Correction officer charged with allegedly collecting $16K in workers’ compensation while working for JetBlue

A correction officer from South Windsor who was out of work with a work-related injury is charged with illegally collecting more than $16,000 in workers’ compensation benefits while failing to report that he was working for JetBlue Airways, the Division of Criminal Justice announced Wednesday.

Michael McLeod, 35, turned himself in to police in Rocky Hill on Wednesday and was charged with one count of fraudulent claim or receipt of benefits and one count of first-degree larceny and defrauding a public community, according to the Division of Criminal Justice.

The arrest warrant affidavit for McLeod stated that he was injured while he was employed as a correction officer with the State of Connecticut Department of Correction. He was placed on temporary total disability and was receiving wage replacement benefits by the state during a period that he was considered unable to perform any type of work due to his work-related injury, officials said.

While receiving workers’ compensation benefits, McLeod was allegedly employed by JetBlue Airway Corporation and failed to disclose his employment and his capacity to work to the Department of Correction. While receiving worker’s compensation benefits, employees are required to report any other employment income, the division said.

McLeod was arrested by inspectors from the Workers’ Compensation Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney. He was released on a promise to appear in Hartford Superior Court on Jan. 11, records show.