Former Methuen Police Chief Joseph E. Solomon will begin serving 30 days in jail after, as expected, he pleaded guilty Friday to 17 charges, including hiring part-time intermittent officers and unlawfully appointing them to full-time jobs.
As WHAV reported earlier this month, Solomon entered into a plea deal where he would plead guilty in Essex Superior Court to two counts of perjury by written affidavit, seven counts of obtaining unwarranted privileges in violation of the civil service laws, six counts of civil service law violations, uttering a forged document and procurement fraud. Solomon was sentenced to two and a half years in prison with 30 days to serve and lose his city pension, license to carry a firearm and private investigator’s license.
“Massachusetts communities rely on their police chiefs to make the best decisions for the safety and security of residents. Former Chief Solomon broke that trust by misusing his authority to elevate unqualified officers, putting residents’ wellbeing at risk,” said Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, who brought the case with Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker.
Tucker said, “As a former chief of police myself, and as the chief law enforcement officer of Essex County, let me be clear: misuse of any position of authority erodes the public’s trust and is unacceptable. My office will always seek to hold individuals accountable. The former chief of police pleading guilty to 17 charges along with a period of incarceration is a resolution that ensures accountability.”
The case centered on Solomon using his position to hire former Methuen City Council President Sean Fountain as a reserve-intermittent officer in violation of civil service law and helped deceive officials into believing Fountain graduated from a police academy when he did not. A March 27, 2023 report by STIRM Group President Lawrence P. Smith into the credentials concluded the document is fake. Fountain previously pled guilty to forgery, uttering a forged document, perjury, procurement fraud and a conflict-of-interest law violation and was sentenced to three years of probation.
Inspector General Jeffrey S. Shapiro, whose predecessor, Glenn A. Cunha, concluded a Methuen police contact with generous raises was a “failure of leadership at all levels,” reacted to the guilty plea.
“Much of the conduct that formed the basis of the charges to which the former chief plead guilty was detailed in a report issued by the Office of the Inspector General almost six years ago. So-called public servants who enrich themselves at the expense of the people they swear an oath to serve must be held to account, no matter how long it takes. This is a good day for the people of Methuen and for those individuals who serve the public with honor and integrity,” Shapiro said.
Methuen Mayor David P. “D.J.” Beauregard Jr., who previously said he would have preferred Solomon receive a longer jail term, said Friday, “Such criminal actions put everyone’s public safety in jeopardy and were a severe and unacceptable breach of the public trust.” The mayor also lashed out against false claims perpetuated on social media.
“From this point forward there can be no further doubt or credible social media chatter claiming his innocence. Solomon did commit these heinous crimes contrary to his duty and in breach of the public trust, and he, by his own admissions, is guilty, and deserves the punishments he is receiving today.”
Beauregard also called on U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley to reopen a federal investigation and determine whether federal charges are now also warranted “against Solomon any others involved in the many breaches of the public trust that occurred during that time.”