News  Former Town Employee in Stow Charged in Connection with Alleged Embezzlement of Public Funds

The town of Stow’s former treasurer was arraigned on September 16, 2022, on embezzlement, forgery and other charges following a joint investigation by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Inspector General.

During a routine annual audit in January 2020, the town’s outside auditor found a $133,584 discrepancy between the balance shown on the treasurer’s general ledger and the town’s account balances at its bank. Through follow-up inquiries, auditors and the town administrator learned that the recently retired treasurer, Pamela Landry, had allegedly taken funds paid to the town and created fake bank statements to cover up the thefts.

Investigators from the Inspector General’s Office and the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office found evidence that over several years Ms. Landry allegedly stole town funds by writing checks to herself without the approval or knowledge of the town. 

Ms. Landry was arraigned in Concord District Court on one count of larceny of property by single scheme/embezzlement over $1,200, one count of embezzlement/misapplication by a fiduciary, one count of making a false claim to a government agency, one count of forgery of a document, one count of forgery of checks, and one count of uttering a false check(s).

Ms. Landry worked in the treasurer’s office for the town of Stow for over thirty years.  After starting as a financial clerk for the town, Ms. Landry was appointed assistant treasurer in 1995 and became treasurer in 2005.  Ms. Landry officially retired from the town in October of 2019. 

Ms. Landry is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

For more information, see the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office press release.