Former Law Firm Employee Charged with Theft

BALTIMORE, MD (May 24, 2007) - Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced today the filing of felony theft and forgery charges against Dawn Michelle Hamann, 40, of Leonardtown, Maryland. In a 31 count indictment returned by a Charles County Circuit Court grand jury, Hamann was charged with stealing $36,668.70 from her former employer, Andrews, Bongar, Starkey and Claggett, P.A., a La Plata law firm. Hamann, a licensed insurance agent, worked for the law firm in 2005 and 2006. Also charged was Wade Steve Harris, Jr, 37, of the same address in Leonardtown. Harris is charged with 14 counts of felony theft.

The charges allege that from April, 2005 through May, 2006, Hamann embezzled funds from the law firm where she was employed, utilizing law firm checks and forged electronic bank transfers. Stolen money was deposited into Hamann’s and Harris’s accounts. If convicted of theft, Hamann and Harris could be sentenced to serve 15 years in prison and a fine of $25,000. Hamann also faces 10 years imprisonment and a $1,000 fine if convicted on the forgery counts.

The indictment follows a joint investigation conducted by the Insurance Fraud Division of the Maryland Insurance Administration, the Office of the Attorney General and the Maryland State Police. An indictment is merely an accusation of wrongdoing and every individual is presumed innocent until the charges are proven by the State. No trial date has been set.