Published: October 10, 2008 10:21 am         

Corrections officer fired — money missing

An Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department corrections officer has been terminated after an internal affairs investigation was completed about missing money at the department.

The former employee is now the target of a criminal investigation, said Trevor Wendzonka, spokesman for the department. Detectives completed an investigation Wednesday and the report will be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office for a determination on charges. At this time, no arrest has been made, he said.

The name of the jailer was not released.

The sheriff’s department began a preliminary inquiry Sept. 24 when a representative of the courts reported a particular payment for fines and costs had not been received. An internal affairs investigation was started the next day by sheriff’s officers when it became clear an employee’s actions may have been in question.

The employee cooperated with the internal affairs investigator, and after a second interview on the matter Sept. 29, the employee was terminated for misconduct and a criminal investigation began.

The amount taken is less than $10,000 and the criminal activity took place over a period of several months, Wendzonka said.