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A former school board candidate who allegedly stole more than $37,000 from an Ellsworth school group has been indicted by a Hancock County grand jury.
Joshua Dudeck, who served as treasurer of the Ellsworth Elementary Middle School Parent, Teacher and Friends (EEMS PTF) group, was indicted Thursday by a Hancock County grand jury on one count of felony theft by unauthorized taking.
Dudeck, 46, is accused of stealing the funds from the group between October 2022 and April 2025, according to the grand jury indictment. He served as the group’s treasurer throughout that period.
Dudeck previously ran for Ellsworth school board in 2021, placing third in a three-way race for one available seat.
Once the group reported the missing funds — after an account dipped to a negative balance in July 2025 — a subsequent police investigation revealed that Dudeck had allegedly siphoned approximately $37,900 from the fund.
During a search warrant later executed at Dudeck’s home, police found nearly $4,000 in cash and $1,111 in undeposited checks made out to the EEMS PTF, according to Ellsworth police.
Dudeck allegedly admitted to cashing the group’s checks to his personal bank accounts in order to pay his own bills, adding that he struggled with addiction during his time as treasurer, according to court documents.
He told police the group had voted to buy specialized playground equipment for children with disabilities, but Dudeck — having emptied the account — lied to members, saying he ordered the equipment when he had not, according to court documents.
Dudeck, who was previously licensed as a lawyer in New York, was later released on $1,000 bail. He is due back in court on Aug. 3, according to court records.
William Ashe, Dudeck’s attorney, did not respond to a request for comment from the Bangor Daily News.