BANGOR, Maine — The Hermon School Department’s former director of maintenance, facilities and transportation waived indictment and pleaded guilty Thursday at the Penobscot Judicial Center to stealing more than $28,000 from the School Department.
Larry Dearborn, 44, of Hermon was sentenced to six months in jail for Class B theft.
Superior Court Justice William Anderson ordered him to pay more than $1,632 in restitution. Dearborn began serving his time at the Penobscot County Jail immediately after the sentencing.
Dearborn repaid the district $28,000 from his retirement account prior to Thursday’s hearing, defense attorney Hunter Tzovarras of Bangor told the judge. The defendant had no criminal history, the attorney said.
Anderson accepted the plea agreement between Tzovarras and the Penobscot County district attorney’s office.
Superintendent Patricia Duran and John Snyer, chairman of the school committee, attended the hearing but did not address the court. Members of the school committee submitted a victim impact statement to the judge.
Anderson did not read it aloud, but after reading it to himself said that “the school committee is understandably angry about the theft.”
Dearborn also did not address the court.
Penobscot County District Attorney R. Christopher Almy said in court that Dearborn has nine months to pay the school department the remaining $221.58. Dearborn also must pay the Maine Revenue Service $1,411.08 in sales tax that was not paid when he purchased items using the school department’s account. Schools are exempt from paying sales tax.
Dearborn used his position with the school department to purchase items for personal and business use between September 2007 and January 2012, Almy told the judge. Last year, the superintendent noticed what she suspected were improper billings to the school department.
Duran hired a private investigator to look into it, the prosecutor said. His investigation led him to Dearborn, who confessed when confronted.
The defendant’s purchases over several years included car parts and furnaces, the prosecutor told the judge. Dearborn would purchase the parts using school funds, then, bill customers whose cars or furnaces he repaired for the parts and labor.
Dearborn, who reportedly quit his job in March, had been employed by the school department for nearly 20 years, according to a previously published report.
He is the owner of Dearborn Energy Solutions, a limited liability corporation based in Hermon, and developer of heat capture technology called Heat S.T.O.P. for which he obtained a trademark on Aug. 18, 2010.
Dearborn also ran for a Town Council position in 2009 but lost to Douglas Sinclair, according to a report published in April.
He faced up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000.
Another person caught with sticky fingers. How can these crooks believe that they will not be found out? Such greed.
I’m guessing business will drop off after this.
Looks like the law just slapped him up beside the head with their own trademark, “Thief S.T.O.P.!”
I never would have thought this guy would do something like stealing. Guess you never really know anyone.
me neither — and not to mention he hasn’t been sorry about it from day one.
Right, he did not look like he was sorry on the news. What I do not understand is why it took the Superintendent five years to figure out what he was doing!? Isn’t that her job? Five years!
The reason it took her so long was because they had an incompetent town manager and town accountant….
This guy’s budget went through the school department not the town office. His budget was under the Superintendent.
This guy steals $28,000 worth of materials in Penobscot County and receives 6 months. Meanwhile in Piscataquis County, Jeff Gahagan steals $45,000 and receives 60 days. Gotta love criminal justice system math.
Yep it’s all about who you know and who you are……not about justice.
Wasn’t it the same judge too?
Maybe he didn’t cry on the stand like Gahagan did or maybe no one stood up for him.
How long should he be in there? Just remember our jails are over loaded, every day that someone is in jail, the tax payer foots the bill.
you are right!!
Cut their arm off, then we all will know they steel, and it wont cost as much!!
I was thinking the same thing…I think in both instances they paid the money back. I don’t understand how sentencing works.
Ya I don’t get that unless it had something to do with acting arrogant and not showing remorse maybe they know he got away with a lot more they just can’t prove it
It’s interesting how when a man steals from an employer, the headline says he’s an “ex-employee”. When a woman does so, it’s “Woman embezzles”.
Good point! I guess men are thieves and women are embezzlers. At the end of the day, their victims still have a whole in their pocketbooks.
