Former Letter Carrier Pleads Guilty to Worker’s Compensation Fraud

BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Service employee pleaded guilty today 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.  U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Marianne Bowler scheduled sentencing for Sept. 14, 2016

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 charging statues provides 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.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Eileen Neff, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General in Boston, made the announcement today.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris of Ortiz’s Public Corruption and Special Crimes Unit.