MELROSE, Mass. — A former Melrose cemetery director conned several people out of tens of thousands of dollars by re-selling burial plots, according to the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office.
FOX25 had the only camera in court Tuesday when John Michael Hughes, 70, faced several charges of larceny over $250 and receiving outside compensation by a municipal employee.
Hughes worked for the city until 2015 and was allegedly selling unused plots owned by the city to unsuspecting buyers.
“As a municipal employee, the defendant was tasked with overseeing the care and maintenance of a cemetery owned by the city of Melrose,” said District Attorney Ryan. “Instead, the defendant allegedly used his position to not only defraud those looking for burial plots, but also the city that had placed its trust in the defendant.”
Hughes started working at the Wyoming Cemetery in Melrose in 2007. Prosecutors say he started re-selling previously sold burial plots in the cemetery at discounted rates. He allegedly split the fund with the people he had pose as sellers – none of whom ever owned the plots that were sold, the DA said.
"I want to assure the citizens of Melrose that these acts were allegedly committed by a rogue individual without any funds ever passing through the City's treasury or auditing departments," the mayor said in a written statement.
Hughes is accused of selling 13 burial plots for about $75,000.
He was released on personal recognizance following the hearing.
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