PORTSMOUTH — Retired Portsmouth police officer Dean Outhouse is pleading guilty to embezzling thousands of dollars from the Portsmouth Police Patrolman’s Union, will forfeit his police certification and be placed on New Hampshire’s “Laurie List,” according to his plea deal.

In December, Outhouse, 47, was indicted by a Rockingham County Superior Court grand jury on one count of theft by unauthorized taking, a Class B felony. The Stratham resident was accused of embezzling $17,340.02 from the union between “on or about” July 29, 2019 and “on or about” June 21, 2022.

Portsmouth police Chief Mark Newport previously said Outhouse was serving as the treasurer of the patrolman’s union at the time of his retirement from the department in July 2022.

Outhouse filed his notice of intention to plead guilty to the charge this month, court records show. His fully negotiated plea calls for a yearlong term in the county jail to be suspended for one year pending good behavior, as well as for Outhouse to pay back the full $17,340.02 in restitution.

Outhouse will be placed in New Hampshire’s exculpatory evidence schedule for state police officers with known misconduct on their records and credibility issues, formerly known as the “Laurie List,” according to his plea deal. He will also be required to surrender his police certification, will be added to a national registration of decertified police officers and is barred from police employment in the future.

The felony theft by unauthorized taking charge was punishable by upwards of 3.5 to 7 years in jail and a maximum $4,000 fine.

Outhouse did not immediately return a request for comment Thursday. He is free on personal recognizance bail, according to his bail order.

A plea and sentencing hearing for Outhouse is scheduled for Feb. 28 at 9 a.m. at the Rockingham County Superior Court in Brentwood. Judge Andrew R. Schulman will preside.

Outhouse had been scheduled to be arraigned on Friday, Jan. 19 at 1 p.m. in Brentwood. The court appearance was canceled after the plea agreement.

The case is being prosecuted by Joe Fincham of the New Hampshire attorney general’s office, according to court records.

Attorney James Rosenberg is representing Outhouse. He also did not immediately return a request for comment Thursday, nor did Portsmouth police detective and patrolman’s union president Erik Widerstrom.

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This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Ex-Portsmouth officer Dean Outhouse pleading guilty to embezzling