Former Boston Police Sgt. Pleads Guilty In Overtime Fraud Scheme

BOSTON, MA — An ongoing investigation of overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department’s evidence warehouse has a former Boston Police Sergeant pleading guilty to charges Friday.

William Baxter, 62, of Hyde Park, pleaded guilty to to one count of conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Baxter was charged on May 24, 2021 for submitting overtime slips for hours he did not work.

From March 2015 through June 2016, Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell says Baxter submitted fake overtime slips for hours he didn't work for two overtime shifts at the evidence warehouse.

Baxter claims he worked two overtime shifts, the first called a "purge" shift which was set to dispose of old, unneeded evidence, and the second shift was called a "kiosk" shift, which was supposed to be used to drive to each police district in Boston one Saturday a month to gather old prescription drugs to be burned.

Mendell claims that Baxter routinely left at his usual 6 p.m. end time which was supposed to be the start of his "purge" shift, and really only worked 3 hours of his "kiosk" shift that he and other members of the unit claimed almost nine hours of overtime for.

The investigation found that Baxter personally collected approximately $9,223 for overtime hours he did not work between March 2015 and June 2016.

To date, 14 Boston Police officers have been charged in connection with committing overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department’s evidence warehouse.

Baxter is the seventh officer to plead guilty.

U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris has scheduled sentencing for Baxter on October 21, 2021.