Mass. Supreme Court suspends Middlesex elected official

BOSTON -- The state's highest court has ordered Middlesex County Register of Probate John Buonomo be suspended without pay as he faces criminal charges that he stole thousands of dollars from copy and cash machines at the Registry of Deeds.

The Supreme Judicial Court on Wednesday said the order will remain in force until the Committee on Professional Responsibility for Clerks of the Courts concludes any probe of the 56-year-old Buonomo.

The committee filed a motion asking the court to suspend Buonomo after he was charged with 18 counts of breaking and entering into a depository, eight counts of theft of public property by a county officer and eight counts of larceny under $250.

Buonomo has pleaded not guilty and was previously placed on unpaid leave.

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