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Cape Cod Snack Shack Fueled by Stolen School Food
9 Oct
Summary
- Former food service director sentenced to six months in prison.
- Stolen goods included food, appliances, and a grill.
- Fraud cost taxpayers an estimated $30,000.
Patrick Van Cott, formerly the director of food services for Plymouth Public Schools for 22 years, has been sentenced to six months in federal prison. He must surrender to the Bureau of Prisons by December 16. Van Cott, 64, pleaded guilty in May to theft from a program receiving federal funds.
Van Cott operated a side business called the Snack Shack on Sandy Neck Beach since 2014. For approximately a decade, he pilfered ingredients and equipment from the school district to profit from his beachside venture. Prosecutors estimate this scheme cost taxpayers at least $30,000.
The stolen items included refrigerators, freezers, hot plates, griddles, a chargrill, an outdoor grill, and a convection oven. He also took deli meats, chicken, hot dogs, cooking oil, and coffee. Van Cott earned over $100,000 annually and owned two homes.
In addition to his prison sentence, Van Cott received two years of supervised release and a $2,000 fine. Restitution is also to be determined. His federal sentence will run concurrently with any state court sentence for pending larceny charges. He was fired and arrested in June 2025 after an anonymous tip.
