A Juneau judge has dismissed a multiple count indictment against a former fishing association head and former Alaska Board of Fisheries nominee accused of permanent fund dividend fraud. But Roland Maw still faces a possible trial next month on lesser, misdemeanor charges of falsifying applications.
Maw was facing 12 felony charges of theft and unsworn falsification related to applying for and receiving permanent fund dividends between 2009 and 2014. He was scheduled to stand trial this week in Juneau, but Superior Court Judge Louis Menendez said he planned to dismiss the indictment.
Prosecutor Lisa Kelley said she could not comment on the next step in the case until she had a chance to thoroughly review the judge’s order dismissing the indictment. It’s not clear yet if the state’s Office of Special Prosecutions will — for a third time — seek a new indictment from the grand jury on the felony charges. Or it could proceed to trial on the misdemeanor charges.
Judge Menendez said he signed off on the 14-page order dismissing the indictment on March 8. Both Kelley and defense attorney Nicholas Polasky said they got a copy of the order on Thursday, just before a follow-up hearing in the case.
Maw was the former executive director of the United Cook Inlet Drift Association.
