July 12, 2017: Town Mayor Sentenced to Nine (9) years for Felony Theft, Misconduct in Office and Forgery
For Immediate Release
Town Mayor Sentenced to Nine (9) years for Felony Theft, Misconduct in Office and Forgery
State Prosecutor Emmet C. Davitt announced today that Deborah Rowe, Mayor and President of the Town of Marydel in Caroline County, was sentenced to nine (9) years yesterday July 11, 2017 for her role in stealing money from the Town of Marydel between 2012 and 2016.
The Honorable Sidney S. Campen Jr. sentenced Rowe to three (3) years for Felony Theft, three (3) years for Misconduct in Office and three (3) years for Forgery. All sentences were consecutive to each other for a total sentence of nine (9) years.
At Rowe’s guilty plea on February 1, 2017, Rowe admitted to making unauthorized transfers of lump sums of money from the Town of Marydel’s banking account into her own personal account, writing checks to herself and to cash which she then deposited into her own personal bank account. She also obtained a debit card in the name of the Town which she used to pay personal expenses, including her phone and television bills as well as a property tax payment for land Rowe owned in North Carolina. Rowe also pled guilty to charges of forgery where she admitted to forging the names of other town commissioners on some of these checks.
In addressing Rowe, Judge Campen discussed the trust that Rowe held as mayor in the small town of Marydel and her betrayal of that trust. Judge Campen, in informing Rowe, that he too hailed from a small town, opined the importance of trust in small towns as everyone knows everyone. Rowe presented the Town of Marydel with a check for the full amount of restitution of $61,660.07 and read a letter of apology to the community. Citizens from the Town of Marydel were present and victim impact statements were read on their behalf. However, in sentencing Rowe to nine (9) years, which was above her sentencing guidelines, Judge Campen stated that punishment and deterrence were two factors which he relied upon in delivering this sentence.
The Office of the State Prosecutor would like to thank the Caroline County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Caroline County Sheriff’s Department and the Maryland State Police for all of their support and assistance throughout this case.