A Massachusetts police officer has admitted to taking money from a nonprofit fund he helped create, but he said he did it to feed his children.
Martin Rose, 36, an officer with the Winchendon Police Department, is accused of stealing more than $6,000 from the Winchendon Police Association, a union fund.
"What I did was wrong," Rose told ABC affiliate WCVB.
"There [are] other alternatives I should have used," Rose said, noting he took the money to help pay for family expenses such as food and oil for his family of seven children. He told WCVB that he recently got divorced and is going through a hard time.
He reportedly took the money over a period of three years starting in July 2010, and though he showed WCVB a check slip proving he has paid back a lump sum of $6,806.40, he now faces larceny charges.
The Winchendon Police Department declined to comment on Rose's case when contacted by ABC News. The investigation had been assigned to Massachusetts State Police, which is working with the Worcester County District Attorney's office.
Rose resigned on Aug. 27 and Massachusetts State Police began investigating discrepancies in the union's fund less than a month later, according to WCVB.
Rose is scheduled to be arraigned on Dec. 4 and is facing larceny charges of over $250, the amount stipulated by Massachusetts law, according to Tim Connelly, director of communications at the Worcester County District Attorney's office.
"Anything we have to say about this charge we will say about in open court," Connelly said today.
Rose told WCVB that he was sorry for what he did.
"I'm not proud of what I did," Rose told WCVB. "I am ashamed and I do apologize sincerely."
Attempts to reach Rose by ABC News were unsuccessful.