An Alexandria city employee arrested last week for embezzlement may have stolen $8,900 or more from the city he had served 11 years, police said. But city officials say they’re sure the crime was an isolated incident. Jeffrey Power, 44, of Springfield was put on administrative leave without pay while police investigate charges that he reported and was paid for overtime he did not work. Auditors found the apparent theft when they noticed Power’s department had exceeded its overtime budget.
Power took the extra pay little by little over the last fiscal year, police investigator Ed Milner said.
“We’re satisfied this wasn’t a bigger scheme. It was just one guy taking advantage of a loophole in the system,” Milner said.
City officials said that while the audit caught the crime, they want to take additional precautions.
“All human resources overtime records are being reviewed by our internal audit office, and there are no other criminal investigations related to employees entering false information into their time cards at this time,” said city spokesman Tony Castrilli. “New manager approval systems have been implemented to prevent this type of crime from happening again.”
Acting City Manager Bruce Johnson sent a letter to employees last week saying the city would strengthen the size and structure of the Office of Internal Audit.
“Although no system of checks and balances can prevent every illegal act, we pledge to make sure that our system contains all known best practices,” he wrote.
A second city employee, Addo Lomotey, 48, of Alexandria also was charged with embezzlement last week, but officials said he stole only a few hundred dollars from a Chinquapin Recreation Center cash register.
Milner said he arrests one or two city employees every year for misusing city funds in some way.
“I think [the motive] is a cross between living above your means and the current economy,” he said.
