Press Release  Former Framingham State University Employee Pleads Guilty, Sentenced to Jail in Connection with Stealing More Than $110,000

Woburn —  A former employee of Framingham State University (FSU) has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail in connection with stealing more than $110,000 from the university, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

Robert Walmsley, age 34, of Brockton, pleaded guilty today in Middlesex Superior Court to charges of Larceny over $250 (3 counts) and Presenting a Fraudulent Claim to Employer for Payment (2 counts).

After the plea was entered, Judge Thomas Billings sentenced Walmsley to two-and-a-half years in the House of Correction, with five years of probation to serve upon his release. Judge Billings also imposed probationary conditions including drug testing and drug treatment as necessary. A restitution hearing will be held on May 19.

The AG’s Office began an investigation in June 2013 after the matter was referred by officials at Framingham State University. Walmsley, an FSU graduate, began working in FSU’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations in 2008 until his termination in June 2013. His responsibilities entailed networking with alumni and at times, planning events for them.

The investigation revealed that between July 2011 and May 2013, Walmsley stole more than $110,000 from FSU by using an FSU-issued Procurement Card for personal purchases. FSU issues these cards to some staff to use for department-related purchases. 

In order to conceal this theft, Walmsley then falsified some of the explanations for the purchases on the receipts. He signed and submitted those fraudulent documents along with his monthly expense reports to FSU, falsely claiming they were for work-authorized purchases.

Walmsley was arrested on August 5, 2014 without incident by Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AG’s Office. He was indicted by Statewide Grand Jury on August 7, 2014. He pleaded guilty in Middlesex Superior Court today and was subsequently sentenced.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Erika Anderson of AG Healey’s Public Integrity Division. It was investigated by Sallyann Nelligan, Director of the AG’s Financial Investigations Division, Victim Advocate Megan Murphy, State Police assigned to the Attorney General’s Office, and the AG’s Digital Evidence Lab. Officials at Framingham State University fully cooperated throughout this investigation.

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