FARMINGTON — Two women from Jay and Phillips were formerly charged Thursday in separate cases involving theft of more than $10,000 each from a business and a road association.

A Franklin County grand jury indicted Bobbie J. Dawes, 45, of Jay on a felony charge of theft by unauthorized taking and a misdemeanor charge of forgery.

Dawes was employed as secretary and treasurer of the Mile Ten Road Association in The Forks and worked from her home. She is accused of stealing more than $10,000 from the association between Jan. 1, 2011, and April 18, 2017, and writing checks and forging the association president’s name on them, Franklin County Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. said in April. 

Lt. David St. Laurent began an investigation April 12 into the association’s complaint. Dawes was arrested on April 18. 

A conviction on a theft charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine; a forgery conviction is punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.  

In a different case, the grand jury indicted Deborah Vitrano, 35, of Phillips on felony charges of theft by unauthorized taking and forgery.

Vitrano was manager of Grants Kennebago Camps in Stetsontown Township in northern Franklin County. She is accused of stealing in excess of $10,000 from the business between Nov. 1, 2016, and June 25, 2017, according to the indictment.

She is also accused of writing unauthorized checks and making unauthorized withdrawals from the business account, Maine State Police Detective Reid Bond said in June.

The owners of the camp made the complaint June 21. Bond interviewed Vitrano on June 25 at the business and she was arrested.

“The total amount believed to be stolen from the business well exceeds $10,000,” Bond said June 26.

A conviction on a theft charge is punishable by a maximum 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine; a conviction on the forgery charge is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net  

Bobbie Dawes

Deborah Vitrano