Union treasurer sentenced after stealing thousands in union funds

By News Staff

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FALL RIVER, MA (WLNE) – A Raynham woman has been sentenced to three years probation after stealing over $60,000 from a public employee’s union over a period of more than half a decade.

Pamela J. Almeida, 55, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a single indictment charging her with larceny over $250.

Almeida, who worked as a clerk for the Easton Planning Board and as Treasurer for the Southeastern Public Employees Association, aroused suspicion in October of 2016 regarding misappropriation of funds from the union’s bank account.

A Police investigation revealed that Almeida regularly drafted checks payable to herself from the SPEA bank account for no legitimate reason. Over the course of more than five years, Almeida wrote 80 checks to herself totaling more than $60,000, taking the funds from accounts meant to pay for legal counsel and fund scholarships for youth in the community.

Assistant District Attorney Michael Scott argued that some period of incarceration was appropriate for Almeida considering the extreme breach of trust and the scope of the theft from over 200 union members, recommending a two year sentence with one to serve.

The DA’s office says Almeida requested a two year probationary term and agreed to pay full restitution.                       

Almedia was sentenced by Judge Raffi Yessayan to a three year probationary term and was ordered to pay $63,729 in restitution to the union. 

 $50,000 of the restitution is to be paid this week and the remaining $13,729 over the term of her probation. 

© WLNE-TV / ABC6 2018