A former state trooper fired last year for having a drunken sexual encounter with another trooper's wife is now an investigator for the North Carolina lottery.
Sgt. Timothy J. White was dismissed from the N.C. Highway Patrol on June 2, 2009, for personal conduct unbecoming of an officer after the encounter, which occurred in the back seat of a car while the woman's husband was in the front seat.
White then continued to contact the other trooper's wife, despite being told by his superiors to stay away from her, according to documents on file at the state Office of Administrative Hearings.
White contested his firing, which has now been reclassified by the state as a resignation following the settlement of his appeal. White was hired Nov. 30 to a new job as a security investigator for the lottery, where he is paid $46,000 a year.
The incident that led to White's dismissal from the Highway Patrol occurred after a Dec. 17, 2008 party at a bar in Mocksville, southwest of Winston-Salem. A patrol veteran who had been promoted to the rank of sergeant earlier that month, White said he consumed about nine beers at the party. He then had a sexual encounter with the wife of Master Trooper Eric B. Perdue, according to the state report.
Perdue was White's subordinate and is listed as a witness to the incident. A third trooper was driving them home.
In an interview last year, White disputed the state's account that he engaged in a sex act, saying that he only remembers kissing the woman and that she was pressing against him in the back of the car. He said Perdue's wife made advances toward him. But, he added, nothing he did was worthy of his being fired.
"She was very impaired that night," White said. "So was her husband. So was I."
As an employee of the state lottery, White is one of six investigators who look into complaints, typically focusing on retailers accused of unfairly operating the game.
Comments
Could it be....
July 22, 2010 - 10:04pm — heelsluvaYou may have hit on something there taxpayer 2009.
Could it be that "Master Trooper Eric B Perdue" is somehow related to ....... .
I better not say it but just for fun let's investigate.
Maybe
July 22, 2010 - 8:41pm — colt1911he can give Miss Sugarbowl a call - or text her....
Yes, the N&O IS reporting this correctly. Nope, not LIBEL
July 22, 2010 - 8:24pm — i88477Once the cat is out of the bag, the cat is out of the bag, no matter how much you try to restate or 'reclassify'. For all you folks giving the N&O a hard time, the trooper WAS FIRED INITIALLY and nothing can change it and the N&O can state that he was fired. That firing action could have been relabeled/reclassified, but he WAS FIRED INITIALLY.
What really gets me is that if this was private Enterprise, this yahoo would have never been rehired under any circumstance. Our fine state takes the 'if it breathes, hire it' mentatily. Talk about poor judgement from the hiring manager. No 'normal' employer with high standards and a pinch of good judgement ever rehires an employee who leaves under questionable circumstances, no matter what you call it.
N&O to face a LIBEL SUIT???
July 22, 2010 - 5:48pm — JusticeofthePeaceIf i were former Trooper Timothy White I would have already been down at my attorneys office and the paperwork filing for a LAWSUIT against the News and Observer would be in the works right now for LIBEL!!!
N&O---You have set yourselves into your own trap. You headlined this former trooper as "FIRED TROOPER back on state payroll" ....When, infact, the TRUTH is after a civil lawsuit against the state a settlement was reached and his firing was recended. He resigned. You guys are in flat out violation of LIBEL laws... and cannot use TRUTH as to a defense here...You wilfully and intentionally headlined him as a "FIRED TROOPER" to defame his charachter! I hope he takes yall to the bank in court!
OK, OK I get it.
July 22, 2010 - 5:04pm — JoeBloggsAn entire life in NC, and I've always respected the SHP as being morally above the fray. Troopers should be held to a higher standard. Being a trooper is not just a job IT IS AN HONOR. There don't seem to be too many honorable men left on the force.
Something is very wrong when troopers start acting like juvenile, testosterone filled school boys. But if that is what they think the face of the patrol should be, then so be it.
The entire look of the patrol should be changed so as not to besmirch the proud legacy of those of yesteryear that were actually capable of carrying out their responsibilities with honor and a clear conscience.
