Dedham veterans official sentenced to house arrest and probation for stealing donations

After stealing thousands of dollars in donations and gifts intended for Dedham veterans groups, William J. Aitken, the town’s former veterans services officer, has been sentenced to one year of house arrest and two years probation.

Aitken had worked as a veterans services officer and parking clerk for the Town of Dedham since 2013 but was terminated after town staff suspected him of stealing a $2,000 check in November 2019 that a local bank had intended to donate to veterans, according to the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. An internal audit confirmed that Aitken had not only stolen the $2,000 but had been stealing cash, checks, and gifts made out to local veterans and widows, authorities said.

Aitken used the money he stole and a municipal credit card to satisfy parking violations, purchase gas and food, and travel. Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey said that he stole roughly $7,000, mostly between 2018 and 2019.

In June 2021, Aitken was indicted on 12 related counts. He pleaded guilty to all counts and was sentenced on March 24 by Norfolk Superior Court Judge Douglas Wilkins.

“The total theft of roughly $7,000 was substantial, but the breach of trust is hard to quantify,” Morrissey said in a statement. “The Commonwealth asked that he be sentenced to 2 years in the house of corrections, followed by 2 years of probation during which time he would make restitution.”

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