A former Ellsworth school group treasurer accused of stealing more than $37,000 was arrested Tuesday morning.
Judge Terrence Harrigan issued an arrest warrant for Joshua Dudeck, who served as treasurer of Ellsworth Elementary Middle School Parent, Teacher and Friends, after he failed to appear in court Monday to enter into a plea agreement.
Dudeck, 46, was arrested before 8:30 a.m. Tuesday by the intersection of State and North streets in Ellsworth. He was transported to Hancock County Jail, according to Corey Bagley, an Ellsworth Police Department detective.
Dudeck’s attorney, Will Ashe, said he missed court Monday due to a family emergency, according to the Ellsworth American. Harrigan issued the arrest warrant after learning from Ellsworth Schools Superintendent Amy Boles that Dudeck had dropped off his kids at school Monday morning, the American reported.
Dudeck’s bail was set at $10,000, though he has not yet made bail because he is still being processed at Hancock County Jail, Bagley said, adding that he was still incarcerated as of 1 p.m.
The former school board candidate faced a plea agreement that would have sentenced him to four years in prison with all but seven months suspended and three years of probation, according to Ashe. He was also expected to agree to pay more than $34,000 in restitution.
It was not immediately clear whether the plea agreement still stands, Ashe said, adding the decision would be made by District Attorney Bob Granger.
“We have been to Court three times for him to enter his plea and he showed up twice without money, and then failed to show up at all yesterday,” Granger stated. “The State sought an arrest warrant because all indicators suggested that he did not have the funds to make restitution and therefore possibly faced a more serious sentence. I think his non-appearance yesterday was the classic ostrich approach to problem solving.”
After skipping court and failing to pay the full restitution, Dudeck could now face a more serious sentence than the previous plea agreement, Granger said, adding Dudeck could proceed to a trial if he wished, but that he has already admitted to much of the conduct alleged in the charges.
“Mr. Dudeck has made multiple court appearances, he’s been following all his bail conditions and we had a possible plea agreement yesterday,” Ashe said. “We’ve been trying to resolve this case and it’s just unfortunate that a warrant was issued after he was unable to appear in court.”
Dudeck, who placed third in a 2021 three-way race for Ellsworth school board, was indicted over the summer by a Hancock County grand jury on one county of felony theft by unauthorized taking.
He is accused of stealing the school group’s funds between October 2022 and April 2025, during which time he served as the group’s treasurer, according to the indictment.
Following a police investigation into the missing funds, Dudeck allegedly admitted to cashing the group’s checks into his personal accounts. Court documents indicate the treasurer was struggling with addiction at the time.
Dudeck, a former New York lawyer, allegedly lied to the school group’s members about having purchased specialized playground equipment for children with disabilities, according to court documents. He had not purchased the equipment and had instead emptied the accounts for personal use.
Granger said he could not “think of a more vulnerable group of victims.”
Boles said the parent teacher group is focused on supporting students and staff and trusts that local police and the District Attorney’s office will bring Dudeck to justice.
“The impact of this situation has extended far beyond the financial loss. Our Parent Teacher Friend organization is made up of dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly to provide meaningful opportunities and support for our students and staff,” Boles stated. “The loss of more than $37,000 created significant uncertainty and stress for our school community, adding an undue burden to staff who are already working hard every day to meet the needs of our students.”