Former State Police Payroll Director Pleads Guilty To Stealing $23,900

BOSTON (AP) — The former payroll director for the Massachusetts State Police has pleaded guilty to stealing over $23,000 from the agency.

Fifty-year-old Denise Ezekiel of Holbrook gave a guilty plea in Framingham District Court Monday to one count of larceny over $250 in connection to theft of $23,900 in payroll funds.

Ezekiel's plea deal shows she is forfeiting over $17,000 in vacation pay to go toward restitution payment, which she would have received upon being suspended from the state police. She has been ordered to perform 100 hours of community service. Ezekiel's defense attorney says her client had no criminal record before Monday's plea.

Prosecutors say she stole funds through fake travel reimbursements. Ezekiel was suspended on Nov. 1, 2017 as state police began their investigation into the missing funds.

A criminal complaint was filed in March.

(© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)