A local volunteer fire chief is accused of stealing thousands of dollars from his own fire department.
They risk their lives to protect ours, but one volunteer fire chief is accused of some not-so-heroic behavior.
Nassau County deputies arrested Jason Wall, 49, for allegedly taking the department’s money by writing checks to himself.
“That’s ridiculous,” said Norman Bacon, a neighbor.
“A chief shouldn’t be stealing it,” said Danny Hand, another neighbor.
Deputies said Wall started as chief and co-treasurer at the Ratliff Community Volunteer Fire Department in December of last year.
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During that time, they say he wrote nearly 30 checks totaling $23,000. The alleged crime was discovered when the bank alerted the other treasurer that the account was overdrawn.
“There’s crooked people all over this world. Anywhere there’s money, they seem to get their hands in it,” said Hand.
According to a police report, the department is currently not in service, and under contract negotiations.
“This is for our community and it’s being taken advantage of like that. I think the community deserves better than this,” said Bacon.
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