(CNN) — A man accused of peppering homes and business with rubber ducks and fake $100 bills bearing messages supporting Karen Read now faces criminal charges — the latest twist in a high-profile case that has deeply divided a Boston suburb.
Richard Schiffer Jr. is charged with witness intimidation, criminal harassment and littering for his alleged role in the incidents, the Stoughton District Court told CNN. He was set to appear in court today in the criminal matter, which some area residents are calling “Duckgate.”
Read is accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, by striking him with her Lexus SUV and leaving him outside to die in a blizzard in January 2022. His battered body was found in the snow outside the Canton home of a fellow Boston police officer.
Read’s attorneys argue she was framed as part of a conspiracy to protect people at the Fairview Road house that night. They allege someone inside the home fatally beat O’Keefe, dumped his body on the lawn and then conspired through fabricated evidence and false testimony to frame Read.
Read has pleaded not guilty and her trial ended in a mistrial in July. A retrial is set to begin in January.
The case has spawned a rabid group of supporters who believe Read is innocent. Some have held protests outside the courthouse, carrying signs saying “Free Karen Read,” while others have taken more extreme measures.
Aidan Kearney, a Massachusetts blogger nicknamed Turtleboy, pleaded not guilty in October 2023 to charges of witness intimidation and conspiracy after he allegedly called and sent messages to witnesses and investigators in Read’s case.
And in a recent statement of facts, Canton police accused Schiffer of leaving rubber ducks and fake currency with messages outside homes and businesses belonging to key witnesses in the case.
Under Massachusetts law, witness intimidation is a felony and carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
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