By Kerri Pepoy,Staff Writer

PARIS – The former president of Moontide Water Festival Inc. is expected to plead guilty next week to a felony charge of stealing more than $5,000 from the organization in 2004.

Matthew J. Plante, 47, of Rumford is accused of embezzling between $5,000 and $6,000 from Moontide between June 28 and Oct. 3, 2004. Plante’s attorney, Ronald E. Hoffman, told Oxford County Superior Court on Wednesday that Plante is expected to enter a guilty plea next week and will pay restitution.

Further details about the plea agreement were not available Wednesday from the Oxford County District Attorney’s Office.

Hoffman said Plante, who was not in court Wednesday, should be receiving a lump sum disability payment that will be used as the restitution money.

Moontide is a public, nonprofit organization responsible for raising about $40,000 each year for Rumford’s weeklong Fourth of July celebration. Since its beginning in 1995, the committee has relied on donations and fundraisers.

The committee disbanded after the 2003 celebration, and Plante, after retiring from the military and returning to his hometown, stepped in to keep the tradition going.

After financial irregularities surfaced in 2004, an internal investigation was conducted, which revealed that bills had not been paid and Moontide owed its creditors between $13,000 and $15,000.

Plante resigned in October 2004 after being confronted about the financial problems. A criminal investigation was launched in November 2004, and Plante was indicted on a felony charge of theft in February 2005.

Moontide has since instituted new policies and procedures, added new officers, and installed new members to the committee.

In a separate case, jury selection is scheduled to take place next week for the trial of David J. Mair, 30, who is accused of severely beating a Fryeburg doctor in her home in September 2004.

The trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 23 and last two to three days.

Mair, most recently of Portland, was charged last summer with hitting Dr. Mary Nash with his fists and a wrench-like tool in her Main Street home after she returned from a workout.

Nash escaped to a neighbor’s house to call police.

Mair pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, elevated aggravated assault, burglary and aggravated assault. He is being held at the Oxford County Jail.