Published in the December 9, 2016 edition

WOBURN – A one-time confidante and longtime supporter of Mayor Robert J. Dolan was arraigned this week for stealing money from people who thought they were buying lots in the Wyoming Cemetery.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Melrose Chief of Police Michael Lyle announced that John “Mike” Hughes, 70, of Melrose, was arraigned Tuesday in Middlesex Superior Court on larceny charges in connection with an alleged scheme to sell unused cemetery burial plots, owned by the City of Melrose, to unsuspecting buyers.

Hughes, who was the superintendent of the Wyoming Cemetery from 2007 until his retirement last June, was charged with five counts of larceny over $250 and receiving outside compensation by a municipal employee. At one time, Hughes was the main assistant to Dolan.

Clerk Magistrate Michael Sullivan released Hughes on personal recognizance. The next scheduled hearing in this case is Jan. 9.

“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.”

Lyle said, “These charges are extremely disturbing, as this suspect was the Superintendent of Wyoming Cemetery and allegedly plotted to take advantage of vulnerable residents during a sensitive time in their lives. I would like to commend the work of the Melrose Police Department detectives for their dedication and diligence during this case.”

According to Ryan’s office, beginning in 2011 Hughes allegedly began telling individuals looking to buy burial plots for later use, that they could purchase previously sold burial plots within the cemetery at discounted rates. The defendant then allegedly set up straw sellers for individuals to pay for the burial plots and the defendant would then split the funds with the straw sellers, none of whom owned the plots that were sold.

None of the straw sellers, Dolan’s office made clear this week, “were, or had ever been, employees of the City of Melrose and were not otherwise affiliated with the City of Melrose.”

Hughes is alleged to have sold 13 burial plots, thereby diverting funds from the City of Melrose and netting approximately $75,000.

This case was investigated by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and the Melrose Police Department with the cooperation of the City of Melrose.

The prosecutors assigned to this case are Assistant District Attorney Doug Cannon and Assistant District Attorney Cyrus Chung.

Dolan issued a statement Monday that read:

“I was shocked and saddened when I learned that the former superintendent of Wyoming Cemetery had been accused of betraying the trust of the citizens of Melrose.

“The day I was advised that this individual was potentially engaging in criminal activity, I immediately called Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan. From that moment an investigation commenced, with which we fully cooperated. I would like to commend District Attorney Ryan and her staff as well as the Melrose Police Department for their thoroughness and professionalism in conducting this investigation as we seek justice for the citizens of Melrose.

“Let me be clear that these actions were conducted outside of any policy or procedure of the Wyoming Cemetery and the City Treasury.

“As Mayor, 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.

“I also want to commend my staff and the members of the Wyoming Cemetery Committee for their tireless efforts to preserve the integrity of the cemetery, which is the most sacred land in the City. We have personally reached out to the families who were impacted by these alleged crimes. This is a very difficult time for these affected families and for all of us.

“The individual responsible has now been charged and I am confident that justice will be served for the citizens of Melrose,” Dolan concluded.

All families will be able to keep the lots in the cemetery they purchased from Hughes, the Weekly News learned.