BOSTON – The former President of the State Police Association of Massachusetts (SPAM) and the union’s former Massachusetts lobbyist were convicted by a federal jury on Thursday of racketeering, fraud, obstruction of justice and tax crimes.
Dana A. Pullman, 60, of Worcester, and Anne M. Lynch, 71, of Hull, were convicted following a 20-day jury trial of one count of racketeering conspiracy, one count of honest services wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, one count of obstruction of justice and one count of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.
Pullman was also convicted of two additional counts of wire fraud and two counts of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return.
Lynch was convicted of an additional count of obstruction of justice and four counts of aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return.
The judge set sentencing for March 8.
According to federal prosecutors, from at least 2012 to when Pullman resigned as SPAM union president in 2018, defrauded members, and the state. Lynch also paid Pullman a $20,000 kickback in connection with a settlement agreement between the union and the state. The two also defrauded two different companies that sought to do business with the MSP by hiding from the vendors the fact that Lynch was paying Pullman to direct vendors to use Lynch’s services.
Prosecutors also say the defendants hid the payments from Lynch and her lobbying firm to Pullman in a manner designed to avoid reporting and paying taxes on that income to the IRS. Pullman and Lynch also attempted to obstruct the grand jury’s investigation of this matter by manipulating subpoenaed records, and Lynch attempted to obstruct the grand jury’s investigation by lying to investigators.
Pullman also embezzled and misused SPAM funds for personal use by using a debit card tied to a SPAM bank account to pay for thousands of dollars of meals and travel for an individual with whom Pullman was having a romantic relationship.
SPAM is an association consisting of more than 1,500 Troopers and Sergeants from the Massachusetts State Police (MSP). SPAM acts as the exclusive bargaining agent between its members and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts regarding the terms and conditions of SPAM members’ employment. Pullman, who was an MSP trooper from 1987 to 2018, was the President of SPAM from 2012 until his resignation on Sept. 28, 2018. Lynch’s lobbying firm represented SPAM during the same time period.
The charges of racketeering conspiracy and fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater.
The charge of obstruction of justice provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater.
The charge of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison and fine of $100,000
