BOSTON – A local man pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday to being part of a conspiracy to defraud the federal government, including the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).
A U.S. District Court Judge in Boston scheduled sentencing for June for Thomas Bouchard, 60, of Uxbridge, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy and theft of government funds charges.
Bouchard was arrested and charged in July 2020 with a co-defendant, Chantelle Boyd.
Bouchard was the contracting officer for a DOD full-service contracting organization, the U.S. Army Natick Contracting Division.
According to federal prosecutors, Bouchard hired Boyd as an assistant for a “no-show” job from 2014 to 2018. Body performed little if any useful function. The position cost the DOD over $490,000.
Prosecutors say Bouchard and Boyd took multiple trips of between two and 15 days, funded by the government. including 31 trips to Orlando, FL, and other location such as Clearwater Beach, FL, and Safford VA. During many of the trips, the two stayed in the same hotel room, went to Disney parks, and spent time by the pool during business hours. Bouchard also approved and altered false reimbursements to Boyd.
Boyd pleaded guilty to conspiracy, theft of government funds and false declarations in April and will be sentenced in June.
The charge of conspiracy provides a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charges of theft of government funds each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
