Former parks and rec official of Mass. town pleads guilty to stealing $125K

A former parks and recreation director for the town of Medfield pled guilty to stealing $125,000 from the town, including cash from the public pond and funds from reselling the town’s youth sports equipment.

Kevin Ryder, 51, was the director of Medfield’s parks and recreation department between 2014 until August 2022, according to a release from Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s office. Medfield, a town of around 12,000, is a southwest suburb of Boston.

Ryder was indicted in 2023 on four counts of larceny over $1200 by scheme, one count of larceny under $1200, accepting illegal gratuities, and two counts of use of official position to secure an unwarranted privilege, the AGO said. He pled guilty to all eight counts in Norfolk Superior Court, the AG said Thursday.

The AGO launched their investigation when the Town of Medfield, which cooperated with the investigation, reported that Ryder failed to turn over cash from his department. 

Ryder was accused of stealing cash from the entrance fees and concessions at Medfield’s Hinkley Swim Pond, according to the AGO. The investigation also showed that Ryder purchased personal items through the town’s Amazon business account, including to benefit his side business reselling electronic devices on eBay.

The former town leader also sold thousands of dollars worth of youth sports equipment purchased by Medfield, sometimes at a small mark-up, according to the AGO. He kept all of the proceeds for himself.

Ryder allegedly schemed more than $16,000 through a kickback program, the AGO alleged. Ryder’s department sponsored an exercise program at a local gym, through which he received a financial kickback representing 50 percent of the gym’s profits.

Ryder was sentenced to two and a half years in jail and was ordered to pay restitution to the town. He is also ordered to refrain from holding a fiduciary job while on probation.

The Town of Medfield did not return a request for comment Sunday evening.

Molly Farrar

Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime, and more.