Randy Carroll used to be the director of Merriam Public Works. The 61-year-old had worked for the city for 34 years when his employment came to an abrupt end in September.
In October, 41 Action News was told the Johnson County Sheriff's Office was investigating Merriam's Public Works Department. But city leaders wouldn't comment on Carroll's firing or to say if the investigation was related. As it turns out, it was.
It all started in October 2014 when a suspicious employee set up a video camera at the public works building.
An affidavit for the case obtained by 41 Action News says that camera shows Carroll taking city gas and putting it in his personal vehicle multiple times over the course of roughly a year.
The series of videos begin in October 2014 and end in September 2015.
The affidavit says Carroll can be seen in multiple videos hosing off the public works shop floor where his truck made tire tracks after getting gas. The court record goes on to say on one occasion, Carroll appears to urinate on the floor while he's hosing off tire tracks.
When Johnson County sheriff's investigators confronted Carroll in September, the affidavit says he admitted to filling up the tank on his personal vehicle with city gas "once or twice." But when the investigators told him they had evidence of him taking fuel more than once or twice, Carroll estimated he'd taken 160 gallons of fuel without permission.
When 41 Action News went to Carroll's home in October, he walked inside his home without saying a word. Follow-up calls this week were unanswered.
Carroll faces the gas-stealing accusation despite the fact the city gave him a $400 vehicle allowance for work related expenses with his personal vehicle.
Carroll is charged with felony theft and official misconduct. He's due in court Feb. 12.
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Andy Alcock can be reached at anderson.alcock@kshb.com.
