Former Portsmouth rec head charged with embezzlement

Portsmouth police have charged that town’s former recreation director with two counts of embezzlement by a public official, six counts of obtaining money under false pretenses and six counts of providing a false document to a public official/employer.

Timothy Dunbar, 42, of 969 West Main Road, Apt. 8502, Middletown, turned himself in Saturday, Nov. and was was released on $5,000 with surety bail following his arraignment.

The investigation into Mr. Dunbar began when Portsmouth Town Administrator Richard Rainer was notified by the finance department of irregularities in the town’s beach receipts. Mr. Rainer ordered an audit of the finance department and referred the investigation to the police department’s detective division. The investigation revealed that Mr. Dunbar embezzled cash from the recreation department's funds and submitted time sheets on six occasions when he was not working.

“I’m very appreciative of the efforts of our town staff and police department for working together to expose this wrongdoing,” Mr. Rainer said in a press release issued Saturday.