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Two former Boston police officers sentenced for OT fraud

Two former Boston police officers were sentenced in federal court this week for their involvement in a fraud scheme at the police department’s evidence warehouse and collecting thousands of dollars for overtime hours he did not work, the Massachusetts US Attorney’s office said.

Joseph Nee, 50, of Taunton, was sentenced Thursday to two years probation, ordered to pay $12,636 in restitution and fined $2,000, prosecutors said in a statement.

On Tuesday, William Baxter of Hyde Park was sentenced to seven months of home detention, followed by three years of supervised release, prosecutors said in a separate statement released Thursday.

Baxter, 63, a former police sergeant was also ordered to pay a fine of $20,000 and restitution of over $9,000, the statement said.

The two were among several officers charged as part of a widespread investigation into overtime fraud at the department’s evidence warehouse.

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In June 2021, Nee and Baxter both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds, officials said.

From January 2015 to August 2017, Nee falsely submitted slips for overtime hours that he did not work for two shifts at the evidence warehouse. Baxter falsely submitted slips for overtime hours from March 2015 to June 2016, according to the statement.

Nee collected about $12,636 and Baxter collected about $9,223 for overtime hours they did not work, according to the statement.

There was a total 15 police officers charged in connection with committing overtime fraud at the evidence warehouse, 10 of whom were convicted. The remaining four officers were acquitted last April and one officer passed away while charges were pending.


Cathy Ching can be reached at cathy.ching@globe.com. Follow her @bycathyching.