FORMER FIRE CHIEF OF PIKE COUNTY RURAL FIRE DEPARTMENT CHARGED IN FEDERAL INDICTMENT WITH EMBEZZLING MONEY INTENDED FOR PURCHASE OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT GEAR
EX-FIREFIGHTER ACCUSED OF SWINDLING FROM A PAIR OF FEDERAL GRANTS TOTALING FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, USING THEM AS LOOT FOR HIS OWN USE
FORMER FIRE CHIEF OF LOCAL PIKE COUNTY, KENTUCKY DEPARTMENT GETS HIMSELF BURNED-LEGAL-TROUBLE-WISE: CHRISTOPHER A. CHAPMAN, 35, OF RANSOM, KY., WAS INDICTED BY A FEDERAL GRAND JURY FOR THEFT AFTER STEALING MONEY FROM TWO GRANTS TOTALING $50,000 THAT WERE INTENDED TO BE USED FOR PURCHASES OF SAFETY GEAR FROM A COMPANY, THAT TURNED OUT TO BE A PHONY SHELL BUSINESS SET BY UP ILLEGALLY THE EX FIRE-CHIEF
The former chief of a rural Pike County, Kentucky volunteer fire department has been named in a federal indictment by a federal grand jury in Pikeville, after he stands accused of embezzling money intended for safety equipment.
Christopher A. Chapman, 35, of Ransom, KY., was arrested late Friday morning, April 19, by deputy Bryson of the U.S. Marshals, after being charged with one count of federal program theft.
Christopher Chapman served as the fire chief of the Blackberry Volunteer Fire Department, when the indictment alleges that he informed the department in April of 2022 that they could obtain safety equipment at cost from a company called Rural Public Safety Equipment LLC. However, Rural Public Safety Equipment was actually the company that Christopher Chapman had himself formed that same month.
Over the next few months, the Blackberry Volunteer Fire Department received two grants totaling $50,000 from the Pike County fiscal court and used that money to prepay for equipment from his company. However, instead of using the money to fulfill the orders, the federal indictment alleges Christopher Chapman withdrew cash on several occasions for his own personal use.
If convicted on the indictment charge, Christopher Chapman could be sentenced to up to 10 years in federal prison and up to $25,000 dollars in fines. Prosecutors of the Assistant U.S. Attorney for Eastern Kentucky are also asking in the indictment that Christopher Chapman be ordered to repay the missing grant money that he reportedly used for himself.
Christopher Chapman was taken to and lodged in the Pike County Detention Center in Pikeville, where currently remains as of early Monday morning, April 22.
