A firefighter in Winchester, Kentucky has been arrested and charged after city officials concluded he fraudulently claimed more than $10,000 in overtime pay over a 13-month period.

According to the Winchester Police Department, firefighter Kenneth Ball was charged with one count of theft by deception involving $10,000 or more after an internal audit by the Winchester Fire Department identified payroll discrepancies.

The matter came to light on March 25 when Fire Chief Christopher Whiteley contacted Police Chief Travis Thompson regarding suspected irregularities in overtime records. Chief Whiteley, fire department administrative staff, and the city’s finance director had been conducting an internal audit when they discovered that Ball had claimed overtime during periods when he was allegedly not working.

Police said Detective Bob Mott reviewed payroll records and interviewed administrative personnel. Investigators concluded that Ball submitted overtime claims for time he did not actually work, resulting in more than $10,000 in improper payments over approximately thirteen months.

Ball later appeared at police headquarters for an interview. According to police, after being advised of his Miranda rights, he gave a full confession. He was then arrested on the felony charge. Authorities reported that immediately following his arrest, Ball resigned from the Winchester Fire Department effective immediately.

In announcing the arrest, Chief Thompson stated: “The City of Winchester has zero tolerance for employees claiming fraudulent time and moved swiftly to do an internal investigation and bring this crime to justice.”