Lowell Man Arrested, Indicted For Allegedly Running A Charitable Donation Scam In Woburn

WOBURN, MA -- A Lowell man was arrested for the third time this year on charges that he posed as a representative collecting donations for charity to steal from local businesses. Zachary Noonan, 25, of Lowell, was arraigned in Middlsex Superior Court Friday on three counts of larceny over $250 . Middlesex District Attorney Marissa Ryan's office alleges Noonan stole more than $76,000 over a three-year period.

Noonan's scam was originally uncovered by Woburn Police in February, when a manager at the Stop & Shop in Woburn, whichhad made a $100 donation to the “The Volunteer Fireman,” attempted to contact the organization through a website and phone number allegedly provided by the defendant. The victim discovered that the phone number was disconnected and there was actually no website.

Noonan was arrested in March and was arraigned again on the charges in June.

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The District Attorney's office said Noonan worked for The Volunteer Firemen, a legitimate charity that solicited donations and sold advertising space to benefit non-profit organizations. When Noonan left that job he kept contact information to solicit donations for false charities that he set up to intentionally sound like legitimate charity organizations. The names Noonan allegedly used included "The Jimmy Fund for Kids," "Volunteer Fireman," "New England Wounded Veterans," "New England Hunger Assoc." and "Northeast Amateur Athletic Union."

Members of Middlesex Sheriff's Office Warrant Apprehension Unit and Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section arrested Noonan Thursday without incident. The DA's office alleges Noonan collected $76,000 over a three year period and that none of the funds were used for charitable purposes.

Clerk Magistrate Matthew Day ordered Noonan held on $100 cash bail and ordered him to stay away from victims in the case. If he makes bail, he will be placed outfitted with a GPS bracelet. Noonan is due back in court on October 25, 2017.

Two years ago, police in Nashua, N.H. arrested Noonan and charged him with second-degree assault after he choked a woman and threatened to kill her. While awaiting trial on those charges, Noonan was arrested for violating terms of his release and bail, including charges of violating a protective order, stalking, and domestic violence-stalking.

Patch file photo by Nashua, N.H. Police Department.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).