BREAKING: Sharon McBride FIRED as DuComb Ctr. Director — County continuing investigation into corruption with Community Corrections program

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UPDATE: According to a press release from the St. Joseph County Commissioners, Julie Lawson has been appointed as the interim Director. She has worked in corrections for more than 30 years. She has been the Program Manager of the DuComb Center for the past two years.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Sources have confirmed with REAL News Michiana that the head of St. Joseph County Community Corrections DuComb Center, Sharon McBride, has been fired from her position. This comes as county officials have started investigating potential corruption, embezzlement and other issues at the DuComb Center, including McBride’s employment of her own mother as a Cook at the facility making $105,000. McBride (D) also serves as the elected councilwoman for District 3 on the South Bend Common Council.

BACKGROUND

Earlier this week, the St. Joseph County Commissioners announced they had launched an investigation into questionable financial issues regarding expenditures at the DuComb Center. One of the issues revolved around DuComb Center Director Sharon McBride paying her own mother, Delores Walker, more than $105,000 per year to work as a cook at the facility. Walker is currently the 5th highest paid employee in the county. Her official title is “Kitchen Director”.

The issues started came to light during a Commissioner’s meeting on Tuesday morning in which the Commissioners called on McBride to answer several questions regarding expenditures and contracts. McBride brought an attorney with her to the meeting and also mobilized dozens of members of the local chapter of the NAACP to sit in the crowd. Multiple members of the NAACP spent the entire meeting heckling the Commissioners and their attorneys as they attempted to get to the bottom of what could be massive government fraud.

“This is a personnel issue and should be done in private.” McBride, who has been the director of the facility for 14-years, stated.

McBride also claimed the Commissioners were attacking her because she is a black woman, to which she got a massive cheer from the dozens of members and supporters of the NAACP.

McBride attempted to claim her own mother was being paid a hefty salary due to overtime issues that are unavoidable. She claimed the facility needs to have a female on site 24/7 and she cannot hire and retain female staff.

It’s unclear if the investigation will be turned over to law enforcement or the prosecutor’s office for criminal charges.

RNM is working with several sources to get more details on issues regarding potential ghost employment, personal expenditures and more.

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