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Fayetteville Woman Denies Jail Escape Plot

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) — A Fayetteville woman has pleaded not guilty to allegations she posed as a California deputy in order to spring her boyfriend from th...
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FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) — A Fayetteville woman has pleaded not guilty to allegations she posed as a California deputy in order to spring her boyfriend from the Washington County jail.

Maxine Feldstein, 30, is charged in Washington County Circuit Court with forgery and third-degree escape — both felonies. She also faces a misdemeanor charge of criminal impersonation.

Feldstein and her boyfriend, Nicholas Lowe, were arrested Aug. 17 after allegedly escaping from the Washington County Detention Center.

Lowe, 23, also pleaded not guilty Wednesday (Sept. 5) to felony charge of third-degree escape.

Lowe told Feldstein on July 27 to pose as a deputy from the Venture County Sheriff’s Office in Ventura, Calif., in order to trick Washington County jail staff into releasing him, according to court documents.

Feldstein, who had bonded out earlier that day, called the jail and identified herself as deputy “L. Kershaw” with VCSO. She also provided a forged VCSO document releasing the agency’s hold on Lowe.

Jail staff learned of the forgery and accidental release two days later, when a VCSO deputy called to say he was on his way to pick up Lowe.

The sheriff’s office discovered through jail video that Lowe told Feldstein to pose as a VCSO deputy while she visited him, according to the affidavit.

Lowe said Feldstein should tell Washington County that VCSO was “having issues with overcrowding and all low-priority extraditions have been suspended,” according to the affidavit.

Washington County later confirmed the VCSO document Feldstein used was fake, and that VCSO didn’t have a deputy named “L. Kershaw,” according to the affidavit.

Feldstein and Lowe were being held Thursday (Sept. 6) at the Washington County Detention Center on bonds of $16,500 and $15,000, respectively.

Lowe is due back in court Oct. 15, while Feldstein is set to appear on Nov. 7.

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