SANTA ANA (CNS) - Three dozen felony charges were filed today against a former Irvine police officer accused of stealing about $68,000 by making bogus overtime demands.
Matthew Christian August, 47, of Aliso Viejo could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted of 34 counts of presenting a false claim and two counts of grand theft by an employee, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
August, who worked for the Irvine Police Department from November 2005 through Aug. 12 of this year, is accused of filing 34 time cards requesting overtime pay for hours he never worked.
In June of last year, police officials noticed alleged discrepancies between his overtime requests and the hours he worked.
``The disappointment we feel as a department and as a profession when one of our members betrays the public's trust cannot be overstated,'' Irvine police Chief Mike Hamel said. ``This is an isolated incident and I am proud of the men and women in our department, who are held to the highest standards, and who consistently provide quality service to the Irvine community with integrity, respect and accountability.''