We should outfit patrol cars with heavy bass speakers, neon undercarridge lights, and those bouncy shock absorbers. Why waste money on uniforms? (Since so many troopers apparently don't spend much time on the job in them in the first place.)
You wanna be a common street thug with a badge? Have at it boys. (And I do mean BOYS) You'll only end up frying your own sorry rear ends.
Headline- "Fired trooper
July 22, 2010 - 4:03pm — jewmanji8Headline- "Fired trooper back on the state payroll"
4th Paragraph- "White contested his firing, which has now been reclassified by the state as a resignation following the settlement of his appeal."
Agree or disagree the Headline is contradicted in your story N&O, thus making your Headline False and misleading.
Huh?
July 22, 2010 - 3:36pm — tward40Umm, so was this a swinging situation? I can't believe another man would watch his wife with someone else and his boss at that. This sounds like a lifetime movie.
Geez
July 22, 2010 - 3:19pm — KingixolibIt ain't even Friday.....wonder if tomorrow might not be another New Bern office day?
trooper rehired
July 22, 2010 - 3:07pm — kathleen38I read about bad behavior daily and also corruption in this state. I love NC for it's people and the results of good decisions made, sometimes in spite of our legislators. I am very disappointed in the lack of courage of the governor to lead us away from those things which demean our state. We had years of Easley; Basnight and Jim Black. I wonder if we're really in the 'bible belt'. My husband served this country for 30 years in the uniformed service and he would never have allowed his image to be tarnished by such behavior.
Qualifications folks...
July 22, 2010 - 5:38pm — JusticeofthePeaceEveryone get off your "bashing troopers" high horse please! Look, a mistake in judgement was made (see forjustice statement above) I mean honestly folks, all of you out there--If your employers went around and intruded and meddled into every single persons they employed PRIVATE LIFE to include sexual matters off the job (yes, i know some have had on-duty sexual conduct and they should be dealt with harshly) I digress, Then I believe alot of you would be thinking twice before you take out your frustrations on these Troopers...Because in the back of your mind you are BLESSED to have a job where you are NOT MICRO-MANAGED NOR is your PRIVATE LIFE MONITORED 24-7 / 365!!!
As to this former Trooper getting hired as an investigator with the Education Lottery...Whats the problem folks? I hear some of you fussing my daughter / son just graduated and cannot get a job and should have gotten that job over "this guy". So, one night of indiscretion is enough to make this former Trooper into a MONSTER? Is the public suppose to SHUN him the remainder of his life? Is he suppose to not be allowed to continue to pursue his right to life, liberty, and happiness with the training and experience that he has and can apply to a job with such requirments??? Come on folks, think rationally before you speak and bash others!! The guy, like some of the others you have read about over the months and years made a mistake OR maybe did nothing wrong at all and fell victim to the SHP's bully network or the State's Political Machine... But don't, don't, make these people turn into recluses and feel unworthy of furthering and moving on with their lives!
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH WITH THIS NORTH CAROLINA STATE HIGHWAY PATROL SEEK AND DESTROY MISSION BY THE MEDIA!!!!
Fired Trooper
July 22, 2010 - 2:41pm — omegamanSounds like this guy has been in more than one backseat!
Conduct unbecoming a state employee
July 22, 2010 - 2:46pm — taxpayer2009So where's shpwife? She posted before she wasn't aware of this pervert's case.
If this isn't conduct unbecoming a state employee, a dismissable offense, nothing is. If I ever get stopped by ..."Master Trooper Eric B. Perdue ..." I'll be wondering if he still has that same wife!
Insubordination in itself is conduct unbecoming a state employee, let along the moral turpitude.
Corruption and political machinations should be fought and ended
July 22, 2010 - 2:30pm — kinmapperIt is clear that this former trooper should have been hard-pressed to find a job in law enforcement.
Thus one presumes that there is a political patron afoot.
