Ashland Police Officer Indicted for Destruction of Evidence and Obstruction of Justice

WOBURN– An Ashland Police Officer has been indicted by a Middlesex County Grand Jury in connection with the destruction of evidence and conduct that he engaged in subsequent to that, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan informed the public today.

Edward Pomponio, 50, was indicted on charges of wanton destruction of evidence and obstruction of justice (two counts).

An arraignment date has not yet been set.

"With these charges, we allege that this defendant, a police officer, discarded key drug evidence in a pending criminal case and then tried to intimidate another officer from reporting it," District Attorney Ryan said. "These are troubling allegations that reflect a violation of the public trust placed in all law enforcement officials."

Pomponio, who served as the police department’s evidence officer in July 2011, is alleged to have thrown out critical evidence in an open and active criminal case involving drug charges. Without this evidence, the case could not proceed and had to be dismissed. Following that, he is alleged to have tried to intimidate the officer who had the case from reporting the evidence tampering to officials who would investigate.

These charges are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The prosecutor assigned to this case is Assistant District Attorney Christopher Tarrant of the District Attorney’s Public Protection, Anti-Terrorism, Corruption and Technology (PACT) Unit.