Department of Correction worker charged in $100K theft

November 19, 2008 06:10 PM Email| Comments (10)| Text size – +

By Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

A state Department of Correction worker has been charged with stealing more than $100,000 from the agency, the state attorney general's office said.

Lieutenant Gary Mendes

Lieutenant Gary Mendes, 48, of Berkley, pleaded not guilty this afternoon to charges of larceny over $250 and procurement fraud at his arraignment before Greenfield District Court Judge David Ross. He was released on personal recognizance. A pretrial hearing was slated for Jan. 15.

Mendes, who was in charge of procurement for the special operations division, was arrested this morning at his home.

“We allege that Lieutenant Mendes took advantage of his opportunity as head of procurement ... in essentially stealing over $100,000 of equipment for personal use,” Attorney General Martha Coakley said at a news conference today.

Coakley said the investigation covered the time frame between 2004 and 2008. Mendes allegedly overordered equipment, including guns and ammunition. He used the credit or the cash refund for his own purposes, she said.

In some cases, he bought guns and then sold them to other, unwitting DOC employees. In other cases, he simply bought items for himself, including hunting equipment, a baseball pitching machine, and a television, said attorney general's spokesman Harry Pierre.

“We hope that we can send a message that we will be active in these investigations,” she said. She said the investigation was continuing, but investigators believed that Mendes was the major player involved in the DOC. She declined to name the equipment supplier where Mendes made his purchases.

Mendes is currently suspended with pay. His attorney, Timoth Flynn, didn't immediately return a message seeking comment.

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10 comments so far...

I view these unfortunate circumstances as an opportunity to remind politicians that they have elected to serve the people and not their personal interests. I commend the senate for taking action and forcing Dainne's resignation.

Posted by jdman November 19, 08 01:40 PM

Suspended with pay ! Why? And what took so long to get enough evidence for charges. Thats what wrong with the world, we let CRIMINALS get away with their acts for far too long.

Posted by . November 19, 08 02:01 PM

what's with this suspinsion with pay if your under charges and you stole money why should you get paid until your court date. I think enough is enough!!!!!

Posted by mike November 19, 08 02:23 PM

Once again, our hard fought for tax money being wisely spent! Lord, this is just crazy. Will we lose the whole senate and state workers who really don't do much but make promises they can't keep! I say they fry this guy and take his TV back now!

Posted by topcat November 19, 08 02:32 PM

goood job mass. we'll catch our people stealing and still pay them. if it was one of these state big wigs company and someone was stealing would they pay them if it was coming from their pocket?

Posted by mike c November 19, 08 02:56 PM

BUT IT'S NOT COMING FROM THEIR POCKETS, IT IS COMING FROM OURS! SUSPENDED WITH PAY. IF I STOLE FROM MY COMPANY I SERIOUSLY DOUBT I WOULD GET SUSPENDED WITH PAY OR A PENSION FOR THAT MATTER!

Posted by TOPCAT November 19, 08 03:38 PM

Your complaint about continuing to pay this man after he was arrested is with labor law, the civil service commission and Gov.'s Weld, Celluci and Swift who entered into these agreements with the Masachusetts Federated Correction Officers Union, not the Commonwealth.

Posted by jdanvers November 19, 08 05:45 PM

Asked about the recent string of cases against public employees, Coakley said, “When the economy takes a rough turn as it has, in the private sector and public sector, you are going to have more individuals who are in trouble.”
This has been going on since 2004! The economy was great in 2004. It just took the incompetent A.G. fouryears to catch the guy.

Posted by Mass. Hater November 19, 08 11:58 PM

"I work for the state prison system, and I need to order some hunting equipment a baseball hitting machine?' Thank you. "...
Hello! Isn't someone supposed to throw a flag here?

Posted by Frank Koski November 20, 08 07:20 AM

It's about time, Mendes is a joke and has been taking care of his whole career. Don't stop there, I'm quite sure Mendes is singing like a bird.

Posted by Chris November 20, 08 04:34 PM