Oregon prison official charged with stealing $20,000 in taxpayer salary for job he wasn't working

A former assistant superintendent at the Deer Ridge Correctional Facility in Madras, Oregon has been charged with stealing tens of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money by drawing a salary for a job he wasn't actually working in, reported KTVZ News.

Richard Robert “Zack” Ackley left his position with the Oregon Department of Corrections eight months ago, reported Barney Lerten. The state says he was terminated, but Ackley, 53, disputes this and says he simply retired.

According to the report, Ackley faces two charges of aggravated first-degree theft for "theft of compensation," as well as a misdemeanor charge of first-degree official misconduct. Authorities accuse him of collecting $20,000 in salary for a period of time in which he performed no work.

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Ackley denies the allegations against him, and told reporters, "As much as I want to speak, I can't. Obviously, I am going to fight this. It has destroyed me and my family."

Prison officials have often come under fire for accusations of misconduct.

Last year, a Florida prison warden was sued over allegations that he ignored "widespread" physical abuse and rape of inmates. Despite this, he was promoted to a role as assistant regional director of programs for the Florida Department of Corrections.