Five people arrested for falsifying MBTA track inspection records, US Attorney says
Brian Pfaffinger, 47, of Marshfield; Ronald Gamble, 62, of Dorchester; Jensen Vatel, 42, of Brockton; Nathalie Mendes, 53, of New Bedford; and Andy Vicente, 36, of Bridgewater have been indicted for falsification of records, aiding and abetting; and false statements, aiding and abetting, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement.
Pfaffinger, Gamble, Vatel, Mendes and Vicente were arrested Thursday morning and were expected to appear in federal court in Boston later Thursday.
Boston 25 has reached out to the MBTA for comment on the arrests.
According to the charging documents, Gamble, Vatel, Mendes and Vicente were former MBTA track inspectors.
Rather than complete inspections, prosecutors said during the period between Sept. 3, 2024 to Oct. 15, 2024, Gamble, Vatel, Mendes and Vicente allegedly falsified track inspection reports, which stated that they completed track inspections for Red Line tracks when they did not perform the inspections.
Prosecutors allege that instead, at the time of the inspections, Gamble, Vatel, Mendes and Vicente were inside Cabot Yard, an MBTA location that contained a coffee and breakroom for Red Line inspection employees.
Cabot Yard also contained a large garage where Gamble, Vatel and Vicente allegedly worked on private vehicles during work hours, prosecutors said.
On Sept. 19, 2024, during the time that Vicente allegedly performed a track inspection, video surveillance depicted Vicente (circled in red below) sitting inside of Cabot Garage holding his cellular phone, prosecutors said.
On Sept. 23, 2024, during the time that Mendes allegedly performed a track inspection, video surveillance depicted Mendes (circled in red below) sitting inside her vehicle. Mendes allegedly did not leave her vehicle until well after her inspection ended.
On Sept. 24, 2024, during the time that Vatel allegedly performed a track inspection, video surveillance depicted Vatel (circled in red below) chatting with other MBTA employees in the parking lot outside of Cabot Garage.
On Oct. 8, 2024, during the time that Gamble allegedly performed a track inspection, video surveillance depicted Gamble (circled in red below) performing detail work on a private vehicle inside of Cabot Garage.
Pfaffinger, the former supervisor for Gamble, Vatel, Mendes and Vicente, allegedly not only knew that his subordinates worked on private vehicles during work hours, but had his subordinates work on his own vehicle, prosecutors allege.
On Oct. 14, 2024, Gamble created an inspection report alleging he conducted an inspection, but surveillance video showed that Gamble was inside of Cabot Garage with Pfaffinger, prosecutors said.
Despite knowing that the inspection report was false, and that Gamble was at Cabot Garage on Oct. 14, 2024, the following day, Pfaffinger allegedly created supporting documentation for Gamble's Oct. 14, 2024, inspection, which he knew to be false, prosecutors said.
If convicted of the charge of falsification of records and aiding and abetting the falsification of records, Pfaffinger, Gamble, Vatel, Mendes and Vicente face a sentence of up to 20 years in prison to be followed by up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
If convicted of the charge of false statements and aiding and abetting false statements, Pfaffinger, Gamble, Vatel, Mendes and Vicente face a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
Thursday's arrests came one day after former Norfolk County Sheriff's Deputy Superintendent Thomas Brady was arrested and charged with extortion.
Brady, 53, of Norwood, is accused of forcing his subordinates to perform free labor at his house during their public work shifts, Foley said Wednesday.
He has been indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts of extortion and three counts of use of interstate facilities to commit bribery and extortion.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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