{"id":12924,"date":"2023-11-12T18:33:17","date_gmt":"2023-11-12T18:33:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/?p=12924"},"modified":"2023-11-13T10:44:40","modified_gmt":"2023-11-13T10:44:40","slug":"disgrace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/disgrace\/","title":{"rendered":"DISGRACE\u00a0:\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Former AMERICA Police Chief Indicted for FRAUD, FORGERY, CORRUPTION<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

…Employed officers that did not attend Police Academy<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Misused his position of authority as police chief to \u2018repeatedly undermine the law for his own benefit\u2019 by hiring six part-time Methuen police officers-INVESTIGATION<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

*\u201cI am not Guilty. I am innocent of all accusation\u201d-SUSPECT<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*\u201c<\/strong>Joseph Solomon is now facing charges of perjury by written affidavit (2 counts), obtaining unwarranted privileges in violation of the civil service laws (7\u202fcounts), civil service law violations (6 counts), uttering a forged document (1 count) and procurement fraud (1 count)\u201d- U.S. Attorney General\u2019s office<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 *BY <\/strong>GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU\/<\/strong>AMERICA Senior Investigative Editor & <\/em><\/strong>TIM BOYLE\/<\/strong>SPECIAL Police Reporter, USA<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

SHAMEFUL, UNBELIEVABLE were the words that capture the revelation surrounding the outcome of a thorough investigation that indicted an<\/strong> embattled former Methuen police chief,<\/strong> Joseph Solomon who was arraigned for a slew of criminal charges, bothering on Fraud, Corruption and Forgery on Friday.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solomon is now facing charges of perjury by written affidavit (2 counts), obtaining unwarranted privileges in violation of the civil service laws (7\u202fcounts), civil service law violations (6 counts), uttering a forged document (1 count) and procurement fraud (1 count), according to the U.S. Attorney General\u2019s office.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, former Methuen police officer Sean Fountain 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).<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An investigation by the AG\u2019s office, done in conjunction with the Essex County District Attorney\u2019s office, found that Solomon \u201cmisused his position of authority as police chief to repeatedly undermine the law for his own benefit\u201d by hiring six part-time Methuen police officers, including Fountain, before appointing them to full-time roles.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The AG\u2019s office also says Solomon made others believe that Fountain had graduated from a police academy when he had not.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solomon pleaded not guilty to all charges and was released on personal recognizance with the following conditions:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n