Ex-director of drug task force admits to theft of public funds, attorney's office says

Scripps Media, WCPO 9 Cincinnati, wcpo.com
BYLINE: Maxim Alter

Northern Kentucky



COVINGTON, Ky. -- The former executive director of a federally funded Northern Kentucky drug task force admitted Friday he stole public funds, authorities said.

Timothy George Fegan, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money, according to the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Authorities said Fegan, who worked for the Buffalo Trace/Gateway Narcotics Task Force, wrongfully took thousands of dollars from the organization between Dec. 31, 2009 and November of 2012.

Officials said Fegan admitted to taking cash task force agents seized during drug investigations. They said he also took money the task force kept on hand to perform undercover drug buys.

Fegan also said Friday he took thousands of dollars from a $150,000 federal fund provided to the task force in November of 2011 and 2012, state officials said. At his sentencing, the court will determine the total amount of money Fegan stole.

An I-Team investigation in January revealed Fegan was the only suspect in the disappearance of about $90,000 seized by his task force during drug investigations.

"He handled the money. He held the keys to the building. He did all the investigating. He was the evidence custodian. He was everybody," said forensic consultant Wayne Wallace.

According to Fegan’s indictment, he had “unrestricted access to (the) evidence room"…and he embezzled "approximately $98,000."

Six weeks after the I-Team's investigation, Fegan’s task force was shut down.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 19. The theft of government money offense against Fegan carries a maximum of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.

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