CARIBOU – A former employee of the Limestone School Department was arraigned Thursday in Aroostook County Superior Court on a charge of theft by unauthorized taking in connection with thousands of dollars of school funds found missing last spring.

Beverly Edgecomb, 54, of Limestone was released until trial on a $2,500 unsecured bond. While a trial date has not been scheduled, a trial could take place in February or March, Assistant District Attorney Todd Collins said Thursday morning.

Collins said Edgecomb worked for the school department as a secretary-bookkeeper in the superintendent’s office. Another source said she had worked for the school department for 21 years.

Collins said the maximum penalty for the Class B crime with which Edgecomb is charged is 10 years in prison.

The actual charge claims Edgecomb obtained or exercised unauthorized control over more than $10,000 of school department money.

The amount of money involved is in question, but one investigator said it might be between $50,000 and $55,000. There has been one report that the amount could be higher.

Edgecomb was indicted on Nov. 7 by the Aroostook County grand jury.

Presque Isle attorney Alan Harding, representing Edgecomb, said Thursday that his client entered a plea of not guilty, “and there will be a conclusion in the not-too-distant future.”

Superintendent Paul Beaulieu could not be reached Thursday for comment. He was at meetings in Augusta, and wasn’t expected back in the office until Monday.

Collins, who had acknowledged an investigation was going on in September, had said the investigation could be lengthy. He said the investigation into the missing money had been going on since spring.

Former Limestone Police Chief Stacey Mahan had said the investigation was started in May.

Sgt. Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Limestone Police Department took over the investigation when Mahan left the department for a position with the Presque Isle Police Department.

Mahan had said a formal audit would be needed to determine the amount of money involved. The money came from five or more accounts.

Mahan said the missing money involves “discrepancies, money that can’t be accounted for.”

The initial report to Mahan about missing money came from Beaulieu.