A Maine man who was stopped by Bartlett police in an allegedly stolen truck on Monday told the officer he was just trying to find a nice place to write poetry, authorities said.

Samik Roy, 40, of Kittery, Maine, was before Judge Charles Greenhalgh on Tuesday for an arraignment and bail hearing on a Class A felony count of receiving stolen property — a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado pickup that had been reported stolen from Arthur’s Memorials on Eastman Road in Conway at around 9:30 a.m. Monday.

That night, Bartlett Police Sgt. Brian Moffitt, who was on the lookout for the stolen truck, pulled Roy over near Town Hall Road at 11:35 p.m., according to Chief Chris Keaton’s probable cause statement.

“Roy told me everything was fine with the truck and he didn’t know why I pulled him over,” said Moffitt, according to the affidavit. “Roy further explained he was just trying to find a nice place to write poetry.”

This wasn’t Moffit’s first encounter with Roy, apparently. The day before, he had charged Roy with loitering and prowling for unauthorized entry into a vehicle on Hurricane Mountain Road.

Bartlett police also learned Conway police had bailed Roy on another loitering and prowling charge about 47 minutes before the Silverado was reported stolen. Arthur’s Memorials is about a 20-minute walk from the Conway police station.

Roy allegedly then told Moffit, “The thing about that truck is I got out of jail this morning and I couldn’t get my car, I needed something (to drive).”

Moffit read Roy his rights and Roy asked if he had left his wallet in the truck. The wallet consisted of cash and cards held together with a rubber band.

By that time, the truck had been released back to the owner, who reported there was a new scrape on it.

Flash forward to Tuesday afternoon when Roy went before Judge Greenhalgh.

Despite having a court-appointed attorney, Roy chose to represent himself.

Informed by Greenhalgh of the receiving stolen property charge, Roy replied that the charges were inaccurate.

Greenhalgh suggested that Roy stay silent because Deputy County Attorney Kimberly Tessari could use what he said against him in further proceedings. Greenhalgh reminded Roy he had the right to a lawyer.

Tessari asked Greenhalgh to order Roy held on $5,000 cash bail with a source of funds hearing if he could pay. She said Roy’s criminal record includes a case earlier in the year out of Massachusetts for breaking and entering, as well as the three alleged crimes in Conway and Bartlett.

“What we have in New Hampshire is an arrest by Conway PD for loitering and prowling while on bail for that arrest,” she said.

“He picked up this stolen truck and in fact he made a statement to Officer Moffitt that he needed a ride when he got out of jail because the police had his car,” said Tessari.

Roy cut Tessari off and said, “That is not a true statement.” He also said he was read his rights after he was handcuffed.

“The state’s concern is that this is somewhat of a spree at this point,” said Tessari. “These charges, these arrests all occurred within a short amount of time. The state believes some cash bail is appropriate to ensure he’s going to take the court’s order seriously.”

Roy said he believed he was “a victim of racism right now. ... Things are being made up about me.”

Roy said he had to “kick and scream” to get a phone call to his lawyer. “I’ve been treated extremely poorly here,” said Roy.

Regarding the prowling charge on Hurricane Mountain Road, Chief Keaton said the owner of a vehicle in Bartlett caught Roy in his or her vehicle but Roy left the scene before police arrived.

Roy told the judge he could post $5,000 if he could get access to his bank account. Greenhalgh set the bail at that amount.

Greenhalgh said if Roy couldn’t post bail, his probable cause hearing would be July 23. If he can post bail, the probable cause hearing will be Aug. 23.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Roy remained held in the Carroll County Jail.