BETHANY BEACH, Del. — A former Bethany Beach police chief is facing a federal wire fraud charge after prosecutors say he was paid for overtime shifts he never worked.
Michael Redmon, who was removed from his position last year, was recently indicted on a single count of wire fraud. Former Capt. Darin Cathell was charged with the same offense earlier this year.
The two were fired in 2023 following an internal probe that, according to town officials, revealed potential misuse of overtime funds. Details surrounding the allegations had remained unclear until now.
Federal prosecutors allege Redmon wrongfully collected more than $80,000 in overtime over several years. Between December 2019 and May 2023, he reportedly claimed payment for 237 overtime shifts, totaling over 1,000 hours and $111,000 in wages. However, authorities say he did not work at least 174 of those shifts, fraudulently obtaining nearly $82,000.
Cathell is accused of a similar scheme, allegedly submitting false claims for 185 overtime shifts between December 2019 and January 2024. Prosecutors estimate he fraudulently received around $68,000 for 800 hours he did not work.
Some of the funds were drawn from federal grants used by police agencies statewide to cover overtime costs.
If convicted, Redmon faces up to 20 years in prison, though first-time offenders rarely receive the maximum sentence.
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