A former Lincoln County resident faces multiple theft charges after allegedly stealing from a Wiscasset Middle School fundraiser.
Lisa Barlow, 40, of Manchester and previously of Boothbay Harbor, has been charged with theft by unauthorized taking, a Class C crime, theft by misapplication of property, a Class D crime and theft by deception, a Class E crime.
According to court documents, Barlow pocketed $833 in cash from a Wiscasset Middle School (WMS) fundraiser and fraudulently withdrew another $400 from the fundraising account of the school’s parent-teacher council.
According to WMS principal Linda Bleile, the council uses the funds for “the betterment of students,” including field trips, student enrichment and other “student programming” the school’s regular budget doesn’t cover.
Damariscotta Police Chief Steve Drake arrested Barlow in Manchester Feb. 15. She was released from Two Bridges Regional Jail on $500 unsecured bail the following morning after a court appearance. Her bail conditions include “no contact” with the WMS parent-teacher council.
According to a written statement by principal Bleile, Barlow, a parent of a student at the school, has organized a fall fundraiser for the school’s parent-teacher council annually for four years.
Last September, Barlow again organized the event. According to bank records and Bleile’s statement, however, Barlow never deposited $833 in cash raised at the event.
Over two months later, on Jan. 3, Barlow withdrew $400 from the council’s account at The First.
Again, on Jan. 4, Barlow attempted to withdraw funds from the account, first at the Blue Hill branch, which denied the withdrawal because Barlow’s name wasn’t on the account.
The same day, Barlow returned to Damariscotta and again attempted to withdraw funds. This time, however, the bank had received an e-mail alert from the Blue Hill branch and denied the withdrawal.
According to Drake’s affidavit, Bleile told him Barlow “had no right to access” the account.
According to a report by Officer Adam Temple of the Wiscasset Police Dept., Barlow also “has an extraditable warrant for her arrest out of Pennsylvania under the alias of Lisa McGuffey.”
The warrant concerns a contempt of court issue, according to Lt. Michael Murphy of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. The original charges against Barlow in the town of Coudersport in Potter’s County, Penn. allege that she passed approximately $2900 in bad checks. The states of Maine and Pennsylvania will determine “if and when” to extradite Barlow, Murphy said.
Barlow did not return a message left Feb. 23.
Barlow is known to many residents of the twin villages as a former long-time employee of the Maine Coast Book Shop & Café. She is scheduled to appear in Lincoln County Superior Court on March 31 at 8:30 a.m.
