Read today’s Edition Log In|Subscribe 61°F NEWS POLITICS SPORTS UK SPORTS FOOD & DRINK SPORTS BETTING PERSONAL FINANCE KNOW YOUR KENTUCKY OBITUARIES SHOPPING Home Customer Service Stay Connected Read today’s Edition Herald-Leader Now Best of Lexington News Sports Dining & Entertainment Opinion Obituaries Sports Betting Shopping/Reviews Press Releases Deals & Offers Sponsored Content Classifieds Place an Ad – Celebrations Search Jobs Search Legal Notices Advertising CRIME Rural Kentucky fire chief charged in alleged thefts from the department he headed BY BILL ESTEP APRIL 19, 2024 9:47 AM Court Getty Images A rural Kentucky fire chief stole federal money that had been allocated to help the department he headed, a federal grand jury has charged. Christopher Chapman, of Pike County, faces one charge of theft from a federal program. A grand jury indicted him Thursday. The alleged theft took place between May 2022 and May 2023 while Chapman was chief of the Blackberry Volunteer Fire Department in Pike County. He also had a company registered in West Virginia called Rural Public Safety Equipment, LLC. The county received a total of $11.2 million from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act, according to the indictment. Congress approved that law in 2021 to help local governments maintain services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chapman applied for grants of federal money from the Pike County Fiscal Court for turnout gear for firefighters and for equipment and building maintenance, and the fiscal court approved a total of $50,000, according to the indictment. The Blackberry department ordered equipment from the company Chapman had set up, but instead of using the payments to fill the orders, Chapman took cash from the accounts numerous times and used it for himself, the indictment charges. The charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. RELATED STORIES FROM LEXINGTON HERALD LEADER CRIME Kentucky prosecutor accused of doing favors for meth resigns, remains in custody APRIL 15, 2024 4:43 PM CRIME ‘Done out of anger.’ Former Kentucky youth worker admits guilt in excessive force case APRIL 18, 2024 7:52 AM BILL ESTEP 606-521-9607 Bill Estep covers Southern and Eastern Kentucky. Support my work with a digital subscription Take Us With You Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. LEXINGTON HERALD LEADER APP VIEW NEWSLETTERS SUBSCRIPTIONS Start a Subscription Customer Service eEdition Herald-Leader Now Vacation Hold Pay Your Bill LEARN MORE About Us Contact Us Newsletters Archives Sports Betting Personal Finance Reviews ADVERTISING McClatchy Advertising Place an Ad Place a Classified Ad Place an Ad – Celebrations Place an Obituary Staffing Solutions Political | Advocacy Advertising Part of the McClatchy Media Network COPYRIGHT PRIVACY POLICY YOUR PRIVACY CHOICES TERMS OF SERVICE
