew Tice at York Judicial Center in Biddeford on Feb. 10, where he entered a guilty plea to robbing Nibblesford cheese shop on Washington Street in downtown Biddeford.

In a Feb. 14 new release, Slattery said Pease had previously been convicted of bank robbery and armed robbery in New Hampshire.

Pease entered the cheese shop wearing a surgical mask and asked the owner, Ian Kern, for help selecting wine, according to the news release. As Kern rang up the sale, Pease pulled a gun, poked Kern in the chest and demanded money. He then emptied the cash register and forced Kern into a back room. Once he was able, Kern called Biddeford Police and provided a description of the robber. Police collected video from a nearby store, and with the assistance of Old Orchard Beach Police were able to quickly apprehend Pease.

At sentencing, York County Assistant District Attorney Andrew Berggren asked the judge to impose a 20-year sentence. Defense attorney David Mooney asked for a lesser period of incarceration. After listening to the sentencing arguments, Slattery said Judge Tice, recognizing the seriousness of the crime, and the danger Pease posed to the community, agreed with the prosecution and imposed the 20-year sentence.

“It is due to the bravery of Mr. Kern and the thorough police work by the Biddeford Police Department and their law enforcement partners that a dangerous criminal is now beginning a lengthy prison sentence,” Slattery said in the news release.