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John P. McGonigle

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John McGonigle
Sheriff of Middlesex County, Massachusetts
In office
1985–1994
Preceded byEdward Henneberry
Succeeded byBrad Bailey
Personal details
Born1938
Everett, Massachusetts
DiedOctober 27, 2022 (aged 84)
Wakefield, Massachusetts
NationalityAmerican
Political partyDemocratic
OccupationSocial worker
Probation officer
Sheriff

John Patrick McGonigle (1938 – 2022)[1] was an American corrections officer and politician who served as Sheriff of Middlesex County, Massachusetts from 1985 to 1994. He was convicted of tax evasion and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering for demanding kickbacks from two of his deputies.

Early life

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McGonigle graduated from Boston College in 1960 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He earned a bachelor's degree in social work from Simmons College in 1971. He then received a master's in counseling and psychology from BC in 1976.[2]

Career

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McGonigle worked as a juvenile probation officer, rising to the position of assistant chief probation officer of the Cambridge District Court. On January 10, 1985, Governor Michael Dukakis appointed McGonigle to fill the unexpired term of Middlesex County Sheriff Edward Henneberry, who died the month prior. McGonigle, who had never run for public office, was a surprise choice for the position. Dukakis said that the response to McGonigle's candidacy was the most "universally positive" he had seen in his six years as governor and added that he could not find anyone “who doesn't think John McGonigle is not a first rate person".[2] McGonigle was sworn in on January 18, 1985.[3] McGonigle was elected to a full six-year term in 1986, defeating former State Trooper Henry Sullivan 67% to 33%.[4]

Criminal conviction

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In March 1993, The Boston Globe reported that two friends of McGonigle who were figures in a 1988 state investigation of no-show jobs had been hired by McGonigle as deputy sheriffs. On March 18, the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized documents from the three Middlesex County deputy sheriff's offices.[5] On April 8, 1994, McGonigle was indicted on federal charges including racketeering, extortion, conspiracy and filing false tax returns. Prosecutors alleged that between 1986 and 1991, McGonigle extorted $350 a week from his chief deputies.[6]

On April 13, Governor William Weld and Attorney General Scott Harshbarger suspended McGonigle without pay. Weld appointed assistant secretary of public safety and former state representative Robert C. Krekorian as acting sheriff.[7] McGonigle challenged Weld's authority to suspend him. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court found that neither Weld nor Scott Harshbarger had the authority to suspend McGonigle and McGonigle returned to office on July 1, 1994. However, later that day, Chief Justice Paul J. Liacos ordered McGonigle to stay out of office until after the Court ruled on whether or not McGonigle should be permanently removed as sheriff.[8]

On October 12, 1994, McGonigle was found guilty of tax evasion for failing to report money he received from deputy sheriffs. A mistrial was declared on extortion and racketeering charges, as one juror held out against conviction.[9][10] On December 5, 1994, McGonigle pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering. As part of a plea agreement, three counts of extortion were dismissed.[11] On February 8, 1995, he was sentenced to 57-months in prison and fined $10,000.[12][13] He reported to the minimum-security Federal Correctional Institution, Allenwood in May 1995.[14]

On October 21, 2002, the Boston Herald published an article reporting that numerous former public officials that had been convicted of crimes related to their duties, including McGonigle, were receiving pensions in violation of state law.[15] On November 6, 2002, the Massachusetts Attorney General's office ordered the Middlesex County Retirement Board to immediately stop McGonigle's pension benefits.[16] On February 6, 2003, the Middlesex County Retirement Board voted to strip McGonigle of his pension.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "John Mcgonigle". McDonald Funeral Homes. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b Langner, Paul (January 11, 1985). "Career probation officer surprise choice of Dukakis as Middlesex County sheriff". The Boston Globe.
  3. ^ "McGonigle Sworn in as Middlesex Sheriff". The Boston Globe. January 19, 1985.
  4. ^ Langner, Paul (September 17, 1986). "Harshbarger, McGonigle Win in Middlesex Races; Ryan Still Hampden DA". The Boston Globe.
  5. ^ Phillips, Frank (March 20, 1993). "Sheriff targeted by federal probe declines comment". The Boston Globe.
  6. ^ "U.S. says sheriff made deputies pay him". Telegram & Gazette. April 9, 1994.
  7. ^ Phillips, Frank (April 14, 1994). "Weld, AG join to suspend McGonigle Cite little-known section of law". The Boston Globe.
  8. ^ Langner, Paul; Wong, Doris Sue (July 2, 1994). "Sheriff returns, briefly, to office McGonigle appears, is ordered to leave". The Boston Globe.
  9. ^ Radowsky, Judy (October 13, 1994). "McGonigle convicted on tax only; retrial due Mistrial for sheriff on charges of extortion and racketeering". The Boston Globe.
  10. ^ Beals, Jeff (October 14, 1994). "Sheriff Guilty of Tax Evasion". Harvard Crimson. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  11. ^ Rakowsky, Judy (December 6, 1994). "Sheriff admits to racketeering conspiracy McGonigle deal drops some charges". The Boston Globe.
  12. ^ "Middlesex sheriff going to prison". Telegram & Gazette. February 9, 1995.
  13. ^ "Mass. sheriff sentenced on fed charges". UPI. February 8, 1995. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  14. ^ Rakowsky, Judy (May 17, 1995). "Ex-sheriff enters Pa. federal prison". The Boston Globe.
  15. ^ Mulvhill, Maggie; Meyers, Jack; Wells, Jonathan (October 21, 2002). "Crime Pays; Convicted officials rake in pension $$". Boston Herald.
  16. ^ "Retirement board ordered to stop pension for convicted former sheriff". Seacoast Online. November 7, 2002. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  17. ^ Meyers, Jack (February 7, 2003). "Board votes to cut off convicted ex-sheriff's pension". Boston Herald.