Groton — A former maintenance manager for Lanmar Aviation at the Groton-New London Airport recently was arrested on accusations of embezzling more than $26,000 from the company.

Daniel Carmody, 38, of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, turned himself in on a warrant at the Troop E barracks in Montville on Dec. 15. He was charged with first-degree larceny.

On Jan. 24, 2013, state police were dispatched to 151 Tower Hill Ave in Groton to investigate a larceny complaint. Police said they spoke to James Edwards, the general manager of Lanmar Aviation, who suspected Carmody of embezzling money from the company.

Edwards said Carmody was the company's maintenance manager from August 2012 to January 2013.

Edwards said on Jan. 1, 2013, he received a text message from Carmody, saying his father was ill and that he would be absent from work. On Jan. 6, Edwards learned that Carmody's father had passed away and that he needed additional time off, the warrant said.

Edwards said that on Jan. 10, Carmody failed to show up to work as promised.

Carmody texted Edwards on Jan. 14, saying he was resigning as maintenance manager but had planned on securing any open maintenance work. Carmody said he would call Edwards as soon as possible, but Edwards said he never heard from Carmody again.

Edwards said he learned Carmody was billing Lanmar Aviation for services performed by a consulting vendor identified as Compass Aerospace Group. A website that has since been taken offline listed Carmody as the owner and president of Compass.

Edwards also told police that, after reviewing records and speaking to employees in the maintenance department, he learned Carmody had been writing checks payable to himself for parts that allegedly were purchased from Compass Aerospace Group. Records also showed Carmody was sending invoices to Lanmar Aviation for work that Compass Aerospace purportedly performed.

Edwards said he discovered that on Dec. 6, 2012, Lanmar Aviation received a payment of $17,500. He said that records showed that payment was split and that $7,500 was deposited into an account owned by Compass Aerospace Group.

In all, Edwards said, $26,933.47 was embezzled.

Police learned that Carmody moved to Colorado a few weeks after he said his father passed away. It was not clear when he moved to Maine.

Carmody is out on a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear Tuesday in New London Superior Court.

i.larraneta@theday.com

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