And, the Milo town manager stole $50,000. from the Kiwanis Club and gets only 60 days? Guess Mr. Dearborn should have shed more tears in court.
Theft and corruption has increased 10 fold in the past 3 to 4 years. Some people feel when you float 787 billion into bailing out big banks and big car companies and big businesses that are too big to fail that they should get theirs too. This obviously isn’t right and theft is wrong but the mentality does exist. The whole problem can be traced back to the current free for all in the White House. It’s time for a change that will give your everyday American some real hope (hey, I like that).
On a side note, if we keep borrowing from China and handing it out to the “too big to fail” organizations we will end up China before long. In some places in China, when you steal they cut off a finger or two. Now if we had that type of punishment theft would go down drastically.
How to turn it into a political situation degrading Obama (Democrats) as if it’s all their fault. I knew once I read your name what the outcome of your post would be.
BTW, ever been to China? Ever lived there? Got proof of them cutting people’s fingers off? Yeah, didn’t think so.
I’ve been to China and I had a good friend with 3 fingers from there too. Keep this post, Romney will be inaugurated in January, not Obama. If Obama wins, I’ll drink some of your Koolaid.
In China when they execute a criminal by gunshot, the government
harvests(sells) the organs and sends the family the bill for the bullet.
Pretty straightforward , to the point system.
Times have changed then. It has been 25 years since I was there. Sooooo, are you saying that is a good idea?
I said no such thing.
A new day,same judge,a nother joke..!!..are shcools are hurding already and are kids will pay for it..!!
Indede. Schools r in a world of hurd.
Lol, that’s funny, a little mean, but funny.
Buf dah.
Thief
Folks the more you steal the less your punishment, just ask Jeff Gahagan. If this guy stole about another 20K, he would have been out in two months!
Guess town, school and federal employees are so under paid they need to give themselves a pay raise just like Congress. I believe all these towns, schools and Feds should not be watching their own money because they all feel the petty cash laying around is available to loan (or to steal) money for one’s self. Might be a lot cheaper to hire an outside CPA or lawyer to oversee debits and credits. That way the honest employees and elected officials can feel safer that the money is in the bank and away from CROOKS. Oh wait Congress is stealing just giving themselves a pay raise of 7% because of cost of living and give SS recipients 1.4% because elderly and disabled peoples cost of living is not up 7%. Justice is only for the middle class and poor as the upper-middle and upper class can afford pay to their way out. Isn’t bribery illegal or only your is that true only if you get caught.
The inconsistency of sentencing thiefs is astounding. Where’s the fairness in our judicial system?
The economy must be getting better. We used to have one of thes stories every week. There seem to be fewer embezzlers…or perhaps they’re getting craftier and haven’t been caught yet.
when the crook has the means and assets to repay the tax payer for the cost of bringing him to justice then they should be ordered to repay it……..
And to show ya how crazy people think he goes out to home depot after he quits the town and gets hired on immediately with a lot of responsibility in secure areas constantly says nothin to them about his issue of course as soon as he plead in court someone calls and tells them and they dumped him of course talk about having hutz pa sic ?
SSpeaking of patent it takes a lot of money to get one at least 10 grand I believe I would suggest he better sell it and someone needs to re name it who would buy this for their house from him
Something tells me this is all wrong and this judge needs to get his act together this man stole less than Milo’s Jeff Gahagan and gets to spend 4 mons. longer in the hell hole.???????????? Oh Judge u r not consistant or is there something about Jeff that u like.
As a teacher in this school district- I have to tell you the countless times this man addressed us and told us how each employee needed to do their part to save the district money. He reminded us “make sure you’re turning the lights off each time you leave a room” Want to go on a field trip?…..”make sure you raise at least $250 to take a school bus to Orono” Hmmm…..I can think of another way we could have saved money……..
Dearborn Energy Solutions-well it was a pretty good scam very intuitive but just not worth it. Bad choices.
Dang Larry, you’re going to miss hoops season!!! :(