Poolesville Couple Indicted for Felony Theft

BALTIMORE, MD ( January 15, 2010) - Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced today that Daniel Dwight Manoff, 46, of Poolesville, and his estranged wife Theresa Elizabeth Thorne, 30, were indicted by grand juries in the Circuit Court for Charles County and the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County on several counts of felony theft and conspiracy.

The charges allege that from 2005 through 2008, Manoff and Thorne stole money from Carl Steinhauser and Paula Kennedy of Charles County and Marcia Wilkinson of St. Mary’s County. The investigation revealed that Manoff offered to invest funds for the victims, failed to invest those funds and used them for his personal use, including to help Thorne pay off some of her personal bills.

The trial in Charles County is set for April 12, 2010. A trial date in St. Mary’s County has not been set. Each count of felony theft and conspiracy is punishable by a maximum sentence of fifteen (15) years incarceration and a $25,000 fine. A criminal charge is merely an accusation of wrongdoing and the defendants are presumed innocent until the State proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The indictment follows a joint investigation by the Insurance Fraud Division of the Maryland Insurance Administration, the Maryland State Police and the Office of the Attorney General. In making today’s announcement, Attorney General Gansler thanked Assistant Attorney General Bernard Taylor for his work on the case.