Former state senate candidate charged with alleged vandalism at MDI preserve

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 10, 2026

A Mount Desert man who has run several times for elected office is facing a felony charge for allegedly vandalizing signs at a Mount Desert Island land preserve. Ian J. Schwartz is accused of damaging multiple signs and trailmarkers at a Mount Desert Land and Garden Preserve on March 28, 2025. The damage amounted to $1,000. The preserve manages 1,400 acres of public land on Mount Desert Island, including Asticou Azalea Garden, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden, Thuya Garden and land surrounding Little Long Pond.