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Aug 7, 2008 10:08 pm US/Eastern

Elected Official Caught On Tape Banned From Office

Middlesex Register Of Probate Charged With Stealing Thousands Of Dollars

CAMBRIDGE (WBZ) ― An elected official in Middlesex County was banned from his office Thursday, a day after he was arrested and charged with stealing thousands of dollars. Prosecutors say he was caught on tape.

Register of Probate John Buonomo pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Cambridge District Court. He was released on his own recognizance and ordered to return his county keys and to stay away from the Registry of Deeds and the Registry of Probate.

Buonomo is accused of repeatedly stealing money from copy and cash machines in the Registry of Deeds. He was arrested Wednesday evening after a three month investigation.

Authorities say Buonomo, 56, was caught on surveillance video committing the alleged crimes. Police say the thefts occurred in June, July and August. 
Watch: Theft surveillance video

"It is highly troubling that a public official would engage in the kind of brazen theft of public monies that we allege here," District Attorney Gerry Leone said. "We believe that Mr. Buonomo violated the public's trust by regularly accessing these cash machines without authority and stealing taxpayer money." 
Buonomo's attorney, Michael Natola, says the tapes don't tell the entire story.

According to prosecutors, Buonomo first denied being near the copy and cash machines. They say once he was shown the surveillance video, he admitted being near the machines, but denied stealing money. Prosecutors say Buonomo then admitted taking money, but said it was to buy office supplies.

"I have a defense. I was taking that money to buy supplies for the court because I can't get money any other way for that," Assistant District Attorney John Verney quoted Buonomo as telling state police.

Joan Kenney, a spokeswoman for the Administrative Office of the Trial Court, issued a statement Thursday saying Buonomo had been placed on unpaid leave pending the outcome of the case.

"The Chief Justices are confident in the integrity and capability of the staff in the Register's office to operate effectively and professionally in the absence of Mr. Buonomo," Kenney said.

The thefts were discovered when the Registry of Deeds noticed monthly shortages in receipts received from their copy machines - estimated to be as much as thousands of dollars over a period of months. To catch the culprit, police installed surveillance cameras.

Police say the video shows Buonomo removing stacks of dollar bills, counting the money, and then returning a portion of those bills to the machine while pocketing the rest. Police say he would usually access the machines at the end of the work day.

According to the Registry of Deeds, Buonomo has no authority to access the cash machines or copy machines on the Registry of Deeds side of the building nor does he have the authority to remove money from the machines.

Buonomo is charged with 18 felony counts of breaking and entering into a depository, eight felony counts of theft of public property by a city/town/county officer and eight misdemeanor counts of larceny under $250.

He was first elected in 2000 to finish an unexpired term and was re-elected in 2002 to a full 6-year term. He is up for re-election in November and running unopposed. His attorney said he still plans to run for office.

According to the Secretary of State, the filing deadline for new candidates has passed. Election officials tell WBZ they are sorting through what will happen to that Middlesex County seat.

Buonomo is due back in court next month.

(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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