Post by WaTcHeR on Jun 13, 2006 11:08:27 GMT -5
Deputy Joseph Alan McCollough
06.13.2006 - A former sheriff's deputy in Douglas County is accused of stealing from drivers he stopped while on the force. Joseph Alan McCollough, 26, was arrested on Friday after his own wife turned over damaging evidence to investigators.
Douglas County Sheriff Phil Miller told 11Alive News the evidence includes a stack of driver's licenses and social security cards belonging to people McCollough encountered while working as a patrol officer last year.
"They were people he might have arrested, people that might have been making a report of a crime, people he might have stopped on the road," Sheriff Miller said.
Miller said he believes McCollough took the identification to open credit cards in other people's names. McCollough was fired from the sheriff's office last fall after his wife noticed that money was missing from their bank account, according to Miller.
"He falsified some sheriff's department reports to say it was financial fraud, and someone else other than him had taken the money out of the account," he said.
Now McCollogh is the one who faces two counts of financial identity fraud and one count of financial transaction card theft.
"It's a double-edged sword," Miller said. "I feel bad he worked here. I'm embarrassed he worked here. But I'm glad he's been arrested and identified for the person he really is."
Investigators obtained a search warrant Monday to look for more evidence in McCollough's home.
Sheriff Miller said he expects the case to grow with the possibility of more charges. McCollough worked for the sheriff's office for four years, starting as a jailer and working his way up to patrol officer.
McCollough could not be reached for comment.