Former Drug Task Force supervisor charged with theft, misconduct

MADISON -- Former Jefferson County Sheriff's sergeant Timothy Madson has been charged with theft and misconduct in public office.

Madson also served as supervisor of the Jefferson County Drug Task Force.

According to the criminal complaint, Madson served as the supervisor of the Jefferson County Drug Task Force from 2003 until late 2011. During that time, Madson filled out multiple expense reports claiming hundreds of case-related expenses during the course of his employment.

As a result of these expense claims, Madson received more than $20,000 in reimbursement from task force funds. Madson's expense claims were in excess of any claims made by the case officers on the task force.

On his expense forms, Madson attributed those expenses to case-related work, but based upon statements from other officers on the task force, Madson was the supervisor and wouldn't have performed work on cases that required reimbursement.

Madson was in charge of disbursing funds from the task force accounts to the investigators and also was responsible for approving expense claims, and therefore was in a position to fraudulently claim expenses himself and receive those funds in excess of his lawful authority.

The theft count is a class G felony, punishable by a fine of not more than $25,000 or imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both.

The misconduct in public office charge is a Class I felony, punishable by a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than three years and six months, or both.