A lieutenant for a sheriff’s department in Northern California was arraigned Friday for allegedly misrepresenting physical limitations resulting from an industrial injury, according to a report by the San Jose Mercury News.

Mandy Henderson
(Las Vegas police photo)

Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Lt. Mandy Henderson, 41, is accused of engaging in “strenuous workouts” while receiving workers’ compensation benefits. The Mercury News reports she was trying to secure disability retirement payments estimated to be worth about $3.3 million.

A detective with the Sheriff’s Department wrote in a report that Henderson did not appear to have any desire to return to work in a modified position.

“I believe that Mandy Henderson has no intention or motivation to come back to work on a modified or alternative basis because she moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, prior to being granted an industrial disability retirement,” detective Brendan Omori wrote.

Henderson was arrested Dec. 26 in Las Vegas.

Private investigators who tailed Henderson for several days in 2018 observed her driving a car by herself, carrying her child and working out at a gym.

The Sheriff’s Department requested an in-person meeting with Henderson, who said she couldn’t fly from Las Vegas to Northern California because she has pain sitting for long periods of time. She also reportedly said she lies on the couch the majority of most days because of her physical limitations.

Investigators flew to Las Vegas to meet with Henderson. She reportedly walked slowly to the meeting, leaning on her husband to steady herself. At one point during the meeting, she lay down on a bench, complaining of pain.

The San Jose Mercury News reports that 30 minutes after the meeting, investigators observed Henderson walking normally.

Henderson is due back in court March 5.