What’s the next step after someone steals from your company? If you said “paying the crook,” you and this employee are both winners.

Former facilities manager Gary Lean was placed on paid administrative leave from Montana’s Butte Civic Center when the state started investigating theft allegations against him. Nearly two years later and after receiving $118,835 in administrative pay, Lean was formally charged and pleaded guilty to eight counts of felony theft and tampering with public records.

During his three active years of employment with the Center, Lean stole more than $40,000 from taxpayers and non-profit funds associated with the facility.

After he was found guilty, the county sought to have Lean’s administrative pay returned. His response? He counter-sued the county, claiming it owed him an additional $92,000 in compensatory time, sick leave, annual leave and longevity pay.

Peter Meloy, Lean’s lawyer, claims the county doesn’t have “clean hands” and can’t deny the accrued pay — even though Lean openly admitted to stealing.