Retired Boston Police Captain Richard Evans Charged In Overtime Fraud Probe
BOSTON (CBS) – Retired Boston Police Captain Richard Evans was arrested Tuesday in a federal investigation into overtime fraud at the department's evidence warehouse.
According to the FBI's Boston office, Evans, 62, of Hanover, conspired with officers he supervised in the Evidence Control Unit to steal tens of thousands of dollars in overtime not worked over a five year span.
Back in September, 9 current and retired Boston Police officers were charged in the overtime scheme. Evans, a 40-year veteran of the department, oversaw the unit, which stores evidence at a warehouse in Hyde Park.
He had no comment for reporters Tuesday afternoon after a hearing at federal court in Boston.
"It is alleged that beginning in at least March 2015, Evans and other officers routinely departed overtime shifts two or more hours early but submitted false and fraudulent overtime slips claiming to have worked the entirety of each shift," the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement.
"On days which Evans claimed to have worked until 8:00 p.m., the warehouse was closed, locked and alarmed well before 8:00 p.m., and often by 6:00 p.m. or earlier. Despite this, it is alleged that Evans routinely submitted false and fraudulent overtime slips claiming to have worked from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Evans also endorsed the fraudulent overtime slips of his subordinates."
The overtime was paid for with federal grant money.
Prosecutors said Evans took $12,395 for overtime hours he did not work from March 2015 to February 2019.
He was indicted by a federal grand jury. Evans is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud.
"Captain Richard Evans is accused of betraying the public's trust, and the reputation of his fellow police officers, by conspiring with officers he supervised at BPD's Evidence Control Unit to steal tens of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money for work they did not do, over the course of five years," Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division, said in a statement.
"It is deeply troubling when officers who have sworn to uphold the law violate their oath and use their badge as a license to commit a crime."
"The allegations contained in this indictment by a senior law enforcement officer are not reflective of the conscientious hard-working members of the Boston Police Department. No police officer is above the law, today's indictment sends a strong message that this conduct will not be tolerated or ignored." Boston Superintendent in Chief Gregory Long said in a statement.
Acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey said the fact that Evans oversaw the unit made the charges "even more troubling."
"I believe people must have faith and trust in public servants," she told reporters at a news conference late Tuesday morning. "Any fraud is unacceptable. It breaks public trust. It dishonors the thousands of officers who serve our communities every day with honesty, integrity and bravery."
"I am committed to uncovering and rooting out behavior among officers that is inconsistent with our community values," Janey said. "I am committed to ensuring the people of Boston can have full confidence in their police force."
Evans is due back in court April 8.
