Stoughton Housing Authority Member Charged With Stealing Prescription Drugs from Elderly Residents

From the Norfolk County DA’s office.

Gregory J. Bartlett, 57, a resident of Stoughton and the Executive Director of the town’s Housing Authority pled not guilty in Stoughton District Court today to charges related to allegedly stealing prescription drugs from an elderly resident.

Bartlett pled not guilty to the following: Breaking and Entering in the Daytime to Commit a Felony; Larceny from a Building; Theft of a controlled substance; Larceny of property valued at over $250 from a person over age 60. All four charges are felonies.

Judge Steven Thomas ordered $2,500 cash bail or $25,000 surety, and set conditions of release including that he stay away from and have no contact from the alleged victim of the theft, that he remain drug and alcohol free and submit to random chemical testing, that he not work with the elderly while on bail and that he do no work at the Stoughton Housing Authority.

In requesting bail, Assistant District Attorney Peter Kelly told Judge Stevens that the victim had filled a prescription for 120 opiate pain pills on Dec. 28, 2014. Although the prescription allowed for a dosage of as many as 3 pills a day, the victim normally took only one before bedtime. After taking two nightly doses, a relative of the victim counted the remaining pills and reported finding only 61, rather than the anticipated 118.

The family installed a common video surveillance system in the victim’s unit, with the camera trained at the night stand where the pills were kept, ADA Kelly told the Court. On Wednesday, Dec. 31, the victim kept her habit of attended the weekly prayer meeting organized among residents of Portuguese descent at the Capen Street building where the victim has lived for 20 years. Following the prayer meeting, there were only 46 pills remaining. This prompted the family to review the video surveillance, which led to their contacting the Stoughton Police Department.

SPD’s investigation, including review of that video, led to the arrest of Mr. Bartlett Friday evening, Jan. 2, 2015, at the Stoughton Police Station. Stoughton Police and the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office continue to investigate the facts and circumstances of the case.

Judge Thomas ordered Bartlett to return to court Feb. 18 for pre-trial conference. He is represented by Stoughton defense attorney Paul M. Freitas. Attorney Freitas indicated that he expected Bartlett to post bail today (Jan. 5, 2015).