LOGAN COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Two members of the Chapmanville Volunteer Fire Department have been named in a returned Grand Jury indictment which alleges the misuse of public funds.
According to the Logan County Commission, Thomas Perry and Cody Perry have been alleged to have used public money for private gain.
This follows felony charges previously filed against Lisa Wimmer for misuse of public funds allocated for the Man #2 Volunteer Fire Department, as well as a misdemeanor charge being filed against Wendell Hunter for alleged misuse of public funds while serving for the Verdunville Volunteer Fire Department.
“While acknowledging that every man and woman charged with a crime stands innocent until proven guilty, the nature of the allegations brought against these individuals is deeply concerning,” read a Wednesday afternoon statement from the Logan County Commission.
In response to the allegations, it has been declared that the distribution of taxpayer funds to Logan County Fire Departments will be reevaluated.
“No decisions can be made until the Commission conducts a public meeting and gives careful consideration to the issues,” the statement continued. “But any and all options will be considered in order to preserve the integrity of the fire departments providing critical services to the residents of this county.”
The issue will purportedly be discussed in greater detail during the upcoming meeting of the Logan County Commission, which is set to occur on Monday, September 26, 2022 at 3:00pm.
“The Logan County Commission wants to assure the public that the allegations against these individuals will not, in any way, affect the quality of fire service provided to the citizens of Logan County. However, procedures will be implemented to ensure greater oversight and accountability over how volunteer fire departments use taxpayer funds,” the statement concludes.
The Chapmanville Fire Department issued a statement on Tuesday indicating their cooperation with the investigation, as well as lack of involvement of the indicted individuals with the department’s finances for a number of months.
“We are aware of the indictment of two of our former members,” read the statement.
“These members have not dealt with our department finances or our operations for several months. We have been fully cooperative during this investigation. We are also aware that indictments are merely accusations. We have no further comment at this time.”
