The following is a statement from Carver Marion Wareham Regional Refuse Disposal District Committee Chairman Stephen M. Cushing about the civil lawsuit against former top disposal district officials Ray Pickles and Robert Tinkham:
“The Carver, Marion, Wareham Regional Refuse Disposal District (CMWRRDD) Committee met in executive session Wednesday night, April 9, and voted to drop a civil lawsuit against all parties involved in the alleged larceny of funds from the Disposal District.
“The difficult decision was made after the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office recently dropped its criminal case against all defendants following the death of former Disposal District executive director and Marion Town Clerk Ray Pickles, the primary suspect in the case.
“Due to these factors, the Committee was advised by its legal counsel that the cost of continued civil litigation against the remaining defendants would cost more than the District would likely be able to recover if the lawsuit was successful.
“In March 2019, the Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General announced indictments against Pickles and Robert Tinkham, another former top official of the CMWRRDD. The indictment accused Pickles of stealing more than $610,000 of reimbursed funds from the District over six years and Tinkham of stealing more than $65,000. The reimbursed funds were not taxpayer monies, but came from an agreement with Covanta SEMASS, the company that processes the waste of the three communities.”
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