SPRINGFIELD — A former aide in Governor Maura Healey’s administration who is already facing serious drug trafficking charges was mistakenly paid more than $31,000 in taxpayer money after his arrest, according to state officials.

Lamar Cook, 45, received roughly $31,400 in a lump-sum payout for unused vacation and personal leave after he was fired from his job in the governor’s Western Massachusetts office. The payment was processed through the state payroll system after Cook’s termination, even though he had already been arrested and charged at the time.

The Healey administration confirmed the payment and said it should not have been made. A spokesperson described the payout as an administrative error and said the state is taking steps to recover the money. Officials also said internal procedures are being reviewed to prevent similar payments in the future.

Cook was arrested in October and charged with trafficking large quantities of cocaine, along with firearms-related offenses. Prosecutors allege he was involved in a significant drug operation, a revelation that drew widespread scrutiny because Cook was employed inside state government and worked closely within Democratic political circles.

Following his arrest, Cook was terminated from his position. Administration officials said at the time that the alleged conduct was unrelated to his official duties. The newly disclosed payout, however, has raised fresh questions about payroll oversight and internal controls once the arrest became public.

Cook remains behind bars as his case moves through the court system. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The disclosure triggered sharp reaction from Republican gubernatorial candidates, who seized on the payment as evidence of broader management failures within the Healey administration.

Mike Kennealy, a Republican candidate for governor, said in a statement, “Maura Healey gave her staffer who trafficked cocaine out of her office a golden parachute after he was indicted. Time for a new governor.”

Brian Shortsleeve, another Republican contender, reacted on social media, saying, “Unused vacation pay buyout for the cocaine trafficker — you can’t make this stuff up. Maura Healey still hasn’t come clean about what she knew and when she knew it, and now her administration is paying him over $30,000 in unused vacation pay. This is completely unacceptable.”

State officials pushed back on suggestions the payment was intentional, emphasizing it was generated automatically and included leave accrued during Cook’s time in state service. They said Cook has been notified that the money must be repaid.

While the criminal case will ultimately be decided in court, the payout has added a new layer of political fallout, reopening debate over how a politically connected aide accused of serious crimes was handled on the way out of state government.

The case against Cook remains pending.