U. S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz.
A Georgetown man and former U.S. Postal Service employee pleaded guilty recently in U.S. District Court in Boston to fraudulently obtaining worker’s compensation for medical travel.
Joseph Bouchard, 67, of Georgetown, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud in obtaining federal employee compensation, according to a statement from U. S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz’s office. U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Marianne Bowler scheduled sentencing for Sept. 14.
“From January, 1986, to December, 2009, Bouchard was employed as a letter carrier in Reading, Mass. While on medical leave from 2008 to 2014, Bouchard submitted dozens of travel vouchers to fitness centers in Lexington, Lynnfield and Bedford for dates when he did not actually use those gyms or used a different gym of closer proximity. Bouchard’s fraudulent submissions totaled approximately $50,000,” the statement reads.
Federal law calls for a sentence of no greater than one year in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of $100,000, or twice the gross gain/loss, whichever is greater, restitution and forfeiture. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris of Ortiz’s Public Corruption and Special Crimes Unit.