Former Police Officer Sentenced for Wire Fraud

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; and Franklin Adderley, Chief of Police, Fort Lauderdale Police Department, announced that David Michael McElligott, 47, of Warner Robins, Georgia, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra to 21 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by two years’ supervised release, for his fraudulent scheme to defraud the city of Fort Lauderdale. Earlier this year, McElligott pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1343, in connection with the scheme.

According to court documents, McElligott worked as a Fort Lauderdale police officer from 1991 through his resignation late last year. Since 2001, he had been on extended military leave from the U.S. Air Force. Beginning in September 2003, McElligott would present the Fort Lauderdale Police Department and the city of Fort Lauderdale with falsified military leave and earnings statements in order to increase the supplemental pay that the city of Fort Lauderdale gave him pursuant to its supplemental pay policy. McElligott also presented the police department and the city with fraudulent military orders, which entitled him to certain rights under federal law to maintain and return to his job as a police officer. McElligott sent all of the falsified documents by facsimile, e-mail, or both to an employee in the payroll department of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. McElligott’s fraudulent conduct resulted in a loss to the city of Fort Lauderdale of $312,270.65. This included supplemental pay, longevity pay, and benefits. At the sentencing hearing, in addition to imposing imprisonment and supervised release terms, the judge ordered McElligott to pay restitution to the city in the amount of $197,205.70, which was the balance of the city’s total loss not already repaid by McElligott.

This investigation began as a result of information discovered by the Fort Lauderdale Police Department during an internal review. The Fort Lauderdale Police Department immediately contacted the FBI Public Corruption Task Force and continued to assist in the investigation that resulted in today’s charges.

Mr. Ferrer commends the efforts of the FBI’s Public Corruption squad and the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, which is part of the Broward County Public Corruption Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard P. Murad.