I fought corrupt judges in Florida, failed to get any results other than my censure and was prevented from even being considered by the final decider, wanted by the intermediaries, for jobs for which I was always the, or one of two, superior candidates despite the fact that in Florida in my fight, no client ever suffered from less than zealous representation nor did any client ever complain on my conduct, only the corrupt judges, judges whose actions were often transparently criminal, one instance repeatedly occurring ruling prior to both sides being heard at hearing. Absent valid cause, that is a crime, a federal felony in the right circumstance.
Presumably my presence was dangerous: either my censure would be hard to explain or my independent nature against corruption was too clear as to merit consideration. I bet more of the latter.
All states run on corruption by the corrupt, some legally, some morally and some merely through indifference to the smell.
Whoa!
July 22, 2010 - 1:59pm — KingixolibI thought she signed legislation just yesterday that stopped embarassment! Does it ever stop with the Dumplin? It's as if she goes through the day bouncing off walls and smiling kinda like a dumb blonde.......wait a minute
I'm really surprised that
July 22, 2010 - 1:55pm — forjusticeI'm really surprised that the hypocrites settled with him this fast. He got a fat paycheck I'm sure. There are several others coming. Like it or not, who an employee has sex with is not the state's business. Adultary, is a sin. It's a violation of God's commanments and the last time I looked at patrol policy I did not see the Ten Commandments in there. I dont like his actions either but the truth is the Patrol has no business in it because he was off duty. The Oath of Office doesnt say that you have to be free of sin, no one person is. What if your boss stopped by your office, MADE you answer questions about your sex life and then fired you because you wer gay (which is also a sin and offensive to some). The patrol doesnt fire for being homosexual. Who decides what morals are a violation of "Unbecoming Conduct"? Leave it to God not the communist hypocrites in the Archdale building (most of which are as guilty as this man).
One of Bev's boys shines again
July 22, 2010 - 1:50pm — bphillips2This is like a stupid sit-com. You get fired from one state government job for gross behavior, and you get hired into a new position with the state.
It would be done for laughs. It's like Otis being a highway trooper, but only on weekends, or Barney texting all the female state workers trying to get them to date him, or Earnest T throwing a brick at his wife...
Bev: this really doesn't make you look very smart, or competent!
Special Terms of Employment
July 22, 2010 - 1:40pm — Fedup09I assume the new job requires travel. If a vehicle is assigned consideration may be given to a scooter.
New Job for Fired Trooper
July 22, 2010 - 1:38pm — HeatherbrookEmploying such FINE, UPSTANDING,TRUSTWORTHY, CAPABLE Citizen, just shows that NC must have much to offer. Folks just think how lucky you are to live in the GREAT STATE.
Who's his political patron?
July 22, 2010 - 1:38pm — NC74Because somebody has to be!
No politics involved in the lottery
July 22, 2010 - 1:22pm — NotaliberalHe will fit in well with his boss, Easley's former driver when Attorney General.
Covering their own - the ruling class AKA democrackkks.
July 22, 2010 - 1:17pm — BitterEXdemocratthis is sickening ... WHO made THIS decision? that person should be FIRED immediately!!!
fired trooper hired back
July 22, 2010 - 1:14pm — pat_superiorMy daughter, a young honor graduate of a college in North Carolina, can't even get any kind of job in North Carolina where she was born, and this guy gets to be fired for atrocious reasons and he is back on the state payroll!!! What a slap in the face to honest people like her who are out of work!!
Bev's Boys
July 22, 2010 - 1:12pm — ncoldsaltAnd state employees wonder why we think so little of most of them..........Duh!
far far better
July 22, 2010 - 12:54pm — cindylouwho123I am a far far better man than him, and a far far better public servant than him, I was "outstanding" on paper, until they fired me without paper...CCPS has got a lot of asking to, and Mr. Young it starts with you and goes back to Bryan Beatty. Those below and in between know who you are...did deeper NandO.
and the beat goes on....now I
July 22, 2010 - 12:56pm — cindylouwho123and the beat goes on....now I really deserve my job back