FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) — A retired Massachusetts State Police lieutenant who has denied stealing holiday pay claimed to be working while he was on a cruise, according to court documents.

David Andrade, 47, of Westport, is accused of stealing over $11,500 in holiday pay he had not earned, including a period he claimed pay for when he was allegedly on his way to Bermuda, the Boston Herald reported on Monday.

Andrade was released on personal recognizance after pleading not guilty Friday in Fall River Superior Court to larceny and violation of public employee standards of conduct.

Andrade submitted claims for payment for 22 holidays from August 2018 to August 2019 that he didn’t earn, prosecutors said. He then covered up his scheme by falsifying entries on attendance calendars to make it look like he worked days he actually took off, they said.


An attorney for Andrade did not return the Herald’s request for comment Monday.