Ex-Salisbury police chief goes on trial
CHELSEA, Mass.—The trial of a former Massachusetts police chief accused of stealing from crime scenes and allowing the sale of seized vehicles has started.
The bench trial of ex-Salisbury chief David L'Esperance got under way Wednesday in Chelsea District Court.
L'Esperance faces three felony charges involving the theft of vehicles and two felony charges of receiving stolen property worth more than $250. He has pleaded not guilty.
The 51-year-old L'Esperance resigned in January 2011 after an independent investigation alleged he traded drugs for sex from women facing criminal charges. The charges he is on trial for are not related to those allegations.
The Daily News of Newburyport ( http://bit.ly/KAcoCk) reports that L'Esperance's attorney says the charges were brought by town officials in an effort to prevent his client from claiming a pension.
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Information from: The Daily News of Newburyport, http://www.newburyportnews.com
