There’s just something about free Hannah Montana tickets that makes grown men do stupid things. First, there was the flap involving the staff of newly elected Governor Bobby Jindal. Now, we’ve learned they can make a 41-year-old state correction officer, who is drawing disability benefits, dress in drag – including high heels – and race against a bunch of other similarly clad men in front of TV cameras.

Garrett A. Dalton, of Naugatuck, Connecticut, was arrested on March 24 and charged with one count of workers’ compensation fraud by the Workers’ Compensation Fraud Control Bureau, part of the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney. As a cross-dressing prison guard facing 20 years for defrauding the taxpayers of the Constitution State, he better have a damn good lawyer. Otherwise, the inmates he formerly supervised may insist that he do more than just dress like woman.

Dalton originally filed the claim after injuring his back on June 11, 2007, while lifting a box of toilet paper and soap at the New Haven Correctional Center. He collected $5,227 in benefits up until November 14, 2007.

It was during that period, on October 17, while out of work due to his “injury,” that Dalton allegedly participated in the contest sponsored by the radio station WPLR FM in New Haven. The contest, which some called a “drag race,” featured men (likely fathers trying to prove their unconditional love to their spoiled, teenage daughters) in dresses, wigs, and heels running a 40-yard dash for a chance at free tickets to a live performance by the Disney pop star.

Each race participant had to run while carrying an egg on a spoon. The mothers of the aforementioned, spoiled, teen girls undoubtedly enjoyed watching this. After all, they carried their daughters’ eggs to term. The least these schmucks could do for their girls is carry an egg 40 yards.

The supposedly injured Dalton was caught trying to have “the best of both worlds” by numerous news photographers, including a television crew from WTNH in Hartford. Dalton was even interviewed by them after the race. He identified himself as “Gary.”

During all that time he was out of work, Dalton apparently sat at home and watched entirely too many episodes of Hannah Montana. Everyone on the show is oblivious to the fact that Miley Cyrus’ character Miley Stewart is the alter ego of rock star Hannah Montana, simply because she wears a wig. Evidently, Dalton foolishly believed the same disguise would dupe his boss and coworkers.

In case you’re wondering, no, he didn’t win the tickets, which means he probably won’t get too many visits while in jail from his daughter.