Former Guardsman Sentenced by U. S. District Court Judge for Wire Fraud

Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Paula D. Silsby announced today that Dale E. Basher, 37, of Waterville, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Bangor to 12 months and one day imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release. Basher was also ordered to pay $97,016.91 restitution to Bank of America (MBNA) and a $5,700.00 special assessment. U. S. District Court Judge John A. Woodcock imposed the sentence after Basher pled guilty on September 6, 2007 to 57 counts of mail fraud.

According to court records, Basher was employed by MBNA when he applied for and obtained a full time position with the Maine Army National Guard. From July 2002 until October 2004, Basher was an Active Guard/Reserve Sergeant assigned to the 11th CST-WMD (Civil Support Team-Weapons of Mass Destruction unit). Basher received leave from MBNA in order to take the position with the Maine Army National Guard. Basher submitted three forged military orders to MBNA in order to qualify for paid leave while he was working for the Maine Army National Guard. Based on the forged orders, MBNA agreed to pay Basher while he was on leave from MBNA and working with the Maine National Guard. Basher arranged to have his bi-weekly MBNA paycheck wired into his personal checking account during the time that he was serving full time with the Maine Army National Guard. The gross amount that MBNA paid as a result of Basher’s conduct was $97,016.91 and Basher received $59,388.11.

The charges and resulting sentence are the result of an investigation done by the joint efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bank of America, formerly MBNA, and the Maine Army National Guard.