Vt. Police Sgt. accused of stealing overtime pay

(NECN: Jack Thurston, Montpelier, Vt.) - Gov. Peter Shumlin, D-Vt., pledged a full and transparent investigation Tuesday into allegations that a Vt. State Police sergeant stole tens of thousands of dollars of public money.

Shumlin announced that 49-year-old James Deeghan of Colchester resigned his job Tuesday morning at the State Police barracks in Williston. Deeghan had been on the force for 22 years, but was suspended without pay Monday evening.

Shumlin said the state and forensic auditors are now looking into Deeghan's pay history. He may have charged the state for significant amounts of overtime hours that he never worked, Shumlin said.

Vt. Secretary of Administration Jeb Spaulding explained Deeghan took home $136,000 in pay in 2011. Of that total, $56,000 was overtime pay, Spaulding said. That is approximately twice the typical overtime amount troopers earn, Spaulding noted.

"If this is true, we are heartbroken and deeply disappointed," Gov. Shumlin said. "It doesn't reflect the values of our state employees. We're going to get to the bottom of it and keep you posted as we go forward."

"He betrayed his badge; his core values," added Col. Tom L'Esperance, the commander of the Vt. State Police. "Across the state, this will have a shockwave among State Police members that will have a long-lasting effect."

Shumlin said the fraud investigation could take months and will cover years of records from all members of the State Police, both sworn officers and civilian employees.

James Deeghan has not been charged with a crime, pending the outcome of the probe into his time cards.