The company’s former bookkeeper is expected to enter into a plea bargain with the state.
By Donna M. Perry
Staff Writer

LIVERMORE – A Dixfield man accused of stealing thousands of dollars from Norlands is expected to plead guilty to theft Nov. 21, a state prosecutor said.

State Assistant Attorney General Michael Colleran said Armour Goodman, 35, of Dixfield, a former bookkeeper at Washburn-Norlands Living History Center, has indicated he will plead guilty to two counts of theft in a plea bargain agreement.

If the court accepts the plea agreement, it calls for the state to dismiss forgery and falsifying private records charges and also has a sentence cap, Colleran said.

Colleran said the state is requesting that Goodman be sentenced to three years with all but nine months suspended. The state is also requesting Goodman repay $33,583.71 in restitution, the prosecutor said.

Goodman’s attorney Woody Hanstein of Farmington was unavailable for comment Thursday.

Colleran said he expects Hanstein to argue for a lesser sentence.

Norlands’ Trustee President George Ames declined comment on the agreement until it is accepted by the court.

Goodman, Norlands bookkeeper from February 2000 to May 2002, was indicted in March after a State Police investigation in connection with nearly $50,000 missing from Norlands.

Colleran said $33,583.71 is the “amount we believe we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Former Norlands Executive Director Judy Bielecki had noticed financial irregularities in the center’s financial records in the spring of 2002. She reported the matter to Norlands’ trustees and State Police.

An ensuing complete independent audit of the center’s records and the Washburn-Norlands Foundation Inc. revealed about $50,000 missing and $200,000 in masked operating losses.

According to court records, Goodman made out checks to himself and several to Norlands-cash and a least one to a Richard Higgins of Dixfield.

Goodman signed all of the checks, according copies in the court records, and the ones made out to him and Higgins also had P.O. Box 312 in Dixfield typed on the checks.

Center trustees have since adopted safeguards and procedures to prevent a recurrence of the financial improprieties that occurred last year, Treasurer Clint Boothby had said in September. Among those safeguards are direct oversight of accounting by the executive director and treasurer and two signatures on checks.

Justice Ellen Gorman is expected to hear the plea agreement at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, at Androscoggin County Superior Court in Auburn, Colleran said.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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