AUGUSTA — A former city woman will serve an initial four months in jail for welfare fraud involving almost $23,000 in state benefits over a 33-month period.

Nina Maraglia, 37, formerly of Augusta and now of Norridgewock, had the remainder of the two-year sentence suspended and was placed on two years’ probation.

The sentence was imposed Tuesday at a hearing at the Capital Judicial Center, and Judge Paul Mathews agreed to a stay, which allows Maraglia to report to jail on Monday.

She had pleaded guilty May 10 to a charge of theft by deception.

The indictment said Maraglia stole more than $10,000 in food stamps, emergency assistance and MaineCare program benefits between June 2010 and March 2013, and failed to disclose that she was working and earning income at the time.

Assistant Attorney General Darcy Mitchell told the judge part of the jointly recommended sentence involves an order for Maraglia to pay $22,973.85 restitution to the Department of Health and Human Services at a rate to be determined by her probation officer.

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In exchange for the guilty plea, a charge of unsworn falsification dated Oct. 19, 2012, was dismissed.

Maraglia was represented by attorney La-Qiana Perez-Saxon.

Betty Adams — 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @betadams


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