Mayor D.J. Beauregard and Police Chief Scott McNamara today released their victim impact statements following the sentencing of former Methuen “police officer” and City Councilor Sean Fountain on December 17, 2025. The presiding judge in Salem Superior Court ruled that the City did not qualify as a victim under Massachusetts law and declined to permit the statements to be delivered aloud in court, despite having requested them during an earlier November hearing. Mayor Beauregard and Chief McNamara submitted their statements on behalf of Methuen’s residents, taxpayers, and law-abiding police officers, highlighting the extensive institutional, financial, and civic harm caused by Fountain’s crimes.
From Mayor Beauregard: “The ‘justice’ system gave Sean Fountain an early Christmas gift - the functional equivalent of a slap on the wrist for massive fraud - and sent a terrible soft-on-crime message that abusing power and violating people’s civil liberties comes with little consequence. Calling Fountain’s crimes essentially victimless is an insult to the intelligence of every Methuen resident. That is why Chief McNamara and I are making our victim impact statements available to the people of Methuen, so the full scope of the harm is not buried or ignored. Given the seriousness of the conduct involved and the astonishing lack of accountability for co-conspirators, I strongly urge U.S. Attorney Leah Foley to closely review this case and determine whether further federal scrutiny is warranted.”
From Chief McNamara: “In the interest of transparency and our unwavering commitment to justice for the citizens of Methuen, Mayor Beauregard and I are making our victim impact statements publicly available. While we respect the judicial process, we remain deeply disappointed in the lenient sentence imposed, which includes no period of incarceration and likely no restitution, despite the severity of Fountain’s crimes and his lack of meaningful cooperation with authorities, as confirmed by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. This outcome raises concerns that his co-conspirators may evade accountability for their most serious offenses, undermining the justice our community deserves. By releasing these statements, we aim to highlight the importance of holding wrongdoers fully accountable and to reaffirm our dedication to protecting Methuen’s residents from such harms in the future.”
In summary, Fountain’s criminal conduct, enabled by others at the highest levels of the Methuen Police Department, constitutes a coordinated criminal conspiracy that directly violated civil liberties, undermined the rule of law, and inflicted profound harm on the City’s residents. By releasing these statements, Mayor Beauregard and Chief McNamara aim to ensure the public record reflects the full scope of wrongdoing and the necessity of holding all responsible parties fully accountable.
Full Victim Impact Statements of Mayor D.J. Beauregard and Chief Scott McNamara.