A former corrections officer at the Worcester County sheriff’s office has been indicted on larceny and workers’ compensation fraud charges in connection with collecting more than $15,000 in disability benefits while he allegedly continued to work for his private business.

Thomas P. Roy, age 37, of Ashburnham, was indicted by a Worcester grand jury on charges of workers’ compensation fraud, false claim to employer and larceny over $250. He will be arraigned in Worcester Superior Court at a later date.

From December 2005 to May 2016, Roy was employed as a full-time corrections officer at the Worcester County sheriff’s office. In January 2016, Roy claimed to have suffered a work-related back injury when he became involved in a scuffle with an inmate. In the months following the incident, Roy was seen on multiple occasions by medical personnel who confirmed he had a lower back injury, which was also supported by an MRI.

As a result of this injury, Roy began receiving Temporary Total Incapacity and Injured by Prisoner worker’s compensation benefits. Authorities allege that while receiving workers’ compensation benefits, Roy was running a private business named ASL Renovations (ASL), which he had just started two months prior to the injury. ASL provides snow removal services, construction site work and hardscape construction. Authorities allege that the Worcester County sheriff’s office was unaware that Roy had established a private business.

The investigation revealed that shortly after his injury, Roy was allegedly operating a backhoe while doing snow removal work for the city of Fitchburg and the town of Ashburnham. Roy was also allegedly recorded on video in April performing physical labor, including operating a backhoe, climbing up and down a ladder and vigorously swinging a heavy sledgehammer. At the same time, authorities allege that Roy had told his doctors and the Worcester County sheriff’s office that he was too injured to work, even on light duty assignment.

The Worcester County sheriff’s office terminated Roy in May 2016 in light of his alleged ability to work but his refusal to return to work. The Worcester County sheriff’s office referred the matter in July 2016 to the AG’s office for investigation.

Authorities allege that Roy fraudulently collected more than $15,895 in disability benefits between January 2016 and May 2016.