A former Gorham tax clerk pleaded not guilty to theft and forgery charges Tuesday in an arraignment hearing in Cumberland County Superior Court in Portland.
Laura Anderson, 32, of Arundel was indicted on May 5 by the grand jury on charges of aggravated forgery and theft.
“We’ll do everything we can to fight these in the criminal justice system,” said Mike Vaillancourt, Anderson’s attorney speaking on behalf of his client after the hearing. “She continues to deny guilt.”
Following an investigation this spring, the town of Gorham claimed Anderson had stolen money from the town. After being placed on suspension March 15, she was fired by the town in a letter dated April 27 from Town Manager David Cole.
She appeared in court Tuesday with Vaillancourt. With no apparent emotion, Anderson stood silently beside her attorney while Judge William S. Brodrick read each charge.
Assistant Cumberland County District Attorney Julia Sheridan asked Brodrick to set bail conditions that would prevent Anderson from handling money or credit cards for others. Sheridan said one incident in Gorham involved a debit card.
Vaillancourt told the judge that restriction would impose a hardship on Anderson, who recently acquired another job with a temporary employment service. But Brodrick imposed the conditions recommended by the district attorney’s office. The defense could petition the court to have the conditions reconsidered.
After the arraignment, Vaillancourt ushered Anderson from the courtroom into a nearby conference room. Emerging alone from the room after several minutes, Vaillancourt said Anderson needed to wait to sign a bail bond at the court clerk’s counter, although she is out on personal recognizance.
Gorham fired Anderson after she and her attorney appeared at a hearing in Cole’s office on April 26. The town turned its findings in their investigation over to the district attorney’s office.
Anderson worked as a motor vehicle agent, assistant tax collector and customer service clerk. Cole said last month the town hired her in July four years ago. According to the indictment, the forgery and theft occurred between June 1, 2005, and March 10.
Cole’s letter said Anderson had improperly processed 75 transactions and that she had “committed financial irregularities including theft of funds.”
Previously, Cole has declined to reveal how much money was missing. But the grand jury indictment charged Anderson with stealing between $1,000 and $10,000.
Sheridan said last month that the grand jury had indicted Anderson on charges of a class C theft, which is punishable by up to five years in prison. The aggravated forgery, which is a class B crime, is punishable by a maximum of 10 years. No trial date has been set.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
