METHUEN, Mass. — Former Methuen Police Chief Joseph Solomon pleaded guilty to 17 criminal charges stemming from an investigation into his use of authority within the Methuen Police Department, including the appointment of unqualified officers and conduct involving civil service requirements and police credentials.
Solomon entered the guilty pleas in Essex Superior Court on September 18, 2026, according to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. He was sentenced to two and a half years in the House of Correction, with 30 days to serve and the remaining sentence suspended for three years.
As part of the resolution, Solomon will also lose his City of Methuen pension, license to carry a firearm and private investigator’s license, according to Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell’s office.
Solomon Pleads Guilty to 17 Charges
According to the Attorney General’s Office, Solomon pleaded guilty to:
- Two counts of perjury by written affidavit
- Seven counts of obtaining unwarranted privileges in violation of civil service laws
- Six counts of civil service law violations
- One count of uttering a forged document
- One count of procurement fraud
The City of Methuen said the convictions include 11 felony counts and six misdemeanor civil service violations. Solomon received three years of probation on the felony convictions, according to Mayor D.J. Beauregard’s office.
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Investigation Focused on Appointment of Part-Time Officers
The criminal case followed a joint investigation by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and Essex County District Attorney’s Office.
According to prosecutors, Solomon hired six part-time intermittent officers and subsequently placed them into full-time positions despite their not being qualified for those positions under applicable civil service requirements.
The Attorney General’s Office said Solomon also attempted to create the impression that one of those officers, Sean Fountain, had graduated from a police academy when he had not.
Prosecutors said Solomon identified Fountain as a civil service officer in annual reports required under state law.
Fountain separately pleaded guilty to forgery, uttering a forged document, perjury, procurement fraud and a conflict-of-interest law violation and was sentenced to three years of probation, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
2023 Indictments Followed Joint Investigation
Solomon and Fountain were indicted by a statewide grand jury in September 2023 following an investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Office in cooperation with the Essex County District Attorney’s Office.
At the time, prosecutors alleged Solomon circumvented civil service laws by deploying part-time intermittent officers into full-time positions and engaged in subsequent efforts related to Fountain’s police-training credentials.
Those allegations were pending criminal charges at the time of the indictments. Solomon’s September 2026 guilty pleas resolve the criminal charges against him.
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Earlier Investigation Examined Methuen Police Contracts
Solomon had previously come under scrutiny following an investigation by the Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General into employment and collective-bargaining contracts involving the Methuen Police Department.
The Inspector General reported that contracts approved in 2017 contained compensation provisions affecting Solomon and senior-ranking members of the department.
According to the Inspector General, changes made to the superior officers’ contract could have resulted in salary increases ranging from 35% to 183% for superior officers. The office also found Solomon knew about unapproved compensation language in the contract and remained silent despite the changes indirectly increasing his own compensation.
The Inspector General further reported that Solomon represented the city during negotiations involving contracts that affected his compensation.
Following release of the Inspector General’s report in December 2020, then-Mayor Neil Perry placed Solomon on paid administrative leave. Solomon announced his retirement in January 2021.
Pension Forfeiture Could Save Methuen Millions
Solomon’s guilty plea carries substantial financial consequences.
Mayor Beauregard said forfeiture of Solomon’s city pension is expected to reduce Methuen’s unfunded pension liability by approximately $3.7 million over the next 20 years.
The city also intends to explore available legal avenues to recover approximately $1 million in pension benefits that officials say Solomon has received since his retirement.
The mayor’s statements describe those figures as projected savings and potential recoveries. Recovery of previously paid pension benefits will depend on the legal process pursued by the city.
Officials Respond to Guilty Pleas
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell said communities depend on police chiefs to make decisions concerning public safety and said Solomon had misused his authority by elevating officers who were not qualified for the positions they received.
Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker said his office would not tolerate criminal conduct by individuals entrusted with enforcing the law and characterized the plea as a measure of accountability for Methuen residents.
Mayor Beauregard separately criticized the length of Solomon’s incarceration, saying he believed 30 days was insufficient given the conduct involved. According to Beauregard, prosecutors advised city officials that additional jail time was not available through the negotiated resolution.
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Mayor Calls for Renewed Federal Investigation
Beauregard has also called for federal authorities to revisit a previously closed investigation involving Solomon and potentially other individuals.
According to the mayor, the federal investigation was closed in late 2024 without charges or what he characterized as a meaningful public explanation.
Beauregard has asked federal prosecutors to review Solomon’s convictions and determine whether additional federal investigation or charges involving Solomon or others would be warranted.
The mayor’s request does not establish that additional criminal conduct occurred or that federal prosecutors will reopen the investigation. No additional federal charges were identified in the publicly available information reviewed for this report.
Current Status
As of September 22, 2026:
- Joseph Solomon has pleaded guilty to all 17 criminal charges filed against him.
- He was sentenced to two and a half years in the House of Correction, with 30 days to serve and the remaining sentence suspended for three years.
- He received three years of probation on the felony convictions, according to the City of Methuen.
- He will lose his City of Methuen pension, license to carry a firearm and private investigator’s license.
- Methuen officials say the pension forfeiture could reduce the city’s unfunded pension liability by approximately $3.7 million over 20 years.
- The city intends to pursue potential recovery of approximately $1 million in pension payments previously made to Solomon.
- Mayor D.J. Beauregard has publicly requested that federal authorities reopen an earlier investigation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What did former Methuen Police Chief Joseph Solomon plead guilty to?
Solomon pleaded guilty to 17 charges: two counts of perjury by written affidavit, seven counts of obtaining unwarranted privileges in violation of civil service laws, six civil service law violations, one count of uttering a forged document and one count of procurement fraud.
How much jail time will Joseph Solomon serve?
Solomon was sentenced to two and a half years in the House of Correction. Thirty days are to be served, with the balance suspended for three years.
Will Solomon lose his police pension?
Yes. State and city officials have said Solomon will forfeit his City of Methuen pension as a consequence of the convictions.
What happened with the officers Solomon appointed?
State investigators determined that Solomon placed six part-time intermittent officers into full-time positions even though they did not meet applicable qualifications for those positions under civil service requirements.
Was another Methuen police officer charged?
Yes. Former officer Sean Fountain was separately charged over representations and documentation concerning his police-training credentials. The Attorney General’s Office said Fountain later pleaded guilty to five charges and received three years of probation.
Is there still a federal investigation?
According to Mayor Beauregard, an earlier federal investigation was closed in late 2024. The mayor has publicly requested that federal authorities reopen the matter. The mayor’s request does not mean that an investigation has been reopened or that additional charges will be filed.
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