RAVENNA, Ohio — A Portage County deputy has filed a federal lawsuit against the sheriff's office, alleging he was retaliated against after complaining about more than $47,000 in unpaid overtime wages.

Deputy Eric Centa filed the lawsuit in federal court in September, claiming the Portage County Sheriff's Office violated federal labor laws by refusing to pay overtime and then retaliating against him for his complaints.

According to court documents, Centa has worked as a plainclothes investigative deputy and was assigned to work with a federal law enforcement agency, with an agreement requiring the sheriff's office to pay overtime wages.

Centa claims that when the federal agency's reimbursement cap was exceeded, Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski directed a subordinate to inform him in writing that

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