Press Release  MBTA Employee Indicted in Connection With Illegal Gratuities and Procurement Fraud Schemes

BOSTON — A buyer for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has been indicted in connection with larceny, illegal gratuity and procurement fraud schemes, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today. A vendor for the MBTA has also been indicted in connection with the procurement fraud scheme.

Timothy Dockery, age 50, of Plymouth, was indicted yesterday by a Suffolk County Grand Jury on the charges of Larceny Over $250 (3 counts), Conspiracy to Commit Larceny Over $250, Illegal Gratuities (3 counts), and Procurement Fraud. He will be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court at a later date. As a state employee, Dockery allegedly engaged in illegal schemes with four different vendors, including the creation of fake invoices and accepting illegal gifts in exchange for his business.

William “Matthew” Sheridan, age 34, of Plymouth, was also indicted yesterday by a Suffolk County Grand Jury on the charges of Procurement Fraud (2 counts). Sheridan is the owner of three Plymouth-based businesses, Sheridan Inc., M.C. Services, and Sheridan Landscaping, which have done more than $6.75 million worth of construction-related work for the MBTA since 2011. Sheridan will also be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court at a later date.

The Inspector General’s (IG) Office began an investigation in November 2014, and the AG’s Office joined the investigation in June 2016. Prior to law enforcement involvement, the MBTA independently was investigating this matter, and the MBTA provided assistance and fully cooperated with the investigation. Dockery has been on leave from his role as a buyer to serve as the president of Local 453 OPEIU. He was immediately suspended by the MBTA following yesterday’s indictments.

As a buyer for the non-inventory purchasing unit of the MBTA, Dockery is responsible for the procurement process and overseeing contracts related to non-inventory items, such as office supplies and smaller construction contracts.

In one scheme, Dockery allegedly worked with a vendor to steal about $38,000 from the MBTA by submitting fake invoices. Dockery allegedly instructed the vendor to create fake invoices for funds leftover on purchase orders, and facilitated the payment of the fake invoices. The vendor and Dockery then shared the money paid out by the MBTA. As part of the investigation, the AG’s Office entered into an agreement with the vendor to pay back his half of the stolen proceeds. 

In addition to the fake invoice scheme, Dockery also allegedly received cash payments from the vendor in exchange for Dockery’s help with MBTA procurements and projects. The vendor paid Dockery roughly 10 percent of the vendor’s profit from at least 70 payments from the MBTA.  The vendor collected more than $1.8 million from the MBTA since 2011, and authorities allege Dockery received at least $60,000 in kickbacks.

Authorities also allege Dockery received illegal gratuities from two other vendors.  Public employees, such as Dockery, are prohibited from receiving $50 or more in a one-year period in connection with their official positions. One vendor allegedly provided Dockery with high-end tickets to sporting events and concerts, worth approximately $23,000. Another vendor allegedly provided Dockery with approximately $8,000 in lunches and goods for Dockery’s personal business.

In a procurement fraud scheme, Dockery allegedly created a fake quote to ensure that Sheridan would be the lowest bidder for a construction supplies contract. Dockery then allegedly inflated Sheridan’s quote by $4,175 so that Sheridan’s winning bid was just under the fake quote. For other construction projects, Sheridan allegedly created and submitted fake quotes that purported to be from two competitor companies. The fake quotes were higher than Sheridan’s winning quotes, and created the illusion of a competitive procurement process. 

These charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Jim O’Brien, Chief Trial Counsel of AG Healey’s White Collar and Public Integrity Division, and Assistant Attorney General Elysa Wan, also of the White Collar and Public Integrity Division. This case was investigated by Kevin Floster and William Bradford of the Inspector General’s Office, Sallyann Nelligan, Director of AG Healey’s Financial Investigations Division, and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Attorney General's Office. The MBTA provided assistance and fully cooperated with the investigation.

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