Press Release  Former State Police Lieutenant Pleads Guilty in Overtime Abuse Case

Boston — A former lieutenant in the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) has pleaded guilty and been sentenced in connection with overtime abuse in Troop E, the unit previously assigned to the Massachusetts Turnpike.

John Giulino, age 69, of Lanesborough, pleaded guilty today in Suffolk Superior Court to Larceny Over $250 by Single Scheme (2 counts), Procurement Fraud (2 counts), and Public Employee Standards of Conduct Violation (False/Fraudulent Claim to Employer) (2 counts).

In 2015 and 2016, Giulino submitted fraudulent claims for pay for nearly 280 hours of overtime that he did not work, resulting in him obtaining more than $29,000 that he did not earn.

After the plea was entered, Associate Justice Michael P. Doolin sentenced Giulino to two years probation and ordered him to pay $29,108.54 in restitution, along with 100 hours of community service. Prosecutors from the AG’s Office recommended that Giulino be sentenced to 1 to 2 years state prison, followed by two years probation, as well as restitution and 100 hours of community service per year during his probation.

At the time of the offenses, Lieutenant Giulino was a supervisor in Troop E and responsible for overseeing criminal and traffic enforcement along the Massachusetts Turnpike. The AG’s Office began an investigation into overtime pay at Troop E after a referral from MSP following an internal audit that revealed potential misconduct.

The investigation revealed that Giulino, who was the commander of the Westfield barracks, submitted claims for pay for overtime shifts he did not work or from which he left early. According to investigators at the AG’s Office, these offenses occurred during overtime shifts for the Accident and Injury Reduction Effort program (AIRE), which was intended to increase the presence of MSP troopers on the Turnpike to deter excessive speeding and aggressive driving.  

Troopers assigned to these AIRE shifts were expected to work their assigned hours as scheduled and accurately report information about traffic citations issued, including the date, time and shift during which it was written. 

In 2015, Giulino was paid over $215,000, which included more than $66,000 in overtime pay. Giulino submitted claims for pay for over 180 hours of overtime that he did not work, resulting in him illegally obtaining at least $18,000.

In 2016, Giulino earned $212,504, which included more than $53,073 in overtime pay. Giulino submitted claims for pay for over 99 hours of overtime that he did not work, resulting in him illegally obtaining at least $10,000.

In an attempt to conceal his misconduct, Giulino at times submitted falsified traffic citations to MSP to make it appear they had been issued during his overtime shifts, when in fact they were not issued during overtime shifts or never issued at all.  

Guilino was indicted by a Suffolk County Grand Jury in September 2018 for the 2016 conduct and indicted on additional charges for the 2015 conduct in December 2018.

The AG’s Office also indicted two other former Massachusetts State Police lieutenants, David Wilson and David Keefe, for similar alleged conduct. The cases against those defendants are ongoing.

This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General John Reynolds and Chief Trial Counsel James O’Brien, both of AG Healey’s White Collar and Public Integrity Division. The case was investigated by Senior Financial Investigators Molly Parks and Shannon Roark, Criminal Investigator Michael Azevedo, and Commissioned Officers assigned to the State Police Detective Unit at the Office of the Attorney General, with assistance from the AG’s Digital Evidence Lab. MSP and MassDOT fully cooperated throughout the investigation. 

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