Two Convicted For Defrauding the State?s Circuit Breaker Program

February 28, 2008

Today, Attorney General Steve Rowe announced two recent convictions involving persons who were defrauding the State?s Tax and Rent Refund program, commonly known as the Circuit Breaker Program. The program is administered by Maine Revenue Services and provides tax relief to eligible Maine residents by granting a partial refund for real estate taxes or rent paid during the tax year.

Angela Ferrante of Bangor was convicted in the Penobscot Superior Court on February 20, 2008 of a Class C theft by Deception and six Class B counts of aggravated forgery in a scheme where she defrauded the State program out of nearly $10,000 during a six year period. She was sentenced to two years in a Department of Corrections facility, with all but 15 days suspended, and three years of probation. Additionally, Ferrante was ordered to pay restitution to the State in the amount of $9,890. A companion case against her son, James Green of Bangor, is currently pending in the Bangor District Court.

On February 26, 2008 Roger Gower of Portland was convicted in the Cumberland County Superior Court on four Class C counts of theft by deception of money from the Tax and Rent Refund program. He was sentenced to four months in the Cumberland County Jail and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $787. Mr. Gower has a co-defendant, Pamela Miller of Portland, whose case is still pending in the Cumberland County Superior Court. In both cases, the defendants submitted false applications that claimed they had paid rent that they had, in fact, never paid. As a result of these false applications Gower and Miller obtained money from the Circuit Breaker program that they were not entitled to.

Attorney General Rowe stated that his office and Maine Revenue Services will continue to vigorously prosecute any persons who seek to take advantage of this valuable program that provides necessary assistance to eligible Maine residents.

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NEWS RELEASE February 28, 2008 David Loughran, (207) 626-8577