A former director of the Revere Public Library and a former administrative clerk for the City of Boston’s Veterans’ Services Department both admitted to stealing from their employers in separate proceedings today in the Suffolk Superior Court, and were each ordered to pay restitution to the respective cities of Revere and Boston, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

ROBERT RICE (D.O.B. 5/5/65) of Rowley pleaded guilty to three counts of embezzlement and 15 counts of procurement fraud for using city funds to purchase items he kept himself or sold online from 2005 until his resignation in 2009. During that time, he was alleged to have stolen in excess of $200K.

Assistant District Attorney Benjamin Goldberger recommended that Rice be sentenced to two years in the House of Correction, with six to nine months to serve and the balance suspended for three years. He likewise requested that Rice pay $274,781.80 in restitution to the City of Revere. That figure included a $25,000 reimbursement to the City of Revere for the cost of retaining an outside auditor, with the balance representing the dollar value of criminal purchases made by Rice.

Superior Court Judge Carol Ball sentenced Rice to two years in jail, with six months to serve, and the balance suspended for two years. She further ordered him to pay $260,000 in restitution. Rice indicated through his attorneys that he was prepared to provide a check in the amount of $230,000 by the end of the business day on Dec. 28.

Also in Superior Court today, JOSEPH MILLER (D.O.B. 9/3/53) of Beverly admitted to demanding kickbacks from two women he paid as health care aides from 2009 to 2010. He pleaded guilty to seven counts of procurement fraud, two counts of larceny over $250, and single counts of extortion, solicitation of gifts, and attempted larceny over $250.

In that case, Goldberger recommended a sentence of one year in the House of Correction followed by one year of probation, that Miller pay restitution in the amount of $12,700 to the City of Boston, and that he not advise anyone for profit with respect to applying for or receiving government benefits. Judge Ball imposed a two year jail sentence suspended for a three year probationary period, ordered that he pay restitution in the amount requested by the Commonwealth, that he attend Gamblers Anonymous meetings, and that he not gamble in any way, including lottery tickets and casinos. She further imposed the Commonwealth’s recommendation that Rice not profit from advising others about government benefits.

Had the cases gone to trial, Goldberger would have proven that Rice engaged in a number of schemes by which he caused the City of Revere to purchase items ostensibly for the Revere Public Library. In purchasing documents, Rice would describe those items as books. In many cases, Rice kept the purchased items for himself. He would also sell items purchased by the city on online auction websites like eBay. Rice made more than 1500 transactions through online auctions during the time period in question. Occasionally, Rice would cause the city to pay for an item that was out of stock or back ordered, and when the company sent a refund check, he would then deposit that money to his bank account.

Among the items Rice bought with city funds were a three-foot replica of a Thompson submachine gun, described in the purchase order as “Thompsons Machine Gun Encyc (4 vol. set),” and a Leica camera, described in a purchase order as “The Leica V-Lux Encyclopedia of the Camera (6 book set).”

During the execution of search warrants on Rice’s home and that of his mother, Revere Police detectives recovered upwards of 75 additional items billed to the library, including computer software, furniture, coins, diving gear, statues, decorative glass pumpkins, and birdhouses.

Miller’s case came to the attention of prosecutors in 2010, and the investigation was conducted by Suffolk prosecutors, the State Police Crime Prevention and Control Unit, and the Boston Police Department Anti-Corruption Unit. Prosecutors notified Mayor Thomas Menino of the investigation, leading to an audit of the Veterans’ Services Department and Miller’s suspension.

From 2009 to 2010, Miller paid two women as health care aides with city funds that were later reimbursed at a rate of 75% by the state’s Department of Veterans’ Services. Miller demanded that those women provide him with a portion of that payment. Miller also tried but failed to pay a family member who refused to take part in the scheme.

Rice was represented by attorneys Stephen J. Tassinari and Michael A. Cioffi. Miller was represented by attorney Daniel Solomon.