A former Howard County police officer accused of getting unearned payments due to falsifying overtime pleaded guilty Monday, the Howard County State's Attorney's Office said.
Clate Moton-Jackson, 41, or Sabillasville, pleaded guilty to misconduct in office. He was charged with one misdemeanor count and was ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution as part of his plea agreement.
Through forging pay records, the former 14-year veteran submitted for more than $27,000 in unearned pay, the State's Attorney's Office said. Moton-Jackson left the police department on Oct. 14 as part of his plea deal.
An investigation into Moton-Jackson began in July of 2017, after the department realized he was providing false information. Inconsistencies in his overtime documentation and his work hours were spotted during a review of his paperwork. As a computer crimes investigator with the digital forensics unit, Moton-Jackson worked off-site. At the beginning of the investigation into his potential fraud, he was moved to an administrative assignment.
As internal investigators uncovered the scope of the case, they contacted the police department's criminal investigation division to formally begin a criminal inquiry, eventually sending the case to the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office by way of the Howard County State's Attorney's Office. (The two counties have a reciprocal agreement to impartially handle criminal issues involving the other county's police force.)
Through video footage and records, that investigation eventually revealed Moton-Jackons had claimed to be working on multiple dates but was never at his work facility. On each such date, he submitted fraudulent pay records.
