North Reading Man Pleads Guilty To Embezzlement of School Athletic Fund

A North Reading man who was president of a North Reading athletic boosters association pleaded guilty to embezzlement charges in Woburn District Court on Tuesday.

John Norton, 69, pleaded guilty on the charge of embezzlement by an association officer over $250.

Judge Stacey Fortes sentenced Norton to 11 months in the House of Correction, which was deemed served.

In May of 2014, the North Reading Police Department began an investigation of Norton’s role in the management of the North Reading Athletic Boosters, an association that funded North Reading school athletic programs, where he served as president. Upon further investigation, police learned that between December 2013 and June of 2014, unauthorized funds were withdrawn from the NRAB.

Police discovered that Norton had withdrawn approximately $10,000 in cash from the Booster’s club account; approximately $5,000 was deposited in cash into Norton’s personal account on the same day or consecutive days over a six month period.

“In this case the defendant took advantage of student athletes and donors to this organization,” said Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan. “Mr. Norton was entrusted with managing funds that were meant to benefit the North Reading community, and instead he chose to take advantage of confidence that the public had placed in him.”

The North Reading Police Department and Middlesex District Attorney’s Office investigated this incident.

“This was a very unfortunate case from the start, in which a longtime community resident stole money directly from the hands of the children he was tasked with aiding,” Police Chief Michael Murphy said. “I am proud of the work done by the North Reading Police Department, and I wish to thank the prosecutors from the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office for bringing this case to a successful conclusion.”

The prosecutor assigned to this case was Assistant District Attorney Tommy Noda.