Updated: Groton City Employee Charged With Stealing Public Money

Under investigation since June, Groton City Police have now charged a city employee with embezzling public funds; "defrauding a public community."

Donna Peirson, 57, of 8 Florence Court, Mystic, was charged with first-degree larceny. City police said Peirson, the City Parks and Recreation administrative assistant under director Mary Hill, allegedly took more than $2,000 from parks and beach funds.

Zamuhua Moreno-Boyle of the city's human resources department declined to comment on Peirson’s job status.

Patch has a call in to Groton City Police Chief Thomas Davoren for comment on the case. 

Update at 2:50 p.m.

Groton City Police Captain Michael Guillot confirmed Peirson is “no longer on the job.”  He said the theft, in “excess of $2,000,” was “discovered through the finance department,” but declined to elaborate further. That information, he said, will be part of the affidavit which will be available when Peirson is arraigned Aug. 8.

Peirson turned herself in to police Thursday and was released on a written promise to appear, police said.