Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
Former Stoughton water employee faces up to 20 years for tampering with town’s drinking water
Robert J. Bullock, Sr. turned off the pump that introduces chlorine into drinking water in 2022.
A former Stoughton Water Department employee pleaded guilty on Wednesday to tampering with the town’s water supply.
According to the United States District of Massachusetts Department of Justice, Robert J. Bullock, Sr., 60, of Brockton, pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a water system.
According to charging documents, on the evening of Nov. 29, 2022, Bullock went into one of the Water Department’s pumping stations and turned off the pump that introduces chlorine into drinking water. As a result, the water was not disinfected sufficiently before entering the drinking water system.
Bullock also allegedly made false statements to federal investigators about the tampering of the water system.
Advertisement:
It remains unclear why he tampered with Stoughton’s water.
According to the Boston Globe, in a letter to Stoughton residents in 2023, the town manager, Thomas Calter, says the town’s water treatment remained compliant despite the halt of the chlorine pump.
A federal grand jury indicted Bullock on March 5, 2024. U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper scheduled his June 25 sentencing hearing.
The charge of tampering with a water system can lead to a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com