Ex-bookkeeper indicted on taking $80,000

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BANGOR – The former bookkeeper for a nonprofit agency that assists families with foster and adopted children was indicted Wednesday by the Penobscot County grand jury on charges of stealing more than $80,000 from the organization.

Katherine Ratliff, 39, of Levant was indicted on one count of theft by unauthorized taking. She was arrested in October for embezzling from Adoptive & Foster Families of Maine in Old Town.

Ratliff remains at the Penobscot County Jail unable to make bail set at $25,000 cash or $100,000 surety.

AFFM is a small firm that acts as a liaison between adoptive and foster families and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. AFFM, which has been in operation for a decade, also provides families with education services and training as well as working to recruit new homes for children in need of care.

Ratliff, who has been in Maine about a year, had several aliases and a criminal history out of state, according to Detective Tom Adams of the Old Town Police Department. She also is wanted in South Carolina for financial identity fraud.

In an unrelated case, Paul N. Hatch III, 21, of Greenfield was indicted on seven counts each of burglary and theft by unauthorized taking, attempted burglary and unlawful possession of scheduled drugs.

He was arrested in October and charged with a series of home burglaries between Sept. 2 and Oct. 16 in Bangor, Brewer, Holden and Eddington. Hatch, who has been released on bail, broke into the houses in the middle of the night when homeowners were sleeping, according to the Penobscot County District Attorney’s Office.

Hatch allegedly took wallets, purses, cash and jewelry. From one home, he stole more than $6,000 in cash, according to prosecutors. He allegedly had 2.5 grams of rock cocaine in his possession when he was arrested.

A Stetson man was indicted on drug trafficking charges in an unrelated case.

Cory Tasker, 22, was indicted on five counts of trafficking in scheduled drugs and two counts of violation of condition of release. Between July and mid-August he allegedly sold cocaine four times and oxycodone once. The bail violation charges stem from a separate drug trafficking charge out of Somerset County, prosecutors said.

Also indicted Wednesday were:

Robert J. Andrick, 34, Millinocket, criminal threatening, assault, obstructing report of a crime or injury, criminal restraint, criminal mischief, terrorizing.

Brad A. Austin, 23, Springfield, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking.

Charles J. Bean, 27, New Gloucester, aggravated operating after habitual offender revocation, criminal operating under the influence of intoxicants.

Andrew Bilyeu, 36, Bangor, criminal threatening, assault on an officer.

Reynold Brown, 34, Allentown, Pa., unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs.

Scott Demmons, 26, Bangor, assault, aggravated criminal trespass, obstructing report of crime or injury, criminal mischief.

Daniel R. Desell, 47, St. Albans, aggravated operating after habitual offender revocation, criminal operating under the influence of intoxicants.

Courtney Dixon, 28, Bangor, criminal threatening, two counts of assault, criminal restraint.

Nathan M. Geiger, aka Nathan Paul, 21, Brewer, operating after revocation.

Gerald T. Geisinger, 22, Dover-Foxcroft, burglary, criminal mischief, theft by unauthorized taking.

Jerick Hanson, 24, Patten, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking, aggravated criminal mischief, unauthorized use of property.

Carl F. Hartley, 39, Veazie, assault, obstructing report of crime or injury.

Jake Harvey, 28, Old Town, theft by unauthorized taking.

Ronald R. Kaelin, 26, Lee, N.H., burglary, theft by unauthorized taking, aggravated criminal mischief, unauthorized use of property.

Brandon Knowles, 19, Brewer, criminal threatening, terrorizing.

Kirk Leavitt, 38, Greenfield, theft by unauthorized taking.

Harley R. Libby, 25, Patten, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking, aggravated criminal mischief, unauthorized use of property.

Matthew Marquis, 22, Bangor, unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs.

Daniel W. McGough, 26, Hermon, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking.

Samuel Thomas Moore, 19, Orono, arson, violation of condition of release.

Heidi M. Morris, 28, Bangor, two counts of operating after revocation, two counts of forgery, two counts of theft by unauthorized taking, two counts of violation of condition of release.

Jodi L. Newell, 29, Bangor, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking.

Michael D. Noyes, 24, Stillwater, terrorizing.

Edward Pierce, 26, Hudson, burglary, criminal mischief, theft by unauthorized taking.

Dustin Ruest, 19, Hermon, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking.

Tyrone Saunders, 37, Brewer, aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, criminal forfeiture of $2,702.

Jonathan H. Schwarz, 30, Old Town, aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs, criminal forfeiture of $708, criminal forfeiture of a firearm.

Judy Harrison may be reached at jharrison@bangordailynews.net or 990-8207.