Former Deer Ridge prison asst. superintendent charged with theft of pay, official misconduct
(Update: Dept. of Corrections corrects previous info, says Ackley retired, was not fired)
'Zack' Ackley says he will fight charges that have 'destroyed me and my family'
MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) – Eight months after he retired from a 27-year career with the Oregon Department of Corrections, the last 15 as assistant superintendent of Deer Ridge Correctional Institution in Madras, a Prineville man was charged with being paid some $20,000in his final year for time he didn't work.
Richard Robert “Zack” Ackley, 53, whose tenure with the Oregon Department of Corrections ended last Dec. 31, told NewsChannel 21 Sunday night he will fight the charges, which he said have “destroyed me and my family.”
Ackley was accused in an August 31 Jefferson County indictment of two counts of aggravated first-degree theft, Class B felonies, for “theft of compensation,” each count for $10,000 or more – one for the time period of March 1 to June 30 of last year, and the other October 1 and Dec. 31 of last year.
The third count, a first-degree official misconduct charge – a Class A misdemeanor -- accuses Ackley of being paid “while not performing the duties of his office” between March 1 and June 30 of last year.
Ackley is scheduled for arraignment on the charges Thursday morning in Jefferson County Circuit Court, records show.
Oregon Department of Corrections Communications Manager Amber Campbell provided this DOC employment history for Ackley, who was hired in 1995:
Correctional Officer, Oregon State Penitentiary (OSP) 1995-1997
Correctional Corporal OSP 1997-1998
Correctional Sergeant OSP 1998-2000
Correctional Lieutenant OSP 2000-2002
Correctional Captain, Oregon State Correctional Institution 2002-2005
Institution Security Manager, Columbia River Correctional Institution 2005-2007
Assistant Superintendent Security, Deer Ridge Correctional Institution (DRCI) 2007-2012
Assistant Superintendent General Services, DRCI 2012-2020
Acting Superintendent, DRCI 2021 (After a newly appointed superintendent's arrest on DUII, resisting arrest charges)
Assistant Superintendent General Services, DRCI 2021-2022
Campbell said Ackley's final salary was $11,802 a month (or $141,624 a year).
Campbell initially said Ackley was "terminated from employment with DOC" on Dec. 31, 2022. She later corrected and clarified her info, saying, "Mr. Ackley's termination of employment was through action of him retiring from his employment" with the department.
Campbell said Ackley's final salary was $11,802 a month (or $141,624 a year).
"As much as I want to speak (about the charges), I can't," Ackley said. "Obviously, I am going to fight this. It has destroyed me and my family."
