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April 9, 2008

Ex-W. Warwick official pleads no contest to ethics charges

The former head of the West Warwick Economic Development Commission today pleaded no contest to three counts of ethics violations stemming from paying a town official to speed up local building projects.

A statewide grand jury indicted Robert B. Boyer, a self-employed land surveyor who has no prior criminal record, a year ago on eight counts of bribing a public official. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the bribery counts were amended to three misdemeanor counts of violating the state ethics code.

Police say that from late 2005 through 2006, Boyer gave the official ––Stephen D. Murray, who was working with police –– between $300 and $500 on eight occasions.

Boyer, 71, was sentenced to 1 year home confinement followed by two years of probation, during which he must also complete 100 hours of community service, according to court records. He was also fined $1,000, and he forfeited $2,800 that police seized during his arrest.

The state police began its investigation of Boyer after Jeanne-Marie DiMasi, then president of the Town Council, made sweeping accusations of "shady dealings," and corrupt town practices during a Nov. 1, 2005, Town Council meeting.

Boyer was arrested in September 2006.

Boyer was also a member of the governing board of the Kent County Water Authority, and owner of Boyer Associates –– a company that worked with developers on revitalization projects.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post incorrectly described the three charges Boyer pleaded not contest to.

-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Talia Buford

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 4:30 PM | Permalink

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