DOC official accused of ripping off $100,000 in funds and weapons

[Cross-X]

DOC official accused of ripping off $100,000 in funds and weapons

Boston Herald

By Marie Szaniszlo
Wednesday, November 19, 2008 - Updated 12h ago

A state Department of Correction employee may soon be behind bars himself for allegedly stealing some $100,000 in state funds, firearms and other items from the department, Attorney General Martha Coakley said today.

Gary Mendes, who was responsible for the purchase of firearms, ammunition and other specialized equipment for the DOC since 2002, is accused of buying himself numerous items, including five 40-caliber handguns, a machete, a hunting bow and a baseball pitching machine, authorities said.

Investigators allege that between 2004 and 2008, Mendes falsely reported the value, cost and quantity of equipment department officials believed they had paid for by misrepresenting invoices he had produced, authorities said.

Mendes, 48, is accused of knowingly submiting invoices for more merchandise than he actually used or needed and then using the difference in value as credit to buy items for himself.

He was arrested at his Berkley home today and charged with procurement fraud and larceny by scheme over $250, Coakley said, and is expected to be arraigned in Greenfield District Court this afternoon.

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[Palladin]

Another Berkley resident on the map!

 

[Raoul Duke]

I'm confused...I live in Greenfield, MA. That's western, MA. Is there another Greenfield MA with it's own district court on the South Shore? I can't imagine that they would truck him all the way across the state...

 

[OnTheRoad]

Maybe the purchases occurred in Franklin County? Doesn't Jurek Brothers do a lot of business with the state departments?

 

[Raoul Duke]

Maybe the purchases occurred in Franklin County? Doesn't Jurek Brothers do a lot of business with the state departments?

BINGO!!! I completely forgot. Jureks, the source of much of my resentment every time I have to get in my car and drive 70 miles round trip just to buy a box of Fing ammo- They do indeed do the purchasing for for many/most departments in MA.

Good catch.


I think I might walk across the street this afternoon and check out the show. I could be the Live NES Reporter coming to you from the Franklin County Courthouse where we have a dirty "only one"