North Andover Man Indicted in Lawrence Mayor Probe
Lenny Degnan is accused of bribery solicitation.
Lenny Degnan of North Andover, former chief of staff to Lawrence Mayor William Lantigua, was indicted Tuesday along with Lawrence's deputy police chief.
Degnan's indictments include: solicitation of a bribe with corrupt intent; knowing solicitation of a bribe; unlawful use of official position; conspiracy; and extortion. Prosecutors allege that in 2009 and 2010, Degnan used his position as Lantigua's chief of staff a trash disposal contractor to donate a trash truck to the Dominican Republic.
“These indictments are the result of a lengthy and continuing investigation conducted by the Essex District Attorney’s Office with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General, and the Massachusetts State Police” Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said in a statement. “The crimes alleged by these indictments represent a serious breach of the public trust.”
Degnan, who resigned as chief of staff in 2011, serves as commissioner of the Greater Lawrence Sanitary District. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Salem District Court Wednesday morning.
Also indicted was Lawrence Deputy Police Chief Melix Bonilla, accused of fraudulently transferring ownership of 13 Lawrence Police vehicles that belonged to an automotive sales agency with a close affiliation to Mayor William Lantigua.