Hughesville, MD – Charles County Sheriff’s investigators assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division have charged Eric Bernard Riley, 51, of Hughesville in connection with the theft of more than $10,000 worth of cleaning products and supplies while he was serving as the Custodial Superintendent of Charles County facilities.
In June 2015, Charles County Government officials notified the CCSO about a possible theft scheme involving Mr. Riley. An immediate investigation was launched and detectives subsequently determined Riley had been stealing cleaning products.
Investigators established Riley altered purchase orders by slightly increasing the number of items needed at each facility or by switching out the types of products listed on the purchase order for items he could sell at discounted prices from his home.
During the investigation, detectives set up surveillance and perused thousands of documents. On Aug. 5, 2015 a search warrant was conducted at Riley’s house in the 14000 block of Shelwick Place in Hughesville. Cases of cleaning supplies, toilet paper, dish soap, and laundry detergent were recovered.
On January 13, a criminal summons was issued charging Riley with theft over $10,000. No other county employees were involved in the thefts.
Det. E. Clark investigated.