Prison Guard who Faced Fraud Investigation Collects another Award

Tuesday, October 27, 2015 | 0

A prison guard who was at the center of a fraud investigation has collected close to $50,000 from a workers' compensation claim bringing to over $180,000 the amount he has collected in awards, for medical bills and for time off.

Lance Fancher claimed he suffered a shoulder injury breaking up a fight in October 2013 at the Vienna Correctional Center in southern Illinois.

But the $66,000 a year prison guard was spotted at a fishing tournament during the 352 days he was off work, on full pay, following the altercation.

An investigation was launched by the Illinois Department of Corrections, according to the Belleville News-Democrat.

The newspaper reported Fancher last month collected $48,000 from his workers' compensation claim. It also quoted an IDOC spokeswoman as declining to reveal whether the department cleared Fancher or is still investigating.

The guard claimed he was supporting a friend at the fishing tournament and not participating.

Fancher failed to prove two other claims linked to repetitive motion where he suffered damage to his wrist and elbow “turning keys, writing reports and driving,” according to the prison guard. These are being appealed to the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.

According to data supplied to the News Democrat by the department, the total of workers' compensation awards, payment of medical bills and time-off pay for Fancher before the latest payment was $135,794.