BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The former head of the State Police union and that union's former Beacon Hill lobbyist are facing federal conspiracy charges.
U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling's office says Dana Pullman, who was President of the State Police Association of Massachusetts from 2012 until his September 2018 resignation, was defrauding his fellow troopers and embezzling from the union
Lelling's office also says Anne Lynch, whose lobbying firm represented the State Police union, acted as Pullman's co-conspirator, both feeding kickbacks to Pullman and taking them herself.
"Entrusted with representing the interests of Massachusetts State Police troopers and sergeants, Pullman, with Lynch's help, betrayed that trust to line his own pockets with association funds," Lelling said at a press conference Wednesday morning. "In fact, since the union's primary source of income is the dues of its members, Pullman essentially took money from the pockets of fellow State Police."
Both Pullman and Lynch face several wire fraud charges, as well as obstruction of justice charges. At an appearance in Federal Court in Boston Wednesday afternoon, the pair were ordered held on $25,000 bond. They were also ordered to give up their passports.
Federal authorities said Lynch and Pullman conspired to embezzle tens of thousands of dollars from the union's 1,500 members, as well as two companies that were seeking to do business with the state.
Pullman is also accused of using the union's debit card to pay for thousands of dollars worth of "meals, flowers, travel, and gifts" for a mistress, including a trip to Miami.
"He squandered thousands of dollars on high-end meals including champagne and caviar, expensive flowers, gift baskets, iTunes gift cards, and even a fully-loaded Chevy Suburban," Lelling said.
In a statement released Wednesday morning, Massachusetts State Police said Pullman and Lynch's alleged conduct "represents serious offenses and violates the ideals and values of the Massachusetts State Police."
Pullman and Lynch could face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the fraud and conspiracy charges, and up to 10 years and a $250,000 fine for the obstruction of justice charges.
Lelling was asked at the press conference if, with the conviction of two of Marty Walsh's mayoral aides earlier this month in the Boston Calling extortion case, his office was taking part in a crackdown on unions. Lelling denied this.
"[The mayoral aide extortion case] was a crackdown on two aides of the administration of the City of Boston, that was not about cracking down on unions and this is not about cracking down on unions," Lelling said. "Based on the complaint, Pullman is victimizing his own union membership, with Lynch's assistance. So in this instance, we'd like to think of it as, we're on the side of the union in this case."
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WBZ NewsRadio's Karyn Regal (@Karynregal) reports