Former Middlesex Prosecutor, Accused of Trading Info for Drugs, Pleads Guilty

A former Middlesex County prosecutor, who was indicted earlier this month after allegedly supplying his drug dealer with confidential information in exchange for prescription pills in 2011, has pleaded guilty to the charges against him, according to the state Attorney General’s Office.

Stephen M. Gilpatric, 35, of Somerville, pleaded guilty Friday in Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn to the following charges: unlawful gratuity, unlawfully communicating criminal offender record information and receiving unlawful compensation.

Judge Kimberly Budd sentenced Gilpatric to five years probation, according to the Attorney General’s Office. Gilpatric will undergo random drug testing and not be allowed to work in law enforcement as part of his probation, authorities said.

According to authorities, in October 2011, Gilpatric, an assistant district attorney at the time, gave his drug dealer personal information about another man, including his probation record, police report, photograph and other identifying information in return for oxycodone pills. He also provided the dealer and the dealer’s brother with a confidential drug ring organization chart and criminal record in hopes of receiving pills, authorities said.

In addition, he was accused of taking $1,500 from a mother who wanted her son’s commercial driver’s license reinstated after it had been revoked in a criminal case.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan released the following statement Friday after Gilpatric’s sentencing:

“While it may be true that addictions lead people to make bad decisions and that addictions occur in people in all walks of life, people who have the privilege of serving as Assistant District Attorneys hold positions of trust and have no excuse for releasing confidential information. Every Assistant District Attorney in this office is fully aware that in no situation, under no circumstances, and under no amount of personal stress, may he or she release confidential information to anyone not authorized to receive it.”

Gilpatric served as a Middlesex County assistant district attorney for seven years, until this past October when the Attorney General’s Office began its investigation into his conduct. He most recently worked on public corruption, white-collar crime and major narcotics cases.

The Attorney General’s Office said it received the “full cooperation” of the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office throughout the investigation. The office said no evidence suggested that Gilpatric provided information related to any cases he was personally investigating or prosecuting.

Gilpatric allegedly spent hundreds of dollars a week to fuel his drug addiction.