Staff Writer

 The La Kermesse Board of Directors is focused on rebuilding the annual festival’s image as its former president serves three months in jail for embezzling $80,000 from the nonprofit organization and a Biddeford condominium association.

Priscille Gagnon, 70, was sentenced last week to six years in jail with all but 90 days suspended for embezzling money from La Kermesse Franco-Americaine and Western Oaks Condominium Association. Gagnon pleaded guilty to two charges of theft by unauthorized taking and two charges of misuse of entrusted property.

Gagnon also was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to repay $20,000 in restitution to La Kermesse by the 23^rd month of probation. She began serving her sentence on Oct. 7.

Gagnon was accused of taking nearly $80,000 from the two organizations during a six-year period. La Kermesse directors became aware of the embezzlement when PeoplesChoice Credit Union reported in March 2010 that the organization’s Visa card was delinquent and had an unpaid balance of $17,000.

Directors told police Gagnon was supposed to close the account and line of credit in 2004 when they opened a new bank account and deposited $26,000 in the PeoplesChoice account to pay off balances from cash advances, according to a sentencing memorandum prepared by Assistant Attorney General Leanne Robbin.

Gagnon began using the credit card for personal purposes in April 2005 and, from July 2007 to March 2010, deposited $39,000 in checks written to La Kermesse in the PeoplesChoice account. Robbin said Gagnon used the balance to make payments on the credit card and was able to hide the activity because other directors thought the account was closed. 

According to Robbin, members of the condo association became concerned around the same time that Gagnon was mismanaging funds in her capacity as treasurer. Gagnon resigned as treasurer on March 18, 2010. Documents later revealed she wrote more than $13,000 in checks from 2007 to 2010 to herself, her husband, a doctor’s office and La Kermesse. She also withdrew $19,913 from the association account, according to Robbin.

The state asked Justice Paul A. Fritzsche to sentence Gagnon to four years in jail with all but one year suspended followed by two years of probation. Robbins wrote in the memorandum that Gagnon has no prior criminal history, was a longtime La Kermesse volunteer and sold her home to pay all but $20,000 in restitution prior to sentencing. She now lives in Georgia.

La Kermesse Treasurer Paul Gagne said he is satisfied with Gagnon’s sentence. He said directors, including new President Jessica Quattrone, are beginning to plan next year’s festival and remain focused on rebuilding the organization’s credibility in the city.

In a letter to the court, the board of directors said they were “shocked” to find Gagnon had used the open line of credit.

“This has devastated our organization not only financially but also emotionally. Most of us thought of Pris as a good friend and felt that she always had the festival’s best interests at heart. Now it appears as if the only interest she had in the festival was making a cozy life for herself on our credit and income,” they wrote. “Pris’s actions have tarnished our credibility and image in the public eye as well as among many vendors that we have dealt with for many years.”

The annual festival was held this year at the Biddeford Ice Arena after 27 years at St. Louis Field. The organization was not allowed to use the city-owned field because of damages from the previous festival. About 500 tickets were sold to this year’s festival, Gagne said. 

Gagne said directors are looking for a new location for the festival that will be convenient and accessible for visitors. With Gagnon’s court case settled, Gagne said he hopes the community will continue to support the festival and its mission to celebrate the city’s culture.

“Hopefully it will change the attitudes of our local merchants, vendors and residents,” he said. “Hopefully this will help us move on and remove the stigma associated with the festival. We’re back on solid ground now.”