LEON COUNTY, Fla. — The Leon County Sheriff's Office human resources director has been fired after an investigation revealed he was embezzling payroll funds.
After a two month investigation, Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil terminated Human Resources Director Joseph McCabe on Friday.
McCabe, who has been employed with LCSO for more than 14 years, is charged with grand theft of $10,000 Less than $20,000 and organized scheme to defraud, after a payroll audit revealed discrepancies.
LCSO said the charges are for irregularities from August 2015 to May 2019 and coincides with dates of emails from lenders that McCabe received to his LCSO email, according to the probable cause affidavit.
The affidavit states McCabe embezzled just over $10,000 from LCSO in sick leave he was not owed and and pay raises he was not given.
McCabe was hired as Human Resources Director in September 2004.
“As part of an ongoing effort to ensure best practices within the agency, in 2018 we restructured our Financial Services Section, and the oversight processes instituted helped to identify this issue. The Leon County Sheriff’s Office is committed to maintaining the highest level of fiscal integrity and will hold those accountable who abuse the process,” said Sheriff McNeil.
You can read the full affidavit below.
MCCABE Probable Cause by Brandon Ingram on Scribd
A member of the Leon County Sheriff's Office is under investigation for a "possible organized scheme to defraud," according to an executive order signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
According to an executive order from Gov. Ron DeSantis that was signed Wednesday, Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney Jack Campbell asked that the investigation be turned over to Third Judicial Circuit State Attorney Jeffery Siegmeister because it involves Joe McCabe, who's a member of the executive command staff for LCSO.
McCabe, who also serves as the Director of LCSO's Employee Relations Division and a member of the executive command staff at LCSO, worked with LCSO when Jack Campbell's father Larry Campbell was sheriff.
The order states that State Attorney Jack Campbell knows McCabe both professionally and personally, so he voluntarily disqualified himself from prosecuting the case.
In his position as the Director of LCSO's Employee Relations Division, McCabe oversees and directs multiple sections including human resources, payroll, procurement, extra duty details and the administrative call center.
He has been with the agency since 2004.
According to LCSO, McCabe is currently on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Lcso Joe Mcabe by on Scribd
This is a developing story. Stay with us for details.
