ELLSWORTH, Maine — An employee at The Jackson Laboratory who is accused of running up $24,000 in unapproved expenses on a lab-owned credit card is among 18 people indicted last week by the Hancock County grand jury.
According to Hancock County District Attorney Matthew Foster, Billie J. Cunningham, 43, of Trenton worked at The Jackson Lab and was involved in organizing the annual Maine State Science Fair. In press releases issued by the lab in 2012 and 2013, Cunningham is listed as an education outreach coordinator for the lab.
Foster said Monday that Cunningham had access to a lab-owned credit card and used it to make $24,000 in purchases, much of which was for items that she may have acquired in pursuit of starting up a rival high school science fair. The prosecutor said Cunningham spread out the expenses between May 2012 and September 2013 and was able to get an unsuspecting supervisor to sign off on paying the bills for the unauthorized expenses.
Cunningham was indicted on a Class B charge of theft by unauthorized taking. She is facing the felony charge, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $20,000, because of the amount of money involved, Foster said.
A Bar Harbor woman accused of stealing from businesses and parked cars also was indicted last week.
Amy L. Myers, 44, is accused of stealing from businesses in Ellsworth and Bar Harbor and of taking items from parked cars. She was indicted on four counts of Class C theft for four separate incidents that occurred between June and November 2014.
Foster said that in one case, Myers allegedly asked a store owner to take a piece of artwork down off a wall so she could get a better look at it. While the store owner was occupied with retrieving a ladder and the artwork, the prosecutor said, Myers allegedly stole a bag of cash the owner was planning on taking to the bank after closing.
Charles J. Rayner, 48, of Sullivan was indicted on a Class B felony of unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs and a Class D misdemeanor charge of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs.
Last October, Charles Rayner and several other people were arrested in Sullivan when the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency executed a search warrant at a home on Ashville Road. Agents allegedly found 3 ounces of Molly with a street value of $6,000. The term “Molly” usually describes MDMA, or ecstasy, but MDEA agents have said the Molly being sold in Maine is often bath salts being sold under another name.
Other people indicted on April 9 include:
— Cody R. Austin, 21, Bar Harbor, eluding an officer, failure to stop for an officer, operating a motor vehicle after suspension, driving to endanger, criminal speed.
— Michael W. Clark, 29, Orland, conspiracy to commit aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs.
— Russell W. Crossman, 35, Southwest Harbor, unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, unlawful furnishing of scheduled drugs, aggravated assault, assault.
— Kristian L. Crowley, eluding an officer, criminal speed, driving to endanger, violating conditions of release, operating after suspension, operating beyond license conditions.
— Walter J. Ely, 53, Franklin, assault.
— Delwin R. Faulkingham, 45, Southwest Harbor, criminal operating a motor vehicle under the influence of intoxicants.
— Heather C. Hunter, 40, Ellsworth, theft, forgery.
— Matthew T. Joy, Swan’s Island, violating conditions of release, unlawful possession of drugs, trafficking in prison contraband.
— Tyler G. Murphy, 26, Bar Harbor, burglary, forgery, theft.
— Michael E. Robbins, 23, Sorrento, theft, violating conditions of release, burglary.
— Kristen L. Rogde, 49, Ellsworth, theft, unemployment fraud.
— Vicki A. Smith, 42, Bar Harbor, criminal operating under the influence, operating after suspension.
— David Spofford, 54, Ellsworth, unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, criminal forfeiture.
— Timothy R. Sukel, 21, Trenton, theft, burglary, forgery.
— Alan D. Walsh, 42, Machias, aggravated habitual offender, eluding, reckless conduct, criminal operating under the influence, driving to endanger, criminal speed, improper plates, operating a motor vehicle without a license.
