Former Boston Police Officer Sentenced for Overtime Fraud Scheme

BOSTON – A former Boston Police officer was sentenced today in connection with an investigation of overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department’s evidence warehouse.  

Craig Smalls, 58, of Roxbury, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to two years’ probation. Smalls was also ordered to pay a $16,000 fine as well as $16,252 in restitution. In July 2021, Smalls pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds. 

From at least January 2015 through September 2016, Smalls submitted false and fraudulent overtime slips for overtime hours that he did not work for two overtime shifts at the evidence warehouse. The first, called “purge” overtime, was a 4 – 8 p.m. weekday shift intended to dispose of old, unneeded evidence. The second shift, called “kiosk” overtime, involved driving to each police district in Boston one Saturday a month to collect old prescription drugs to be burned.

For the “purge” shift, Smalls claimed to have worked from 4 – 8 p.m., but he routinely left at 6 p.m., or earlier. For the “kiosk” shift, Smalls submitted overtime slips claiming to have worked eight-and-one-half hours, when in fact he and, allegedly, other members of the unit only worked three-to-four hours of those shifts.

Between January 2015 and September 2016, Smalls personally collected approximately $16,252 for overtime hours he did not work.  

To date, 15 Boston Police officers have been charged in connection with committing overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department’s evidence warehouse. Smalls is the third officer to be sentenced.  

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Russell W. Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Washington Field Office; and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.