Ex-Trooper Denies Collecting Pay For Holidays He Didn't Work
FALL RIVER (AP) — A retired Massachusetts State Police lieutenant has pleaded not guilty to collecting more than $11,500 in holiday pay he had not earned.
David Andrade, 47, of Westport, was released on personal recognizance after pleading not guilty Friday in Fall River Superior Court to larceny and violation of public employee standards of conduct, The Herald New s reported.
Andrade and his lawyer, Craig Fries, declined to comment after the hearing.
Andrade submitted claims for payment for 22 holiday compensatory days from August 2018 to August 2019 that he didn't earn, prosecutors said.
He then covered up his scheme by falsifying entries on attendance calendars to make it look like he worked days he actually took off, they said.
Andrade allegedly stole the funds while he was the commander of Troop D of the barracks in Dartmouth, which patrols southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the islands.
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