Thursday, 4:30 PM
Ethics Commission targets 'poster boy' for pension abuse
By Matt Carroll, Globe Staff
Charles B. Lincoln, a retired Brockton police lieutenant who has been called the "poster boy" for public pension abuse, was charged yesterday with violating the state's conflict-of-interest law by the Ethics Commission, adding to legal difficulties that already include criminal and civil cases.
Lincoln allegedly abused sick-time benefits while working three years full time between 2001 and 2004 as an officer and as the director of security for the Plymouth County Sheriff's Department, the commission said in a release. He worked in total more than 30 years as an officer.
Lincoln is collecting a $139,787 annual pension, which was based on his average pay for the last three years of his career, and is the highest in Plymouth County history.
Lincoln called in sick 251 times -- 222 days for police and 29 at the sheriff's department, according to the commission. On 148 days that he called in sick to the police, he worked a full shift at the sheriff's department. Seven times he called in sick to the sheriff's department while working in Brockton.
"Lincoln inappropriately used these 155 sick days to lessen the demands of holding two full-time positions," said the commission complaint.
The US Attorney's office also has charged Lincoln abused sick time and used mail fraud to collect his pension. Civil suits against him by Brockton and Plymouth County are pending.
"Mr. Lincoln has done nothing wrong, and this is a witch hunt," said attorney Nicholas Poser, who represents him in civil matters. "He will be found not guilty in a criminal trial and will show the Ethics Commission that he did nothing wrong."
It is unclear when a hearing date will be set. Poser and the Ethics Commission have requested a stay in Suffolk Superior Court until the criminal and civil matters are settled.
Lincoln faces fines of up to $2,000 per violation. It's not certain how much that would total in this case.
Last year, Inspector General Gregory Sullivan issued a scathing report on Lincoln, calling him a "master manipulator."
Matt Carroll can be reached at mcarroll@globe.com.
