BELFAST — State and Belfast Police this week arrested three Waldo County residents following an investigation into the cashing of forged business checks from two Belfast companies.

The investigation began after Camden National Bank this week received several forged checks that had been drawn on accounts from Worth Real Estate, according to a news release from the Maine Department of Public Safety. Other forged checks began arriving at Bangor Savings bank that had been drawn from an account from The Cool Spot, an ice cream shop.

Police on Thursday arrested Ryan Weaver, 33, of Monroe, and charged him with forgery, theft and violating conditions of release.

They also arrested and charged Melinda Way, 37, of Northport, with forgery and theft, and Daniel Beeton, 25, of Stockton Springs, for forgery, theft and violating conditions of release.

According to state Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland, the trio’s charges constitute felonies because the dollar amount dispersed from the counterfeit checks was more than $8,000.

Weaver, Way and Beeton were transported to Waldo County Jail, where they were being held on $10,000 bail each. The three appeared by a video link in a Belfast courtroom April 3.

Way is the former bookkeeper for both businesses and State Police troopers said the three were allegedly using the proceeds from the checks to buy drugs. Way and Weaver are living together and are the parents of a 5-year-old, the release said.

“It's likely several additional checks from the two businesses have been cashed at convenience stores in the Belfast and Bangor areas that have not yet been reported to police,” the release said.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact State Police Sgt. Patrick Hood at the Augusta dispatch center, 624-7076.