Greene enters not guilty plea in forgery case

BANGOR – The attorney representing Bangor City Councilor Richard Greene on Thursday entered a not guilty plea to a misdemeanor forgery charge on his client’s behalf in 3rd District Court.

A trial before a District Court judge in Bangor was scheduled for April 15.

Greene has 21 days to request a jury trial in Penobscot County Superior Court. That trial would not be scheduled until later this year.

Efforts to reach Greene’s attorney, Marvin Glazier, were unsuccessful Thursday.

It is not unusual for defendants represented by attorneys not to appear at their arraignments, Jim Aucoin, assistant district attorney for Penobscot County, said.

Aucoin handled the arraignments scheduled Thursday morning in District Court.

Greene, 51, of Bangor was arrested Jan. 10 for allegedly submitting to the city an invoice on which he allegedly forged City Manager Edward Barrett’s signature. He was released from Penobscot County Jail on his own recognizance on the day of his arrest.

He is charged with a Class D misdemeanor. If convicted, Greene faces up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.

Greene told the Bangor Daily News on Jan. 22 that he would fight the charges.

“I’ll be vindicated of all claims,” he said.

Greene allegedly submitted an invoice to the city seeking a $9,000 payment for “usage fees” for the public display of nine of the mayoral portraits that line the halls of the top floor at City Hall. The nine photographs were taken by Greene, owner of Klyne Studio, the business Greene operates out of his Essex Street home.

Greene also allegedly submitted two other invoices that did not bear Barrett’s signature.

One of those invoices sought $9,500 for restoring mayoral photos, and the other was $325 for taking a portrait of Councilor Hal Wheeler, one of the winners of last November’s council elections.

Greene never received payment for any of the invoices.

jharrison@bangordailynews.net

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