Waltham Man Pleads Guilty To $82,000 Larceny Scheme

WALTHAM, MA — A Waltham man pleaded guilty to multiple counts of larceny and fraud against people he knew and was sentenced to three years in state prison and five years of probation and mental health treatment when he gets out, the district attorney's office announced today.

“The defendant used a securities fraud scheme to steal more than $82,600 from multiple individuals, including a senior citizen, a girlfriend, neighbor and a former employer in a direct violation of the trust the victims had placed in him. The fact the defendant was stealing money from those he trusted makes this crime all the more disturbing," said Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan in a statement.

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In 2010 Porter solicited and obtained thousands of dollars in investments and loans for, a company he claimed to have formed.

He then provided unsuspecting people - many of whom he knew closely - with documents that purported to be “partnerships agreements” containing false information about who was investing, what the investment amounts were, stock certificates, and a “guarantee” that investors could get their money back upon demand. Once investors provided the money, Porter deposited the funds into a bank account for his personal use.

Porter also began writing forged checks in 2013. In one instance he deposited into his account a $9,000 forged check payable to himself drawn on his girlfriend’s account. In another situation, Porter forged a check worth $20,000 to pay someone whose family had given Porter money for his securities fraud scheme.

Ryan announced that Beryl Porter, 61, of Waltham, pleaded guilty to larceny over $250 from a person over the age of 60, six counts of larceny over $250, four counts of uttering forged checks, two counts of failure to appear in court, one count of securities fraud and one count of being a common and notorious thief. Judge Peter Krupp sentenced the defendant to three years to three years and one day in state prison, and then an additional five years probation when he is released and ordered the defendant to have no contact with the victims, undergo mental health treatment and pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a future hearing.

“With this plea the defendant has taken responsibility for the financial crimes he perpetrated against those he knew,” said District Attorney Ryan. "It serves as a reminder that, more often than not, scams are carried out by people known to the victim.”

Porter was indicted by a Middlesex County Grand Jury on May 28, 2015 and arraigned on June 17, 2015. On July 12, 2016, he failed to appear in Middlesex Superior Court and a default warrant was issued for his arrest. The Middlesex County Sheriff’s Warrant Apprehension Unit in Natick arrested him again in January this year. Following his return to Court then, Porter was found to have violated his bail conditions and was held without bail.

District Attorney's office encourages anyone who believes they have been a victim of a scam to speak up, tell someone and report the crime to a law enforcement authority.

Photo of Waltham Police cruiser by Jenna Fisher/Patch