WAREHAM — Two Assonet men were released on personal recognizance at Wareham District Court on Wednesday, Sept. 24, after being arraigned on charges connected to missing parent-teacher organization (PTO) funds, according to clerk’s office staff at the courthouse.
Lakeville Police report the now-former Freetown-Lakeville Middle School PTO treasurer Zachary Granville-Wilmot, 43, of Assonet, was charged with two counts of forgery of a check, two counts of uttering a false check, embezzlement over $250 by an association member, and conspiracy.
A second defendant who is not listed as a Freetown Lakeville Middle School PTO member, James Granville-Wilmot, 41, also of Assonet, was charged with conspiracy, Lakeville police said in their press release.
Two Assonet men face charges in connection with missing Freetown-Lakeville Middle School PTO funds, one of the men being the PTO’s former treasurer. They were arraigned Sept. 24 in Wareham District Court, seen here in a file photo.
According to the release, fraudulent transactions relative to the charges, allegedly made by Zachary Granville-Wilmot in May and June, totaled over $15,000.
What happens now?
Following their arraignments on Wednesday morning, staff at the Wareham District Court clerk’s office reported both men had been released on personal recognizance and are due back in court for a pre-trail hearing on Oct. 31, 2025.
A court document shows both defendents are being represented by Attorney J. Drew Segadelli.
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Freetown-Lakeville officials decline comment
“At this time, this is a legal matter that is still ongoing and I cannot make any comments,” School Committee Chair Jennifer Blum responded to The Standard-Times’ request for comment Tuesday evening. Earlier Tuesday, Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District interim Superintendent Dr. Barbara Starkie had responded similarly, noting “the District has been advised not to comment.”
Attempts to reach Amy Sypher, listed online as FLMS PTO president for 2024-2025, were not succesful.
About Freetown Lakeville Middle School PTO
According to the group’s profile page on nonprofit directory website Propublica.org, the FLMS PTO is designated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that’s been tax exempt since January 2014. No officer is compensated for their service, according to the PTO’s bylaws.
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As listed in the bylaws, responsibilities of the position of treasurer include: maintaining financial records, recieving all PTO funds, paying of bills and to “disburse funds as authorized by the board.”
Though described in the Lakeville police press release as the PTO’s “former” treasurer, Zachary Granville-Wilmot is still listed in the position on the FLMS PTO’s webpage, though its membership listing doesn’t appear to have been updated since the 2024-2025 school year.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: 2 Assonet men arraigned after $15K in PTO funds came up missing