METHUEN, Mass. — An embattled former Methuen police chief was indicted by a grand jury on a slew of charges that he misused the powers of his position Thursday.
Joseph Solomon is now facing charges of perjury by written affidavit (2 counts), obtaining unwarranted privileges in violation of the civil service laws (7 counts), civil service law violations (6 counts), uttering a forged document (1 count) and procurement fraud (1 count), according to the U.S. Attorney General’s office.
Additionally, former Methuen police officer Sean Fountain now faces charges of forgery (1 count), uttering a forged document (1count), perjury (1 count), procurement fraud (1 count), and a conflict of interest law violation (1 count).
An investigation by the AG’s office, done in conjunction with the Essex County District Attorney’s office, found that Solomon “misused his position of authority as police chief to repeatedly undermine the law for his own benefit” by hiring six part-time Methuen police officers, including Fountain, before appointing them to full-time roles.
The AG’s office also says Solomon made others believe that Fountain had graduated from a police academy when he had not.
Fountain allegedly falsely claimed that he had graduated from the Northeast Regional Police Insitute and produced a forged document when questioned about it. The AG’s office claims Solomon knew Fountain’s credentials were falsified but still hired him. The two also allegedly conspired to claim that Fountain was a civil service officer when he was not.
Solomon allegedly perjured himself on two separate occasions by stating Fountain was a civil service officer.
“The indictments against Fountain stem from his misrepresentations about his training credentials, including in his employment application and in a search warrant affidavit, and for the false and forged training certificate he created to deceive others into believing that he was fit to serve as a police officer at any level,” the AG’s office said in a press release.
In January, the Massachusetts Civil Services Commission recommended legal actions against Solomon, claiming allegedly hired his political allies and business associates while improperly earning one of the state’s richest contracts for a police chief.
Solomon was put on leave in December 2020 following a report from a state Inspector General that found irregularities in the way the city handled the contract that led to his $350,000 salary. He retired in 2021.
In a lengthy statement, Mayor Neal Perry says the city is looking forward to seeking justice:
Today is truly a watershed day in the history of the City of Methuen. Today’s announcement of the indictment against former Police Chief Joseph Solomon and former City Council Chair Sean Fountain underscores that no one is above the law.
Methuen continues to expend every reasonable effort to steer the city away from the abuses and wrongdoing of the past, and, likewise, the City looks forward to seeking justice against those who have harmed the City.
I want to thank the team within the City, whose investigative work helped get the City to this point. Police Chief Scott McNamara, Captain Eric Ferreira, Chief Administrative and Financial Officer Maggie Duprey, City Solicitor Kenneth Rossetti, and former Assistant City Solicitor Peter McQuillan worked diligently together to help get us to this point.
I also want to thank the patience and attention of the 53,000 citizens of Methuen. Many of them personally reached out to the District Attorney to demand justice when news broke about the investigation. To those citizens, please know that your representatives heard you, and you deserve to have a local government that is above reproach.
Current Police Chief Scott McNamara echoed similar sentiments, saying in part he will work every day to earn the trust of the community:
One of my most pressing priorities since my first day as Police Chief has been our work to regain the trust of our community.
No one, including police chiefs, are above the law in this community and Commonwealth. I would like to thank the Office of Attorney General Andrea Campbell and Essex District Attorney Paul Tucker and their staffs for their diligent, professional work throughout this investigation.
I pledge that every man and woman in our Department will continue to work every day to earn the support of those we serve, and to move beyond the abuses of the past.
Solomon and Fountain will be arraigned in Essex County Superior Court at a later date.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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