SCRANTON — A former internal affairs investigator at the Lackawanna County Prison fired last year after only a few weeks on the job filed a whistleblower lawsuit, claiming he was terminated after reporting on “institutional corruption” at the jail.

The plaintiff, Joseph Harris, names as defendants Lackawanna County and the Lackawanna County Prison Board that oversees the lockup on North Washington Avenue. The lawsuit filed Oct. 16, 2024, in Lackawanna Court Court claims violation of the Pennsylvania Whistleblower Act because Harris was terminated after delivering a report detailing “fraud, abuse and waste” at the prison.

In a formal reply to the lawsuit filed in Lackawanna County Court, the defendants contend Harris was fired for missing work and his termination was not related to any whistleblowing by him.

The prison board voted to hire Harris on July 19, 2023, at a $70,000-a-year salary, to oversee internal affairs and investigate allegations of wrongdoing by prison guards, other staff and inmates. Harris started working for the county Aug. 2, 2023, but by Aug. 21, 2023, was no longer employed there. Then at its meeting in September of 2023, after meeting privately with Warden Tim Betti, the prison board voted “not to retain” Harris.

Plaintiff’s claims

The lawsuit’s other allegations include:

• Harris reported to Captain Eugene Ruddy and Deputy Warden David Pigga. In investigating the prison’s policies and procedures, Harris learned of “an active investigation into...

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