MEXICO — A 63-year-old Worthley Avenue woman is facing numerous local and federal charges due to allege fraud involving the alleged use of at least a dozen aliases.

Interim Mexico Police Chief Roy Hodsdon said Joanne Covais was arrested at 11:30 a.m. last Wednesday after a month long local investigation. “This is a great case.”

After obtaining a search warrant for the Covais residence, Covais was interviewed and then arrested at her home, according to Hodsdon, who assisted Federal Probation Officer Matt Brown, who came up from Portland to make the arrest.

Covais, arrested for violating her probation, was charged with four counts of aggravated forgery (Class B). She was transported to the Cumberland County Jail and then appeared Monday for a probable cause hearing.

Hodsdon said that because the federal officer is leading this case, no local charges have been made as yet. He said that will go through the District Attorney’s office, unless the federal authories pursue those on their end. Local charges being pursued include three counts (Class C) of theft deception for insurance; one count of unsworn falsification; and two counts for false claims for police reports.

Hodsdon said this case began locally early in November when Officer Rob Drouin took a call from Covais, who reported identity theft and fraud, claiming her credit card had been used to purchase merchandise, which included a futon sofa. She provided a credit card statement with the futon purchase. The address of the credit card owner was an out of state address.

Curious, Hodsdon did some research on Covais. Last February, she said that while renting out her home, more than $8,000 in items had been stolen, including a stove, washer, granite kitchen counter, etc. He did learn that that a credit card to Hodsdon said Covais, who opened the credit card out of state, had had the address changed to reflect her Mexico residence.

In January, 2012, Covais reported the theft of a futon sofa, but the investigation proved the report to be unsubstantiated.

Further, since 2005, Hodsdon said Covais made 15 burglary or theft complaints to police, who never found signs of entry or that they could be substantiated.

During the investigation, Hodsdon learned that Covais is on federal probation following a 2011 conviction involving fraud and theft involving a false claim for money orders through the U.S. Postal Service totalling $60,000.

Working with the federal probation officer, Hodsdon learned that Covais had been renting out a storage shed in Bridgton since September of 2012.

After obtaining a search warrant, Hodsdon and others went to the storage shed on Nov. 26. “When we opened it, it was plump full of items, many still unopened. A color TV, futon, the granite kitchen counter, washer, stove, lamps, crystal. It was unbelievable!”

He estimated there was $30,000 to $50,000 of merchandise in the storage shed.

On Dec. 2, Hodsdon, Police Chief Jim Theriault, Federal Probation Officer Matt Brown, Police Explorer Capt. Brittany Gaudet and Explorer Advisor Justin Carter made a second visit to the Bridgton storage shed to collect and inventory the items.

The forgery charges against Covais stem from evidence Hodsdon found in the storage unit that included faked birth and marriage certificates, as well as fake identification from Maine and New York.

Hodsdon said a total of 203 items were seized and are now being stored in the storage at the Mexico Police Department. He will now contact the insurance companies involved.

Although Covais might have had help moving items into the storage shed, he said he believes she acted alone in the crimes. “There’s no sign of anyone assisting her.”

Hodsdon said they are still investigating, but they found that Covais used at least a dozen aliases at her Mexico address. “None of her victims are local.”