City Sues Ex‑Firefighter Over $127K

Dallas is suing former firefighter Ivan Gonzales, saying he kept getting city paychecks long after he resigned from Dallas Fire-Rescue. (wfaa.com) The city’s lawsuit says Gonzales was hired in July 2022, resigned in June 2023, and was paid $127,441.34 between June 2023 and February 2025. (kcentv.com) According to the petition, Gonzales’ termination paperwork was submitted in June 2023 but was not processed by the city’s human resources department until April 2025. The suit says he moved to Florida sometime between June 2023 and July 2024. (wfaa.com) The case turns on a basic payroll failure: if a resignation is not fully processed, an employee can remain active in the pay system and keep receiving wages. Dallas says that is what happened here, and it is now asking a court to order repayment. (yahoo.com) The city is seeking the full $127,441.34 plus prejudgment interest starting April 7, 2026, the day the petition was filed. That means Dallas is asking not just for the pay back, but also for interest that accrued while the case is pending. (yahoo.com) The reporting published Monday, April 13, 2026 does not include a response from Gonzales or an attorney for him. Court records are publicly searchable through Dallas County, where civil petitions are filed. (wfaa.com) (dallascounty.org) What happens next is more procedural than dramatic: Gonzales can answer the lawsuit, dispute the amount, settle, or ignore it and risk a default judgment. For now, Dallas has turned a payroll mistake that lasted about 20 months into a court fight over who must repay it. (dallascounty.org) (kcentv.com)