Lackawanna County Sheriff Requests Investigation into Deputy Overtime Claims
The spotlight in Lackawanna County has turned to two deputy sheriffs amid allegations of questionable overtime payments. Sheriff Mark McAndrew has taken the step to request a criminal investigation following an internal probe into these irregularities.
The request for an investigation was officially received by District Attorney Brian Gallagher on June 3. Gallagher, acknowledging potential conflicts of interest due to the close working relationship between his office and the deputy sheriffs, has appealed to the state attorney general’s office to oversee the case. Gallagher explained, “We have conflicts (of interest). We have (deputy) sheriffs on our SWAT team. The (deputy) sheriffs monitor the security in our building. We actually have one stationed in our building. And we work with them every day (on) transporting prisoners for court.”
While efforts to reach Sheriff McAndrew for comments have been unsuccessful, a spokesperson from the attorney general’s office confirmed receipt of Gallagher’s request. However, the office has not disclosed whether it will proceed with the investigation, maintaining its policy of neither confirming nor denying the existence of ongoing investigations.
In his letter to Gallagher, McAndrew outlined that the deputies allegedly earned approximately “$20,000 per year in overtime compensation over at least the past three years.” He expressed significant concern over these allegations, citing the potential misuse of public funds and the breach of public trust. McAndrew urged for an in-depth investigation, stating, “Given the seriousness of these allegations and the public positions held by the individuals involved, we respectfully request that your office conduct a full, independent and comprehensive criminal investigation into this matter, including but not limited to a review of payroll records, overtime submissions, scheduling records, supervisory approvals, and any related documentation of electronic communication.”
The identities of the deputies remain undisclosed by WVIA News as no formal charges have been filed against them.
