CONCORD, NH:  Kimberly A. Dunphy, 28, and Dale A. Eldridge, 37, residents of Lewiston, ME, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to theft of funds from the United States Forest Service announced United States Attorney John P. Kacavas.  

            In early November 2009, the U.S. Forest Service discovered that envelopes containing money had been stolen from parking fee collection tubes at parking lots in the White Mountain National Forest. On November 22, 2009, Forest Service Officers observed Eldridge tampering with a parking fee collection tube at the Crawford Path Trailhead in the White Mountain National Forest while Dunphy stood nearby acting as a look-out.  As a result, Eldridge and Dunphy were arrested as they exited the parking lot.

            At the time of his arrest, Eldridge possessed 12 self-service parking fee envelopes and cash that he had removed from the envelopes. He also admitted to stealing between $1,000 and $5,000 from 11 parking fee collection tubes in the Twin Mountain area.     

            Eldridge and Murphy are scheduled to be sentenced by United States Magistrate Judge Landya B. McCafferty on January 18, 2011. Each is facing up to one year of imprisonment and up to a $100,000 fine.

This case was investigated by U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Irish.

 

 

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