A payroll director for the Massachusetts State Police is accused of stealing money from the agency in what is another black eye for the embattled Massachusetts State Police force.
Denise Ezekiel, a civilian employee, is charged with larceny, after allegedly misappropriating over $23,000 in travel and reimbursement funds, according to the Middlesex District Attorney who has been investigating the case.
"Well the good news is that was a discovery that was made by the folks at the State Police," said Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. "They referred it to the district attorney."
Ezekiel was suspended back in November when the allegations first arose, according to a state police spokesperson.
The 49-year-old Ezekiel has been on unpaid leave since then.
Ezekiel was paid $80,980 in 2017, according to state payroll records.
At her home in Holbrook Wednesday night, someone inside declined to comment and closed the shades.
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Ezekiel has not returned email, phone call or Facebook message seeking comment from NBC10 Boston.
She is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Framingham District Court.
"When the leadership of the state police is cleaning up its own house and doing the investigation that develops the baseline for a criminal investigation that’s a good thing," said Baker. "Not a bad thing."
This is just the latest issue facing the state police.
A criminal investigation is taking place in connection with Troop E, where about 30 troopers allegedly received massive overtime pay for shifts they never worked.
Reforms are underway at Troop F as well, where payroll records weren’t filed for years which means data about bloated salaries for some troopers was hidden from the public.
