Three Waldo County residents were charged Thursday with forging checks worth more than $8,000.

According to police, the three were arrested after Camden National Bank spotted forged checks drawn on a real estate company and then Bangor Savings Bank found forged checks drawn on the account of an ice cream shop.

Police arrested Ryan Weaver, 33, of Monroe, who was charged with forgery, theft and violating conditions of release; Melinda Way, 37, of Northport, charged with forgery and theft; and Daniel Beeton, 25, of Stockton Springs, who was charged with forgery, theft and violating conditions of release. Because of the amount of money involved, the charges are felonies.

According to Stephen McCausland, spokesman for Maine Department of Public Safety, Way is a former bookkeeper for the real estate business and the ice cream shop.

McCausland said police believe additional forged checks may have been cashed at convenience stores around Belfast and Bangor, but have not yet been reported.

According to McCausland, police believe the trio was using proceeds from the forged checks to buy drugs.

The three appeared in a Belfast courtroom via video link Friday, McCausland said, and were being held in the Waldo County Jail on $10,000 bail each.