Former Rio Grande City police chief accused of stealing federal money

McALLEN — A former Rio Grande City police chief admitted to stealing more than $44,000 in overtime pay and benefits while working for the department, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday.

Byron A. “Dutch” Piper, who was the city’s chief of police for nearly a decade, told FBI agents he had been submitting time sheets reflecting hours he had not worked and being paid with federal grant money, states the complaint filed at the U.S. District Court in McAllen.

“I did it out of being lazy and stupidity. I am very, very sorry for my actions.” Piper told FBI investigators according to the complaint.

From 2009 to 2014, Piper’s department received federal grants from the Department of Homeland Security administered through the Texas Department of Public Safety and Starr County. One of these grants came from a program called Operation Stone Garden (OPSG) whose funds intended to pay overtime to local law enforcement officers in order to help secure the border.

Read more: http://www.themonitor.com/news/local/former-rio-grande-city-police-chief-accused-of-stealing-federal/article_c2c0066a-1957-11e5-8d28-dbf22cb41421.html (McAllen Monitor)