WILTON — Wilton police arrested a Lewiston man Wednesday on two felony forgery charges of passing fraudulent checks at two local businesses. Several other police departments are also investigating similar incidents within four counties.

Arthur J. Mollo, 44, of 77 Rideout Ave., was charged by Wilton detective Richard Billian Jr. after police recently responded to R.S. Osgood and Sons and Dexter Supply for bad checks they received totaling approximately $2,500. Dexter received a check on Nov. 29 and Osgood on Nov. 30, police Chief Dennis Brown said.

According to police, Mollo would call the business and say he was doing a construction job in the area and ask for materials to be set aside. They were told an associate would pick up the items and pay with a company check, he said.

Mollo went to both businesses with a check from a fraudulent account and purchased the equipment with a bogus check, Billian said.

Mollo was at the Androscoggin County Jail in Auburn on Thursday night on a federal probation hold and other theft charges, officials said. He was recently released from federal prison after serving time for a weapons conviction.

The department learned Mollo is suspected of similar crimes across the state, including in Cumberland, Oxford, Kennebec and Franklin counties, and is being investigated in multiple jurisdictions, police said. Detectives for departments from Portland to Wilton will meet in
Lewiston on Monday to put all their information together and try to
retrieve some of the property that was purchased with bad checks, Brown
said.

Kennebec County Sheriff Randall A. Liberty said this week that Mollo faces theft charges after using bad checks to buy a snow blower at a Belgrade business last week, and three chain saws at businesses in Wiscasset and Sidney.

Police advise anyone who has a returned check to contact their local police agency.

A federal probation officer has told the department that the FBI may be interested in pursuing Mollo due to the severity of charges, police said.

Mollo is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 19 in Farmington.

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